What is Gluten?
Gluten is a family of proteins contained in barley, rye, oats and wheat. (BROW).
Gluten intolerance is also known as Coeliac (pronounced seeliac) disease.
Quite simply, if you suffer from Coeliac disease you have a genetic disorder that makes you intolerant to gluten. People with Coeliac disease are sensitive to gluten which damages the lining of the small bowel. This damage affects the absorption of food and can lead to symptoms including weight loss, diarrhoea, iron and folic acid deficiency.
A gluten free diet is the only long term treatment for coeliac disease. Complete removal of gluten from the diet allows the gut to recover to normal over a period of time. Even small amounts of gluten are enough to prevent recovery or cause further damage. Obvious symptoms or damage may not occur at the time of consumption.
Every coeliac is different, some maybe very sensitive, others not so. Every Coeliac we serve is treated as sensitive, we understand it is essential they are not offered or served anything which either contains or has come into contact with gluten.
Their health and our reputation are at stake.
Gluten can be found in obvious food items such as bread, cakes and pasta. It is also hidden in a lot of foods – things like soy sauce, Worcester sauce, baking powder, cous cous, stock cubes, suet, chewing gum, cheese, crisps, horseradish, mustard powder, some types of ice cream, malt vinegar (what we use), sauces, sherbet and beer.
Please note this list is not definitive.
View our Gluten Free Menus.