Gluten free? We’ve got some very, very good news...

While I’m not allergic to gluten myself, I’m what I like to call a ‘gluten free sympathiser’.

As the aunty of three coeliac nieces, I guess you could say that I now speak gluten free fluently.

I remember when the gluten free regime started in our family and I was cooking for my nieces for the first time. We’re a big food family; everyone cooks and loves to eat so much that we used to joke that these kids lived in the Carbo-Castle, the land of unlimited pasta and bread and cakes – so I was a bit freaked about getting it right, to be honest.

I attempted to make a gluten-free pizza base with their favourite toppings. And it was…disastrous. I can still remember the looks on their faces when I served it – the betrayal. I followed it up with a cake that didn’t rise and some lame gluten free lollies.

NONE OF IT WAS EATEN.

There were tantrums, slamming of doors and threats of a hunger strike and to be honest at that time, I would’ve joined them just to get some peace. Gluten was the enemy and in that moment, so was I. But ultimately, it was so worth it.

Because once they stopped eating gluten, their health improved out of sight. I remember when my nieces suddenly became bouncing, happy, healthy kids again. It was amazing.

And I’m pleased to report that in time, I did manage to learn to cook a few gluten free recipes for them that didn’t involve epic tantrums (and that actually got eaten). Winning.

But while people with coeliac disease (like my nieces) have to avoid gluten for their health, there are actually many people out there who are also avoiding it by choice.

In fact, a survey conducted by General Mills Australia in 2013 revealed that 31 per cent of Australians currently avoid gluten in their diet. That percentage includes coeliacs and people who feel avoiding gluten makes them feel better and healthier.

So it’s pretty clear that more and more people are choosing to go gluten free – and for those people? I have some very exciting news.

Latina has brought out a gluten free pasta range, Latina Fresh. It tastes and looks as good as the regular fresh pasta and is available in beef ravioli, lasagna sheets and fettuccine.

The launch of this new range was tested in a blind sensory evaluation with gluten avoiders and eight out of 10 rated the new range as exceeding their expectations. I don’t know about you, but if you want to blindfold me and feed me some fresh pasta, I’m in.

All jokes aside though, this is excellent news. Because going gluten free, whether by choice or by necessity, can be tough at times – especially for kids. One minute, they are just living their lives, and the next, they are facing a world without bread, without pasta, without cakes. It goes without saying that for many people, it’s hard to cope with suddenly having to give up their favourite foods.

But now they don’t have to.

So if you’re a gluten avoider who has been mourning pasta – mourn no more.

Buon appetito.

What has been your experience going gluten-free?

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