Cooking for specific dietary requirements
If someone you know has just been diagnosed with a condition that will need to be managed using a special diet, or you want to cook for a friend who has specific requirements, it can be hard to know where to start.
You may not want to make them feel singled out by serving them something completely different to what everyone else is having ... but you certainly don't want to aggravate their problem by dishing out something that could badly affect their body.
LiveStrong.com, the foundation created by Lance Armstrong, said the first thing to do is research the person's particular condition carefully to find out what they can and can't have.
You can then make a list of suitable foods and work out recipes from this, or cross-reference your favourite recipes to see what can be swapped to make them safe to eat for the person in question.
In a recent article for the Guardian, foodie Phil Daoust addressed some of the most common conditions in the UK and suggested some ingredients that could help you when it comes to knowing what to serve.
With figures from Cardiacmatters.co.uk i stating that six out of ten people in Britain have high cholesterol, it is perhaps no surprise that cooking for people with this issue was first on his list.
He recommended avoiding saturated and trans fats found in foods such as processed meat, cheese and cream and looking towards vegetables, lean meats and wholemeal grains.
Gluten intolerance or Coeliac disease occurs when a person can't tolerate the protein in wheat and barley, which means they should not be given ordinary bread, pasta and baked goods, Phil said.
However, they can have rice and potatoes, meat and fish, beans and lentils and special gluten-free pastas, so you shouldn't be limited in what you can rustle up for them.
Meanwhile, lactose intolerance - when the enzymes in a person's body are insufficient to deal with lactose molecules - means sufferers are unable to cope with milk and other dairy products, as well as some cereals and ready meals.
Phil pointed out that fruit and veg, fresh fish, lean meats and alternatives such as soya milk should all be fine, but you should check labels on foods carefully in case lactose has been put in during processing.
Interestingly, people cooking for anyone with diabetes should not find they have too much trouble as experts now know they do not need a completely different diet. Instead, their blood sugar levels simply need to be managed with a healthy diet and regular meals, Professor Ian Campbell recently told NetDoctor.
However, you should avoid serving up anything too high in sugar or you may cause their energy levels to slump afterwards. Try making a dessert with Canderel granules in replace of sugar as they do not affect the body’s blood sugar levels. That way you can offer up a pudding that will also be suitable for diabetics. You’ll find plenty of recipe suggestions at the Canderel Kitchen.
Whoever you're cooking for - and whether it's for one meal or on a long-term basis - following these tips should give you an idea of where to start when it comes to special dietary requirements.
You may not want to make them feel singled out by serving them something completely different to what everyone else is having ... but you certainly don't want to aggravate their problem by dishing out something that could badly affect their body.
LiveStrong.com, the foundation created by Lance Armstrong, said the first thing to do is research the person's particular condition carefully to find out what they can and can't have.
You can then make a list of suitable foods and work out recipes from this, or cross-reference your favourite recipes to see what can be swapped to make them safe to eat for the person in question.
In a recent article for the Guardian, foodie Phil Daoust addressed some of the most common conditions in the UK and suggested some ingredients that could help you when it comes to knowing what to serve.
With figures from Cardiacmatters.co.uk i stating that six out of ten people in Britain have high cholesterol, it is perhaps no surprise that cooking for people with this issue was first on his list.
He recommended avoiding saturated and trans fats found in foods such as processed meat, cheese and cream and looking towards vegetables, lean meats and wholemeal grains.
Gluten intolerance or Coeliac disease occurs when a person can't tolerate the protein in wheat and barley, which means they should not be given ordinary bread, pasta and baked goods, Phil said.
However, they can have rice and potatoes, meat and fish, beans and lentils and special gluten-free pastas, so you shouldn't be limited in what you can rustle up for them.
Meanwhile, lactose intolerance - when the enzymes in a person's body are insufficient to deal with lactose molecules - means sufferers are unable to cope with milk and other dairy products, as well as some cereals and ready meals.
Phil pointed out that fruit and veg, fresh fish, lean meats and alternatives such as soya milk should all be fine, but you should check labels on foods carefully in case lactose has been put in during processing.
Interestingly, people cooking for anyone with diabetes should not find they have too much trouble as experts now know they do not need a completely different diet. Instead, their blood sugar levels simply need to be managed with a healthy diet and regular meals, Professor Ian Campbell recently told NetDoctor.
However, you should avoid serving up anything too high in sugar or you may cause their energy levels to slump afterwards. Try making a dessert with Canderel granules in replace of sugar as they do not affect the body’s blood sugar levels. That way you can offer up a pudding that will also be suitable for diabetics. You’ll find plenty of recipe suggestions at the Canderel Kitchen.
Whoever you're cooking for - and whether it's for one meal or on a long-term basis - following these tips should give you an idea of where to start when it comes to special dietary requirements.
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