Introduction to Gluten
Before asking for Gluten-free food, you must know what gluten is. It is a substance that is present in cereal grains like wheat and it gives an elastic texture to the dough. It is a mixture of two proteins and it gives illness to the people who have celiac disease.
It is the gluey protein that is present commonly in the dietary items. Cereals, kinds of pasta, bread, and some of the desserts have gluten. It is required to make most of the traditional baked goods as it gives the fluffiness to muffins and cakes. It also helps to bind the dough and gives it a fine moist texture. Although gluten has been great in creating texture, for some people foods that have gluten can cause severe digestive problems and lead to conditions like diabetes, intestinal cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. In case, you have a gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity, you better go gluten-free to feel healthier.
Symptoms of Gluten Allergy
Gluten allergy is a serious condition. Though people are going gluten-free as a trend, there are those who are suffering some serious symptoms due to gluten sensitivity. These symptoms include,
- Anxiety or depression
- Bloating
- Heartburn
- Fatigue
- Anemia
- Brain Fog
- Diarrhea
- Rashes
- Joint Pain
- Abdominal pain
People find it really difficult to eat out when they’re on a gluten-free diet. At times you may find it impossible because restaurants hardly have gluten-free food on their menu. But now the trends are changing, as a large number of restaurants are identifying allergens and introducing lists of ingredients for those with special dietary needs. But people still worry about how their food is going to be handled even if they’re provided with such a list or even when they ask millions of questions.
There are a few things that you should know before you order gluten-free at Taco Bell or another Fast Food restaurant.
- What is gluten? And how can you know something has gluten in it?
- How can you identify if you have a gluten allergy? What are the symptoms?
- Things you can eat at Taco Bell when you’re on a gluten-free diet.
- Things that are surprisingly gluten-filled at Taco Bell.
It is a challenge to eat gluten-free at fast-food restaurants. Some of the restaurants have their stuff together and a variety of items where you can have a decent meal as compared to other restaurants. All of the answers you are looking for about gluten-free food can be found in this article in detail.
Things you can eat at Taco Bell if you’re Gluten-Free
People mostly prefer fast food over a slow dining experience. They like to see their food getting prepared and give instructions like asking someone to change their gloves or use a special utensil if there is a need. Fast food is considered to be providing a certain peace of mind that you can’t get from other restaurants, and while there might be a possibility of cross-contamination, people usually feel a lot more secure when they watch their sub-par food getting prepared rather than trusting someone to remember that they leave bread off their plate at an expensive sit-down restaurant.
Some of the gluten-free foods at Taco Bell are given below,
- Rice
- Beans
- Some Chips and dips
- Power Bowls (previously the Cantina Bowl)
- Triple-Layered Nachos
People with gluten allergy may also experience symptoms of their illness if they have chips that are fried in the same vat as something that contains gluten. It may be the case in many restaurants and can neither be denied nor be confirmed. Before you order chips you can ask your local Taco Bell if they fry the chips in the same oil in which they fry other things too.
Besides you can also choose from the different types of dips like Pico de Gallo, nacho cheese, salsa, and guacamole. There is this gluten-free food at Taco Bell called the Triple Layer Nachos. It comes with beans, cheese, and red sauce. The thing worth noticing here is that the red sauce was questionable a while ago because of the yeast ingredient that does not appear to be questionable anymore. In case, you don’t like the red sauce you can always upgrade your nachos with different add-ons at an extra cost.
The Power Bowl is a version of the Cantina Bowl that is lesser delicious and it includes rice, beef of your choice, veggies or chicken, Pico, Lettuce, black beans, guacamole, avocado ranch sauce, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. It appears pretty mushy because of the wet components but its big and will leave you satiated.
Here it is worth noticing that Taco Bell provides sugary beverages that will appear on every gluten-free list forever like many other establishments. The hash browns they have and the coffee is also listed as gluten-free, that is something to remember especially when you are visiting Taco Bell for a breakfast.
Don’t get the idea here that you should eat at Taco Bell almost every day. But at times you just want to eat. Getting your lunch packed gets tiring and eating organic foods worth $8 gets annoying. Sometimes you also get limited by the type of restaurants nearby and the area where you live. Sometimes you are left with Taco Bell as the only fast food option and that is not a salad, and it is nicer to have a variety of options other than just a bowl of rice and beans.
Gluten-filled Foods at the Taco Bell
Taco Bell does provide gluten-free food but it is somewhere in the middle. There are some gluten-free items if you eat gluten-free, but the list of these foods is not very long but a limited one. Majority of the people think that Mexican food and even the fast food style Mexican food is pretty safe. This is true because other than some of the fried items and the flour tortillas, what else among the Mexican foods can have gluten components.
You’ll find gluten in some of the unexpected places at the Taco Bell. Like,
- The taco shells
- The ground beef
- The seasoned potatoes
You may have thought that the regular tacos will be safe for you because you found those safe at another reputable Mexican restaurant but when it comes to Taco Bell, it is forbidden. So, you cannot eat tacos at the Taco Bell.
Khalid Irfan is a Fitness expert who enjoys spending time in gym. He also enjoys being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise as well as researching new topics to expand his horizons.
