Comments on: Dining as a Gluten-Free Veg in India: Decoding a North Indian Menu for Allergies http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html Yummy Adventures in Gluten Free Cuisine Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:33:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: PS http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-681794 PS Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:23:40 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-681794 Wow! I am an Indian myself, and I have never read anything so beautifully categorizing and calling out the various food based buckets!! Not only is it highly interesting but also very useful, considering, most health based articles, tips, guides online or magazines are in line with international specifications, tying them back to Indian diet plan was nearly impossible - (like the idea of what indian food has gluten, or the vegan diet plans) ... here is a huge first step for people like me to understand what best we can eat when trying to match a good diet plan suggested by a nutritionalist from another country!! Kudos! Wow! I am an Indian myself, and I have never read anything so beautifully categorizing and calling out the various food based buckets!!

Not only is it highly interesting but also very useful, considering, most health based articles, tips, guides online or magazines are in line with international specifications, tying them back to Indian diet plan was nearly impossible – (like the idea of what indian food has gluten, or the vegan diet plans) … here is a huge first step for people like me to understand what best we can eat when trying to match a good diet plan suggested by a nutritionalist from another country!!

Kudos!

]]> By: vanita http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-256011 vanita Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:14:20 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-256011 This was a very informative article. Thanks so much for it. Nowhere has anyone talked so well about a gluten-free diet in the indian context. Thanks. This was a very informative article. Thanks so much for it. Nowhere has anyone talked so well about a gluten-free diet in the indian context.
Thanks.

]]> By: yum http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-121549 yum Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:44:27 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-121549 Hi Shaz, I also have Celiac so I understand her concern. I don't know what her typical diet includes, so I can't advise you on what she should bring, but I imagine most healthy fresh foods that are required by diabetics are available in India from grocery stores. You might consider a situation where she can prepare her own meals. Personally I survived well on curries, dal and rice. White rice is typical, which may be too high on the glycemic index for your daughter. However, she might try a high protein diet with dals, veg and non-veg dishes (if non-veg). My friends and I had issues with food poisoning so I don't recommend seafood (Refrigeration is an issue, especially if you are not on the coast with fresh seafood), and if she eats prepared restaurant food there is likely to be small amounts of cross contamination with ground spices and ingredients like asafoetida/hing. If your daughter was not born in India she may also be wary of fresh salads washed in the water also. Some small amount of contamination is probably unavoidable while traveling (kitchens will not be gluten-free) but it should be manageable. If you are able to stay somewhere with a kitchen or hire a cook that can be made to understand the diet, she may be able to avoid higher risk situations. On the other hand, I was able to travel in India for several weeks without noticeable gluten contamination (although a few instances of food poisoning shared by my non-celiac traveling companions). Best of luck to your daughter and I hope she enjoys the trip! -Sea Hi Shaz,
I also have Celiac so I understand her concern. I don’t know what her typical diet includes, so I can’t advise you on what she should bring, but I imagine most healthy fresh foods that are required by diabetics are available in India from grocery stores. You might consider a situation where she can prepare her own meals. Personally I survived well on curries, dal and rice. White rice is typical, which may be too high on the glycemic index for your daughter. However, she might try a high protein diet with dals, veg and non-veg dishes (if non-veg). My friends and I had issues with food poisoning so I don’t recommend seafood (Refrigeration is an issue, especially if you are not on the coast with fresh seafood), and if she eats prepared restaurant food there is likely to be small amounts of cross contamination with ground spices and ingredients like asafoetida/hing. If your daughter was not born in India she may also be wary of fresh salads washed in the water also. Some small amount of contamination is probably unavoidable while traveling (kitchens will not be gluten-free) but it should be manageable. If you are able to stay somewhere with a kitchen or hire a cook that can be made to understand the diet, she may be able to avoid higher risk situations. On the other hand, I was able to travel in India for several weeks without noticeable gluten contamination (although a few instances of food poisoning shared by my non-celiac traveling companions). Best of luck to your daughter and I hope she enjoys the trip!

-Sea

]]> By: shaz http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-121265 shaz Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:19:03 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-121265 hi my daughter is celiac requiring her to have a very strict gluten free diet. we are going to india for the first time since she has been diagnosed. more so my daughter than myself is worried of whats available as main meals and how much should we take from home to cater for the the time we are there which is two weeks, also taken into account that my daughter is type 1 diabetic. hi my daughter is celiac requiring her to have a very strict gluten free diet. we are going to india for the first time since she has been diagnosed. more so my daughter than myself is worried of whats available as main meals and how much should we take from home to cater for the the time we are there which is two weeks, also taken into account that my daughter is type 1 diabetic.

]]> By: Sharanya Metro http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-88123 Sharanya Metro Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:26:07 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-88123 Thank you so much for posting this. We are heading to India on Tuesday. I am a new to be Gluten Free and have a slight intolerance to it as well as dairy. I am mostly vegan. I found www.indianvegan.com When we are in the north maybe we will find some Jain restaurants??? We will be doing video blogs of our travels while we are there. We are flying into Delhi and traveling north and than heading north to Rishikesh and other points north. This was so very help and noted all that you had mentioned. Thank you. ~S Thank you so much for posting this. We are heading to India on Tuesday. I am a new to be Gluten Free and have a slight intolerance to it as well as dairy. I am mostly vegan. I found http://www.indianvegan.com
When we are in the north maybe we will find some Jain restaurants???
We will be doing video blogs of our travels while we are there. We are flying into Delhi and traveling north and than heading north to Rishikesh and other points north.
This was so very help and noted all that you had mentioned.
Thank you.
~S

]]> By: Mel http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-78958 Mel Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:56:41 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-78958 Have just read with interest your blogs in preparation for a trip to Chandigarh In the North for a friends wedding. Thanks for all the info I am quite concerned myself as I am very sensitive to a trace of wheat being a coeliac. A mistake will end up in 24 hrs of hell and another 24hrs recovery I love eating and cooking Indian food at home where a certain level of control can be enjoyed but eating out in Great Britian is hard enough so am hoping that all will be Ok. Have just read with interest your blogs in preparation for a trip to Chandigarh In the North for a friends wedding. Thanks for all the info

I am quite concerned myself as I am very sensitive to a trace of wheat being a coeliac. A mistake will end up in 24 hrs of hell and another 24hrs recovery
I love eating and cooking Indian food at home where a certain level of control can be enjoyed but eating out in Great Britian is hard enough so am hoping that all will be Ok.

]]> By: yum http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/dining-as-a-gluten-free-veg-in-india-decoding-a-north-indian-menu-for-allergies-1280.html/comment-page-1#comment-76040 yum Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:23:40 +0000 http://www.bookofyum.com/blog/?p=1280#comment-76040 Shabnam, I am aware of the small quantity of hing used in dishes as I often prepare Indian dishes. I have Celiac Sprue, a medical condition which necessitates complete avoidance of gluten in the diet. Basically my body responds to gluten by having an autoimmune response where the body attacks itself. Consuming gluten results in the disease being "activated" and antibody levels rise which can, in the long term, lead to serious complications like stomach cancer. Even small amounts of gluten should be avoided by someone with Celiac- even parts per MILLION. This blog is a gluten-free blog, not a "little bit of gluten is ok" blog, so I include the information for my readers. The pure resin is not available in the US, as far as I know, and even home cooks in India seem to use the powdered stuff- one should not count on it being the form used in restaurants or homes. I'm not sure what a "mild" form of gluten sensitivity is, but for those with Celiac, no amount of gluten is a good idea. Shabnam, I am aware of the small quantity of hing used in dishes as I often prepare Indian dishes. I have Celiac Sprue, a medical condition which necessitates complete avoidance of gluten in the diet. Basically my body responds to gluten by having an autoimmune response where the body attacks itself. Consuming gluten results in the disease being “activated” and antibody levels rise which can, in the long term, lead to serious complications like stomach cancer. Even small amounts of gluten should be avoided by someone with Celiac- even parts per MILLION. This blog is a gluten-free blog, not a “little bit of gluten is ok” blog, so I include the information for my readers. The pure resin is not available in the US, as far as I know, and even home cooks in India seem to use the powdered stuff- one should not count on it being the form used in restaurants or homes. I’m not sure what a “mild” form of gluten sensitivity is, but for those with Celiac, no amount of gluten is a good idea.

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