by Diane Cooney
Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other grains, is also responsible for giving croissants fluffy layers and letting a muffin keep its shape. Unfortunately, it is also a source of discomfort for people with celiac disease, the symptoms of which include abdominal bloating and pain, weight loss and fatigue. A test can diagnose celiac disease, but there are also cases where patients have symptoms without testing for the condition.
Folks may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) or non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS), which can kick off an immune response in some individuals. Although doctors aren’t sure how gluten might be contributing to the symptoms, research is underway. There is a theory that gluten contributes to inflammation, which wreaks havoc on our bodies. It may also be related to some autoimmune diseases such as lupus and hypothyroidism.
Because there aren’t standard tests yet for non-celiac gluten sensitivity, many people opt for an elimination diet. This involves methodically removing all potential foods that might create an issue for you. Flour is in so many of our beloved dishes, and wheat is often a surprise ingredient in items such as oats, soy or Worcestershire sauce.
One of the challenges with going gluten-free is finding a satisfactory replacement for some of your favorite foods. Most major restaurants can usually accommodate your request, but what about when you’re home? Fortunately, there are several brands of gluten-free pasta.
I visited three local markets and picked up a different brand at each store:
- Aldi’s store brand is liveGfree. For the test, I used brown rice pasta in a 16-oz. bag.
- Kimberton Whole Foods carries an 8-oz. box of the Ancient Harvest brand, which is a pasta made with corn and quinoa.
- Whole Foods Market in Devon carries the Jovial brand of pasta (12-ounce box), which is also made with brown rice.
For the taste test, I prepared all three pastas at approximately the same time. The Jovial brand took the longest, so while that was bubbling away I prepared the other two pots. Each pot had a designated timer to ensure proper cooking time.
My niece, age 10, and nephew, age 6, assisted me with the taste test. We each had equal portions of all three pastas. Although my nephew prefers his pasta plain, my niece and I enjoyed ours with Muir Glen Organic Cabernet Marinara, a hearty, balanced sauce.
liveGfree
The pasta was quick to cook, taking eight to nine minutes. It held its shape but had an after-taste that we found bit bitter.
There are four grams of protein in a two-ounce serving. The liveGfree brand also has a penne and fusilli style pasta, both made with a blend of brown rice and quinoa.
Ancient Harvest
If you prefer your pasta al dente, this is brand for you. The pasta can take six to nine minutes to prepare. I did a taste test once I hit the six-minute mark and thought the pasta was underdone, so I let it cook for another minute. It was better, but still not quite to my liking. At the full nine minutes, the pasta had a decent texture.
The pasta has a light, golden-yellow color because of the corn. (Your pasta water might turn a bit yellow as well.) Because this pasta is made with corn and quinoa rather than brown rice, the taste was distinctly different than that of the others. A two-ounce serving has four grams of protein. You can also get popular styles such as penne, elbows, linguine, rotini, shells, garden pagodas and veggie curls.
Jovial Brown Rice Pasta
This was the favorite pasta for all three of us. The noodles were tender but kept their shape, and the spaghetti was a bit thicker compared to the others. My niece and nephew both thought it tasted just like regular pasta.
It has five grams of protein in a two-ounce serving and took 11 minutes to cook. There are also a variety of shapes to try, including penne rigate, elbows, fusilli, manicotti, egg tagliatelle, lasagna, farfalle, caserecce and capellini.
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Our taste-test shows that, even if you’re looking to remove gluten from your diet, you can still indulge in classic pasta dishes. If you have a friend or family member who is following a gluten-free diet, you can easily whip up any of these pastas in a separate pot so they can still enjoy their meal with you. Mangia!
- Photos: Diane Cooney
- Featured photo: Tookapic
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