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What Is Gluten-Free Muesli?
Gluten-free muesli is a breakfast dish served with raw rolled oats or oat groats, nuts, seeds, fresh milk, and various sweeteners and spices to bring out the overall flavor. Some individuals on a gluten-free diet can consume the oats in regular muesli if they do not suffer from celiac disease; however, this varies between individuals. Since most oats commercially sold are manufactured with wheat products, the majority of muesli sold or made cannot be eaten by people with celiac disease. Muesli must be made using uncooked and certified gluten-free oats in order for it to be safe for those with gluten intolerance.
Normal muesli, a common healthy breakfast item made from raw and soaked oats, is often very low in gluten content, a protein found in wheat, barely, and rye. Oats are naturally gluten-free; however, during processing, oats often get cross-contaminated with wheat and other gluten-containing grains. This can lead to adverse reactions in those with gluten intolerance, and can present serious problems in those suffering from celiac disease. Gluten-free muesli is made with certified gluten-free oats that have been processed in a facility free from wheat and other gluten-containing foods.
Some gluten-free muesli recipes include a small portion of oats, using fruits, nuts, and seeds, as well as fresh cream or milk, to provide more bulk to the dish. With this type of muesli, it may be possible for an individual with a higher tolerance for gluten to consume it without experiencing negative effects. Gluten-free muesli pre-made and pre-packaged must be labeled as gluten-free and be certified before anyone with a high level of gluten intolerance or celiac disease can eat it. More often than not, gluten-free muesli will also contain dried fruits to add more bulk to the dish and lessen the dependence on a high proportion of oats.
Gluten-free muesli can be made quite easily without any form of oats at all. Buckwheat groats, as well as brown rice, can be used in place of the oats in most muesli recipes. These ingredients must be cooked in order to be consumed, yet they are natural gluten-free alternatives that are usually not processed with wheat. Other alternatives to oats include soaked and ground flaxseed and soaked and cooked quinoa. It is not unusual for gluten-free versions of muesli to include these alternatives to oats, as it lessens the risk of consuming even trace amounts of gluten.
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![Gluten content is typically low in muesli.]()
By: fabiomaxGluten content is typically low in muesli. -
![During processing, oats often get cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains –leading to adverse reactions in those with gluten intolerance.]()
By: xalanxDuring processing, oats often get cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains –leading to adverse reactions in those with gluten intolerance. -
![Buckwheat groats are a common addition to gluten-free muesli.]()
By: yuliakotinaBuckwheat groats are a common addition to gluten-free muesli. -
![The majority of muesil that's sold or made cannot be eaten by people with celiac disease.]()
By: joshyaThe majority of muesil that's sold or made cannot be eaten by people with celiac disease. -
![Some recipes for gluten-free muesli call for brown rice instead of oats.]()
By: Stepan PopovSome recipes for gluten-free muesli call for brown rice instead of oats. -
![Muesli often incorporates fruit and nuts.]()
By: matka_WariatkaMuesli often incorporates fruit and nuts. -
![Ingesting gluten-free muesli can be essential to individuals who suffer from celiac disease.]()
By: CLIPAREA.comIngesting gluten-free muesli can be essential to individuals who suffer from celiac disease.
Discussion Comments
@croydon - People who really aren't able to eat gluten will definitely know it. People who feel better when they don't eat gluten but don't actually have a medical condition are entitled to do what they want, but I suspect that they are actually feeling better on their gluten free diet because they are cutting out a lot of foods with a high glycemic index. This means that they convert very quickly into blood sugar and tend to make people feel tired because the energy doesn't last.
White flour has a very very high glycemic index and most foods that are filled with gluten have it because of white flour.
Nutrition is a very complex thing, but at the same time it's simple. If something makes you feel healthier in the short term and the long term, then keep eating it.
@Fa5t3r - I always find nutritional science to be interesting because of this kind of interaction. Even a gluten free diet doesn't seem to be universally hailed as a good thing, although a lot of people claim that it's better for everyone.
The theory goes that gluten has been accidentally bred to be difficult to digest in a bid to make bread more fluffy. So modern gluten is bad for everyone. But I don't think that has been conclusively proven by science.
I love making my own muesli and I used to basically just have a big plastic container that I would fill with raw oats, different kinds of seeds, shredded coconut and dried fruit and then I would add milk in the morning. I had heard that raw oats were very good for you because they were probiotic as well as a gluten free cereal and it got to the point where I didn't quite feel right in the morning until I'd had my bowl of oats.
However, I started to feel tired and couldn't work out what the problem was. Turns out that raw oats have a substance in them that blocks the absorption of iron and other minerals. Even soaked oats do. But if you soak oats with some flour it will break down this substance.
So now I soak my oat mixture overnight with a little bit of flour and it seems to have fixed the problem.
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