24.10.12

Knowing The Answer To, 'Is Couscous Gluten Free?'

By Mamie Conrad


If you have gluten intolerance then it would really pain you to be careful with the things that you eat. There are many things that has gluten and it would be hard to always look into the labels of every food your buy and hope that it is gluten free. For those that love to eat couscous, then their main dilemma is answering the question, is couscous gluten free?

However, the answer to this is no. Couscous is not really free of this kind of ingredient and it would be risky if you have an intolerance to this. But then you cannot go on really disappointed at this realization. There are some other things that will allow you to enjoy this dish even with your kind of condition.

But what exactly is couscous? It is actually a kind of dish which is made of wheat. Its tiny granules are usually steamed until fluffy. It is a dish that has its origins from North Africa.

There are already available commercial varieties of such which are found mostly in tin foils or in carton packs. These types are of the instant variety. They are often cooked in at least five minutes or more. They are usually the most popular types since they are convenient to use for those who are living alone or have busy careers.

There are also many kinds of recipes that you can cook out of couscous. Most of them are usually made sweet to make the flavor of the dish stand out more. They are usually done by adding different kinds of fruits in them like lemons, apricots, apples, and others. They are also used more often in salads. You can also create other kinds of recipes for them.

Another term that needs to be defined is gluten. It is actually a kind of composite that is formed out of several kinds of proteins. They are found mostly in several kinds of grains like wheat, barley, and also rye. They are also used as addition to other kinds of food especially as a flavor enhancer. They are also used as a kind of protein supplement.

It is easy to develop a certain intolerance to this. Experts however say that it would be best not to avoid eating food with this ingredient in order not to let the intolerance grow and damage the body further. You should be able to get used to food with such in order not to develop an intolerance. However, if you already have it, you can go on a diet in order to avoid risks.

If you have this intolerance and likes eating couscous then you need to use other kinds of varieties for the dish ingredient. The most common alternative is brown rice. Most people, especially health conscious ones prefer this ingredient than wheat or white rice in their dish. This is because it is a tastier at the same healthier ingredient compared to the other two.

You can also use those commercially sold varieties that is considered to be free of this ingredient. Most of these varieties are often made from corn instead of wheat. These are usually sold in many healthy food stores and stalls and is becoming more popular as well. Therefore, you will not have to get too much disappointed when you find out that the answer to the question, is couscous gluten free was no. You can now use other alternatives which will help you enjoy the dish despite the specific condition that you currently have.




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