There is a lot of confusion about whether can we consider potatoes a gluten-free product or not. Many people think that potatoes are not gluten-free in their raw form but it’s not true. We can make potato dishes that are gluten-free and can avoid adding ingredients containing gluten.
So, Are potatoes Gluten-free? The answer is Yes. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and ray. It can cause a food allergy known as Celiac disease. In this disease, you can see redness on your body because of the allergy, and can also damage your small intestine. So, the people who suffer if they eat gluten-based foods can use potatoes in different ways by making them gluten-free.
How to keep potatoes gluten-free at home?
If you want to make potato-based gluten-free dishes at home, you must have to know what you can do to keep them gluten-free. So just follow the simple tips for your diet:
1. Potato bread
You can use potato bread instead of wheat and other grains bread as these loaves of bread have gluten in them. Make sure to check the ingredients present in the bread if you are buying it from outside. You can also make gluten-free potato bread at home.
2. Potato Flour
Potato flour is the alternative to flour containing gluten. It is a gluten-free flour that can be made if you remove the fibrous material and grind the potato roots. It is used in thickening the sauces as it can give that moisture to the baked foods that will be necessary for them.
It can also be used in baking bread, cookies, or cakes instead of wheat flour.
3. Baked potatoes
If you are baking potatoes at home make sure don’t bake them directly in the oven as there is a possibility that you have baked other gluten products in the same oven rack, so there is a chance of contamination because of other gluten products. Clean the oven before baking potatoes.
4. Mashed potatoes
You can make tasty gluten-free mashed potatoes at home. Boil the potatoes and mashed them according to your need. Add milk, butter, and other spices. You can also add some gluten-free cheese to them.
You can also buy them from the market. There are many brands that offer gluten-free mashed potatoes which you can also store in your refrigerator.
5. French fries
You can make gluten-free french fries at home. Take potatoes and wash them. Peel and cut them into thin slices. Use olive oil and seasoning according to your taste. Bake them in the oven at 425 degrees so that you will get crisp french fries.
You can also buy gluten-free fries from the market. You can also keep them in the freezer and fry them the next day. No need to add any flour, it will automatically turn out crispy.
6. Stuffed potatoes
Usually, stuffed potatoes are gluten-free but the ingredients you will add to make stuffed potatoes like cheese and bacon can have the gluten-content in them. Buy the ingredients that are gluten-free and make tasty stuffed potatoes at home.
7. Potato skins
When you fry potato skins, just make sure to choose gluten-free ingredients and don’t use the used oil in case you have already fried gluten-based food for your family members.
8. Au gratin potatoes
For making Au gratin potatoes you have to use flour to thicken the gravy and also have to add bread crumbs to it. But you can add gluten-free bread and potato flour or mashed potato in place of gluten-based products.
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Things to consider while ordering gluten-free potatoes at restaurants
1. Baked potatoes
Always ask for the method of making baked potatoes from the chef before ordering gluten-free baked potatoes. Many restaurants baked the potatoes in the same oven in which they are baking other products. Some can use butter and flour and the wheat flour is not gluten-free and they usually baked it in aluminum foil which is not safe for the person who is allergic to gluten.
2. French fries
French fries are usually fried in used oils. As they can use the same oil they used in frying other gluten-containing foods. It can cross-contaminate the food and can affect you badly. Usually, all the restaurants use wheat better as a coating to make them crisp. Ask them first about this before you place the order.
3. Mashed potatoes
Usually, the mashed potatoes offered by the restaurants are gluten-free. But for your safety makes sure to ensure with the chef or server itself.
4. Stuffed potatoes
Again just check with the chef whether he is using gluten-free ingredients or not. You can also search gluten-free restaurants for gluten-free dishes.
5. Potato skins
As mostly quick-service restaurants use mozzarella cheese and other fried items which are gluten-based. Moreover, they also use the same fryer for other foods. Carefully cross-check with the chef to avoid further circumstances.
6. Potato Au Gratin
Check all the ingredients before eating. There are also available in frozen forms in the market. You can buy them from there but at restaurants, you have to make sure about the making either by chefs or servers.
7. Potato cakes and croquettes
Potato cakes and croquettes are made with a baking process so they can be baked in the same oven where other gluten-based products have been made. So this can cause contamination of potatoes and can affect you in a bad way.
8. Potato chips
Packaged or restaurant-served chips can be made with wheat, barley, vinegar, and other ingredients which is a gluten food. Ask them to check their equipment and ingredients before ordering them.
Contamination of gluten-free potatoes
You have to be very careful with the cross-contact between the gluten-free and gluten-based content and also consider the other ingredients that you will use in making the recipes that are not safe for people who have celiac disease. This can be happen
- If you make the recipe in the same pans using the same knives, and cooking surfaces without cleaning.
- If you are in a restaurant, potatoes are boiled in water the same water in which other gluten-based products like noodles have boiled.
- Wooden-based cutting boards can have gluten trapped in the cracks.
- A gluten-based sauce was added to the recipe made by potato.
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Tips to follow while taking gluten-free products
Following are the tips you can follow to choose the gluten-free product from the store.
- Read the ingredients
Always read the ingredients written on the back of the packaged food. So that you can easily differentiate between gluten-based or free products.
- Gluten-free alternatives
Rice and potato are very good substitutes that are available in the market that you can use in making your food.
- Avoid sauces
Don’t use the sauce to thicken the gravies of the recipes as these sauces contain gluten that will not good for you.
- Make food at home
If you don’t take any chances with your health, just make food at home. By this, you don’t have to compromise your health.
- Use natural grains
You can also use rice and oats as these are also gluten-free grains.
Summary
Foods with gluten are commonly seen in people’s diets. Many tasty meals are still available to you even if you must stick to a gluten-free diet. Making sure there are no gluten-based components or cross-contamination simply requires a little more consideration.
Consult a health professional if you think your symptoms may be caused by gluten-containing meals or you’re experiencing symptoms.
