It used to be the case that, if you needed a Free From alternative, you’d have to visit the large supermarkets and even then, you were likely to find only a small offering of highly overpriced products.
With a shift in buying trends and a sharper focus on our health, the touted benefits of plant based diets and increasingly frequent celebrity endorsement, the Free From market has seen explosive growth over the last few years – fantastic news for people living with a food intolerance.
With the soaring interest in Free From alternatives for everyday foods, the pressure is on for manufacturers to develop more innovative alternative products, improving on taste, texture and versatility.
The demand for Dairy Free
Thanks to increasing understanding about dairy intolerance, a wide range of alternatives are now available. Soya, coconut, hemp, oat, rice and almond milks, yoghurts and ice cream (link to previous article) all provide an animal free alternative at increasingly affordable prices.
Nutritionally, they offer many benefits and are usually fortified with calcium, meaning they make an excellent replacement for those who’ve discovered dairy is a trigger food.
Gluten free goes upmarket
Although many people suspect gluten causes food intolerance, for those who have been tested and have discovered that gliadin (the protein found in gluten) is a cause of their discomfort, the rise of gluten free alternatives means they don’t have to miss out on delicious baked goods.
Major bread brands are getting on the From From bandwagon. Warburtons’ gluten free label Newburn Bakehouse is meeting the demand for Free From wheat alternatives such as an artisanal tiger bread and sourdough cob, bucking the past history of limited, synthetic tasting products.
The market is also welcoming a wider range of alternative pastas, made from lentils, peas and buckwheat, not only offering more choice to those with intolerances but also catering to those looking for lower carb options.
Supermarkets sweep up the competition
Whist Free From used to be the preserve of niche food brands, we are now seeing an increase in own label products from the major supermarkets as they move to keep up with the health and lifestyle needs of their customers.
It’s estimated the Free From offering from supermarket own brands alone is now worth around £244.5m, no small investment into the world of Intolerance friendly alternatives and it looks set to be a trend that will keep on growing as we all learn more about our diets and how they affect us.
The Future of Free From
Whilst its wonderful to see the development in Free From foods, leading to a tastier and more varied range of products, its important to note that these alternatives only substitute for a small selection of trigger foods.
In reality, any ingredient could be the root cause of discomfort and working this out by elimination alone is difficult. If you suspect gluten is the culprit and you switch to a Free From version, you still could be eating seeds or yeast or topping the bread with the butter, strawberry jam of chocolate spread that’s really causing you problems.
Knowing the range of Free From foods is growing to meet our needs means that, when you’ve confirmed your problems foods, you’ll be able to make the right dietary choices for you.
