Gluten-Free Diet: What to Know and How to Enjoy Dining Out

More and more people are taking up a gluten-free diet through personal choice, and others have dietary restrictions due to conditions like coeliac disease and gluten intolerance. Following a gluten-free meal plan brings benefits along with possible issues to consider. While you may experience restricted menu options in restaurants, there are plenty of ways to enjoy travelling and dining out while avoiding gluten. Discover more about gluten-free diets.

Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from grains. A gluten-free diet involves avoidance of wheat, rye, barley and semolina, effectively cutting out staples such as bread, pasta, cereals, pastry, sauces with flour in them and gravy made from granules. Those with a sweet tooth should also skip most cakes, biscuits and chocolate – although recent progress has been made in the artisanal production of gluten-free sweet treats.

Fortunately, there are plenty of gluten-free alternatives to everyday food items like traditional wheat-based pasta and bread. For example, rice can be used to make products that are a tempting replacement for bread, such as rice pancakes or crackers. Gluten-free pasta is made from ingredients like corn, quinoa and maize. Even the base of bread products, flour, can come from other sources. Consider cooking with coconut flour, rice flour or almond flour! Before you know it, your gluten-free journey becomes an adventure.

In these days of heightened allergy awareness, there are tight rules on gluten-free labelling in food shops, and you’ll find that many European restaurants clearly indicate gluten-free dishes on their menus.

• Gluten-free diets guarantee weight loss. Many Europeans believe that shunning gluten will help them lose weight, but scientific evidence does not support this approach. While eliminating processed foods can be beneficial for weight control, it’s important to note that the simple act of cutting out gluten doesn’t directly guarantee weight loss.
• Gluten intolerance and coeliac disease are the same. Coeliac disease is an immune system disorder that damages the lining of the small intestine. In these cases, removing gluten from the diet is the only successful treatment. On the other hand, non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), also known as gluten intolerance, is a digestive disorder that causes discomfort but does not damage the intestine. Although the conditions share some symptoms, they are not the same.
• Gluten is only found in wheat. Because food products containing wheat are so standard in everyday life, it’s easy to focus on the gluten in wheat over other sources. However, processed meats, French fries, soy sauce, various condiments and beer, to name just a few, can also contain gluten. It can even be traced in some medications, toothpastes and shampoos.

While it’s true that many people can’t tolerate gluten, their numbers form a fraction of Europe’s population and don’t fully explain the current enthusiasm for eating gluten-free. If you’re thinking about following a gluten-free diet out of curiosity or for your general health, it’s helpful to know about potential benefits and risks. 

Although the health benefits of a gluten-free diet have not been scientifically proven for anyone who hasn’t been diagnosed with an intolerance, it’s good to know that gluten substitutes are often healthier alternatives. For example, try replacing white loaves with bread made from sorghum, a grass containing protein, vitamins and antioxidants that are also found in blueberries. Of course, following a gluten-free diet may also bring the simple benefit of discovering new, healthy and tasty things to eat!

However, adopting a gluten-free diet when you don’t have an intolerance is not without some possible risks. One is missing out on healthful nutrients that come from whole grains and fibre, which are found in whole-grain rye and brown bread. It may be better to simply remove highly processed bread and other products from your list of go-to foods rather than removing all gluten from your diet.

An additional drawback is that gluten-free products, such as pasta and cereals for example, tend to be more expensive than traditional versions that contain gluten.

If you’re travelling around Europe, it’s certainly possible to maintain a gluten-free diet by following simple steps. While entirely gluten-free hotels are still rare, plenty of hotels are making significant efforts to cater to guests with dietary restrictions. Restaurants, too, are offering more gluten-free fare, and some in bigger cities focus entirely on gluten-free eats. With a little knowledge and research, it’s easy to discover delicious gluten-free dishes.

Think of the famous cheeses in France, and most will be gluten-free, including Camembert or Brie. Blue cheeses such as Roquefort are a concern for some people with dietary restrictions as the mould cultures are sometimes grown on wheat or rye breads. However, recent research has suggested that the gluten does not move across to the ingredient that ends up in the cheese itself, so only avoid blue cheese if you need to be extra careful. Also be diligent about checking cheese products that have been processed and flavoured, as they often contain additional ingredients.

In France, you can also feast with confidence on ratatouille made from the freshest aubergines and sweet tomatoes, or socca pancakes cooked with gluten-free flour made from chickpeas. For sweet treats, choose crème brûlée or macarons, which tend to be made with almond flour. In a city like Paris, renowned for its culinary culture, it’s easy to find a gluten-free breakfast, like the breakfast and brunch at La Cuisine inside Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris (7 Avenue Hoche, 75008).

To stay gluten-free in Spain, order all manner of tapas, including spicy patatas bravas, as well as tortilla omelettes or paella – the country’s most famous dish. All of these delights are generally gluten-free, though it’s always better to check with restaurant staff if a gluten-free guarantee is not listed on the menu. To sample a staple Iberian dessert, order a delectable crema de caramelo flan.

A visit to Italy wouldn’t be the same without pasta and pizza, but thankfully, gluten-free options are readily available across the country. If in doubt, plump for dishes based on polenta (boiled cornmeal) or pick a delicious insalata Caprese with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. Dodge the temptation for a post-prandial gelato, as many flavours contain gluten, but you’ll be safe with frozen granita iced drinks.

In major European cities, you can find gluten-free fine dining restaurants that offer a luxurious experience. High-end London restaurants with gluten-free commitments include Dishoom Covent Garden (2 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, WC2H 9FB), preparing acclaimed Indian food, and La Belle Epoque inside Sofitel London Heathrow. Niche (197-199 Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TJ) is also an entirely gluten-free restaurant in London with a seasonally-inspired menu of British and European fare.

• Be sure to take your gluten-free diet list with you when you travel so you can quickly refer to which foods are suitable to eat or not.
• Along with the usual online search for local eateries with gluten-free fare, read blogs by locals and travellers, including comments.
• Learn a few local phrases to help you, such as Est-ce que ceci contient du gluten? (“Does this contain gluten?” in French).
• Have the phrases handy on your phone or print them out to avoid communication issues in a noisy restaurant.
• Take gluten-free snacks with you just in case you can’t confirm whether dishes in a particular eatery are gluten-free.

Now that you can dine gluten-free with confidence around Europe, why not start planning your trip!