Gluten – you’ve heard all about it and its bloat-inducing effects. It’s a protein that’s found in grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt and oats. Some people avoid it as they have celiac disease, a disorder whereby eating gluten triggers an immune response in the body and this can cause inflammation and damage to the small intestine. If left untreated, people who suffer from this disease could suffer from side effects such as digestive issues and nutritional deficiencies.

However, while only one in 140 people have this disease, a gluten-free diet has gained a lot of traction, especially in the past few years. Some people have decided to ditch gluten because it has supposed health benefits — plus it’s trendy too (celebrities such as Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga and Gwyneth Paltrow follow such a diet).

Gluten can also cause headaches and abdominal discomfort, which could mean you’re suffering from gluten sensitivity (a milder form) or gluten intolerance; this isn’t the same as having celiac disease as both conditions don’t cause any damage to your intestines.

With more restaurants offering gluten-free dishes, you can, thankfully, still enjoy foods such as breads, pastas and pizzas. One thing to note however: gluten-free food has a different taste and texture compared to its gluten-containing counterparts so you might take a while getting used to such food.

Here are 9 places to get gluten-free food that your tummy will thank you for.

#1: Kitchen By Food Rebel

#2: The Butcher’s Wife

#3: Summer Palace

Read more on the next page.

#4: The Living Cafe

#5: Wild Honey

This is the perfect spot for a gluten-free brunch with its wide variety of non-gluten items such as I Love New York (creamy scrambled eggs with smoked sturgeon, smoked salmon & caramelised onions with hand-rolled sesame bagel (request for the gluten-free bagel). There’s also the Norwegian (avocado, grilled asparagus spears, poached eggs wrapped with Norwegian smoked salmon, Hollandaise sauce & salmon pearls on wholewheat brioche), and Turkish (poached egg with baked yoghurt, baby spinach & paprika oil, avjar, flat bread & chopped salad), both hearty dishes that are available in gluten-free options, to start the day right.

#03-01/02 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Rd, Singapore 238897, tel: 6235 3900, and #03-01, Scotts Square, 6 Scotts Rd, Singapore 228209, tel: 6636 1816. Visit here.

Image: Instagram (@wildhoneysg)

#6: Tiann’s

#7: Bread Street Kitchen

This restaurant and bar by Gordon Ramsay has a charming industrial-warehouse design and a separate gluten-free menu containing a selection of traditional British fare and European dishes. Start with their chicken liver and foie gras parfait with Madeira jelly and gluten free toast; pick the slow roasted Dingley Dell pork belly with apple purée and whole grain mustard jus or the Irish Angus rib-eye steak as your main dish; then finish on a sweet note with a Diplomatico Reserva rum cheesecake with mango sorbet.

At L1-81, Bay Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018972; tel: 6688 5665. Visit here.

 

#8: Coriander Leaf

#9: Oh My Goodness!