Coeliac disease - Gluten free diet

[sultan78]

Good afternoon All,

I hope everyone is being safe and keeping healthy.

I am moving to Famagusta with my family in the coming months (once travel restrictions are lifted). The move has been years in the making and it is the unfortunate circumstances created by Coronavirus that is delaying our move.

Anyway, my question is regarding my specific dietary needs that involves gluten, or the lack of it, to be more precise. I was diagnosed with coeliac disease a couple of months ago and the consultant started me off on a gluten free diet. In Englad, gluten free items are very much readily available and I wanted to ask the lovely people on this forum if it was the case in Northern Cyprus? By gluten free items I mean basic household staples such as flour, pasta, bread etc.

I would appreciate it if any of you could enlighten me with regards to the availability of gluten free goods in TRNC.

Look forward to your response.

Stay safe and healthy!

Many thanks,
Katie

[steveodp]

Hi, I’m gluten free too and have noticed that the supermarkets’ g/f sections have improved and cover the basics of bread, pasta, etc, but the range is much smaller than the UK, largely Schar branded. The health food shop on the east side of Girne also has a small assortment of items. I’ve found that restaurants’ reaction to asking for g/f varied dramatically, and on more than one occasion I was given food I shouldn’t have. On the flip side, our local restaurant said that if I had g/f pitta or wraps, they would use them when preparing food for me.

[Soner]

I am 99% sure I saw a gluten free section in Önder in Famagusta yesterday. Going into Famagusta from Iskele, turn left at the big roundabout where the mosque is, a couple of hundred yards on the right.

[sophie]

I believe both Lemar and the new Ilelli in Alsancak have a fairly decent selection and certainly Sha do but you'd have to check yourself as I only catch a glimpse as I go by.

[Loobyloo]

Compared to the UK it is very limited, bread, biscuits, pasta, you usually can get. The bread that comes in from Turkey is useful relatively cheap but tiny slices more often than not got more hole than bread. Things like sausages and beef burgers inevitably have rusk or bread crumb. When the border is open Alpha mega have a fairly good selection from Tesco. Restaurants and eating out can be quite difficult, (rice served in restaurants often has vermicelli so be careful) very few restaurants understand, some of the big hotels do but not all. I do bring a lot of gluten free food back from the UK and would have to admit to being a bit like a kid in a sweet shop there is such a lot of choice now.

[sophie]

Some locals in the TRNC must suffer from this disease, so how do they cope?

[Keithcaley]

Some locals in the TRNC must suffer from this disease, so how do they cope?

Possibly eat home cooked/baked stuff?

[sultan78]

Good afternoon All,

Thank you for the responses, very much appreciated.

I have been to Famagusta a number of times and I do remember Önder, I recall it being a very friendly place along with the orange shop a bit further out (Ilarma - I think). Will definitely check them out, thank you.

I am currently preparing my GF box to save me heading to the stores right after arrival (especially if a two-week quarantine period is imposed similarly to the UK).

Alsancak and Girne are also good to know about, as we will eventually go around the island, thank you.

We are planning on exploring the southern side too, so will definitely track down Alpha mega, so thanks for that too.

Again, I do appreciate your responses and the reassurance that I will be able to source GF ingredients and products once we are in Famagusta.

Many thanks to you All, and please stay safe and keep healthy!

Katie

[Lovelife]

I've bought gluten free bread from the Food Lodge in Catalkoy, you have to pre order it and they will make it.

[steveodp]

Yes, I forgot about the Food Lodge, only used them once so far, but pre-ordered two loaves and they were very nice.
The big supermarket on the Nicosia bypass, near the Airport Mall, also had nice thick frozen burgers with no wheat/crumb,. I seem to remember buying frozen sheftalia there, that had no obvious gluten-containing ingredients (and don’t remember being ill with them) - and a local friend did say to ask the butchers as often they are hand made so can provide g/f on request.

[sultan78]

That’s great, thank you for all the info.

I appreciate all of your input and time.

Thank you!

[waz-24-7]

Gluten free dietary needs are becoming increasingly in demand. More shops are capitalising upon the opportunities.
Nuts and fruit based diet ( returning to an unprocessed food stuff lifestyle) as apposed to manipulated grass crops and diary products.

My opinion is that:
It is the very rapid rise of processed and manipulated food stuffs that have left the human body confused. Gluten, lactose, and others are mistaken for invaders and the immune response leads to intolerance and coeliac, eczema and other unusual complex reactions.

A return to basic caveman type diet will alleviate many conditions. However simple as it sounds it is in fact, very difficult to escape the modern commercially driven diet. Even the modern "health foods" are packed with sugar and processed glutens and other reactants.

[sophie]

Have just come out of the new Ilelli in Alsancak and was amazed to see the selection. As well as all the usual there are breakfast cereals, assorted chocolate biscuits, waffles and many others. It is right at the back of the store, next to the breads. Happy hunting.

[sophie]

Forgot to say, they have gluten free "pringles" as well.

[sultan78]

Thank you for the latest comments too, much appreciated.

Have a lovely day!