One of the most popular diets right now is a gluten-free one. While this is a necessity for those who have celiac disease, many others are also turning to a gluten-free diet for other benefits. According to the Harvard Health Letter, as many as 2 million Americans may have celiac disease despite only about 300,000 known diagnoses. However, thousands more are following a gluten-free diet, even without any adverse symptoms from the consumption of gluten.

“It’s a popular diet at the moment, but it really does seem to provide some improvement in gastrointestinal problems for a segment of the population,” says Dr. Daniel Leffler, an international authority on celiac disease and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. There aren’t a high number of benefits from removing gluten from your diet if you don’t have a sensitivity or celiac disease. However, some people noticed a decrease in stomach pain and fatigue when they omitted gluten.

If you do follow a gluten-free diet, be sure to eat balanced meals because most gluten-free products contain a high number of calories and carbohydrates. For those of you who are going gluten-free, here’s a delicious recipe for lemon poppy tea cake, courtesy of Natural Health Magazine:

Gluten-Free Poppy Tea Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for the pan
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2/3 cup rice milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pure lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup of gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Lightly great a 7-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan with the coconut oil
3. Pour rice milk, vinegar and poppy seeds into a small bowl, don’t stir and set aside
4. In a medium-size bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Add coconut oil, agave, applesauce, vanilla, lemon extract and zest to dry ingredients and stir until smooth
5. Add poppy seed mixture to the batter and combine until all ingredients are blended
6. Remember that the batter will slightly expand
7. Pour the batter into a pan and bake on the center rack for 35 minutes; rotate the pan 180 degrees after 18 minutes
8. Finished teacake should be golden brown and when a toothpick is inserted in the center, it should come out clean
9. Let the teacake sit for 20 minutes before gently running a knife around the edge
10. Remove teacake by covering the top with a cutting board and flipping the loaf. Then, re-invert the teacake onto a plate

The gluten-free lemon-poppy teacake can be served warm or cooled.

Do you have a favorite gluten-free recipe?