Going gluten free doesn't have to mean going without your favorite grilled cheese sandwich or French toast breakfast. You CAN have bread and it CAN taste good!

Gluten free just means a little tweak in your staple bread entrees.




However, depending on which bread you choose, you could find yourself thinking you'll never have a tasty sandwich again. Trust me, we've tried some pretty nasty gluten free breads over the past few years. But, we've also found some yummy options and have compiled a list for you of the top three brands (and no, none of these companies are endorsing this post; we just want you to eat what tastes good).

Top gluten free bread companies:

1. Canyon Bakehouse

Canyon Bakehouse has some of the most moist and squishy gluten free bread out there. We particularly like their cinnamon raisin and 7-grain breads. Perfect for a sandwich!

2. Rudi's Gluten Free

Rudi's is also quite moist for a gluten free bread. Their multigrain and cinnamon raisin breads are great for making toast in the morning. We also really like their plain tortillas

3. Udi's Gluten Free

Udi's bread holds a special place in my heart, just because it was the first gluten free bread I tried that tasted good and when toasted I didn't feel like it was going to break my jaw as I attempted to bite it. I also appreciated that it wasn't crazy crumbly like other breads (none of these three breads mentioned are!). Again, we like their whole grain, as well as their hamburger and hot dog buns. We also REALLY like their blueberry muffins. They're a great thing to pack (with Justin's peanut butter packets) for out of town trips!

Another great thing about Udi's is that Trader Joes is now carrying it!!! I think it's about $1 cheaper there than the health food store I usually buy it at! Score!

Now, granted, you can buy mixes and make your own gluten free bread, but honestly, we don't have time for that. When we're making something with bread (which we don't do every day) it's usually something quick like a sandwich or toast. Having these breads handy makes those quick meals that much tastier! Trust us, we've tried the funky stuff...it's gross! ;-)

One SUPER important note...we keep ALL our gluten free bread in the freezer so that it keeps longer and better. We just take off a slice or two and defrost in for 30 sec in the microwave or toast it in the toaster oven (just make sure you don't burn it!).

Happy bread eating!

Did we miss an amazing gluten free bread on this list? If so, please tell us and we'll see if we can check it out.

Rachel aka Gfreegal

Groupon Pic

NOOOO!!!!!!!!

This one's candid...

I've been playing nurse the last few days as Crosby recovered from getting his wisdom teeth out.  He took it like a champ, only needed a few Advil here and there. BUT, his stomach hated him!  It was horrible!  He's slowly feeling better, though, which is good.  And, while he lost 4 pounds within the day after surgery, I have since fattened him up and he's gained 5! :) Hehe...lots of tomato soup, mashed potatoes, jello, pudding and ice cream!

Hopefully the worst is behind us.

Well, for his health, that is.  I think my body secretly likes to maintain the role of "princess" because now we're rollin' back to my health.  I went in to the doctor yesterday to find out the news on some tests I took, and OHH MAN!

Source

We knew there was more wrong with me than just Celiac (always tired, randomly bloaty/gassy, headaches, etc.), but we didn't know what.

Now we have some answers!  Praise the Lord!

• Vitamin & amino acid levels show that my body makes little to no energy (shocker! ~sarcasm). :) Must take new vitamins ASAP!
• I'm apparently HIGHLY sensitive to eggs and should NOT be eating them (weird).
• I've got a few other food sensitivities (I'll need to recheck that list...probably will have to keep it in my purse...I think there's like 10 foods on there).  Did I mention my body likes to be a "princess?!?!"
• Lastly, I have a HUGE yeast problem in my large intestine!  Yowza!  Ok, the Dr. paused before saying, "Well, I've seen worse..."  We think she's lying!  It's so bad that some treatment she would normally recommend won't work!  Ahh...  Now, she did send me away with Candistatin and I'll be going to another Dr (my current Doc is homeopathic) to get a prescription to help kill this beast!

So, my large intestine is plagued with yeast!  I believe the "condition" is called Candida?!

{UPDATE} In further looking at my tests, it appears that I have an uncommon form of yeast/fungi (not Candida and other known forms).  Haha, you know what that means?!?!  I'm a weirdo! hehe...this should be interesting.  BUT...good update is that I don't think I'll have to follow the intense Candida diet (like the crazy Candida cleanse I found!  Can I get another "Praise the Lord!?!?" :)  Hmm...we'll see how this goes!

 In looking at some causes, I wonder if the years of not being diagnosed with Celiac, thus being sick and stressed all the time are what did this?  Hmm...

Anywho, this means my new journey, is to figure out a diet that is free of:

• Gluten
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Dairy
• And probably a bunch of other stuff...

Basically, I/WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!

We have just set foot into this NO YEAST world.  Any information, websites, recipes you can provide would be UBER helpful!  Please post ANYTHING you know into the comments below.  At this point, we're blind...

Thank you SOOOOOO much!

Father's Day is Sunday!

So, in honor of dad, today's Food Free Friday post is all about MEN!

Also, in honor of men, this post will be short and straight to the point! :)  They are the hunters, after all, not the gatherers (shoot...already a tiny rabbit trail...this is going to be tough!). :)

First the products, then the company information (translation, men read the product list, then let your wives read all about the companies and their gfree policies!).

This is just a short list to get your started.

Products Shown in Order as Listed Below (the razor..."naturally" gluten free?!)

Deodorant:
Neal's Yard Remedies (NYR) Lemon & Coriander Deodorant
Axe Phoenix Deodorant

Shave Cream:
NYR Men Close Shave Cream

Body Wash & Lotion:
Bath and Body Works Citron for Men

Now, to highlight the companies.

1. AXE!

From deodorant to body sprays to body wash, Axe has a bunch of "man friendly" products!  A favorite for my hubby is their Phoenix deodorant.

The awesome thing about this company is they have a FAQ section on their site, which addresses gluten free.

This is what it says:
"We do not specifically test our products for the presence of gluten...gluten may be present in products that contain derivatives of wheat, oat, rye and barley.
In testing our products, our company follows the guidelines established by the International Nomenclature for Cosmetics Ingredients (INCI).  Therefore, if we use an ingredient derived from a grain such as wheat, oat, rye and/or barley, those names will appear on the label."

So, there you go.  If you're comfortable using this product, just check out the label, as the ingredients are CLEARLY labeled!  Love that!


2. Bath and Body Works

This company (from what I understand) also clearly labels the sources of their ingredients (i.e., oat, wheat, barley, rye), so please make sure you read them carefully.  The only ingredient that I've ever seen on any products I considered purchasing was "oats."

Also, I once heard that all body creams, body washes, and hand soaps are free of gluten-derived ingredients.  BUT...that was what I read once on another blog, not information I heard from the company itself (it was about 2 years ago, so I'm guessing the company has changed how they worded their "gluten free" information, but not necessarily the ingredients).


3. Neal's Yard Remedies

This company offers much more natural products for both men and women.  The ingredients of their products are also clearly labeled.



Lastly, as always, a word of caution.

• Choose wisely when searching for gluten free products.  
• It is up to you if you use gluten free topical products (I like the peace of mind and the lack of itchiness on my skin...my hubby's super sweet and buys himself gluten free products for me!  Or he's just avoiding me freaking out from a "gluten" item being in our house!  Sweet/smart man?!?!).  
• It is also up to you if you'd prefer products that are clearly labeled gluten free (none of the above) or are just free of gluten derived ingredients (all of the above).
• Check product labels yourself to insure they're gluten free (what's gluten free today could, sadly, not be gluten free tomorrow as ingredients can easily change for any given product).

Question of the Day:

At least, that's the claim coming from Omission Beer.

Indeed, they do have quite the catchy title, but what's the truth behind this beer?


You see, Omission Beer contains barley & hops yet it's also deemed "gluten free." Hmm, how does that work? Well, according to the company, the beer goes through an extensive fermentation process that removes the gluten to where it's tested at 20ppm or below (what is required to label a product "gluten free"). In fact, as I was looking over their website I found an option under "test results" that allows you to find out how your specific bottle of beer tested. Kinda cool!

Here's a little more info about the masterminds behind this beer:

"Few people know more about gluten-free beer than Terry Michaelson and Joe Casey.

Michaelson, the chief executive of Craft Brew Alliance (A-B InBev owns a 32 percent stake in the group), was diagnosed with celiac disease 12 years ago. Casey, brewmaster at Widmer Bros., began formulating gluten-free beer recipes shortly after his wife was diagnosed with the disease in 2006.

"My wife missed the flavor of beer," Casey says. "She tried a wide variety of gluten-free beer, and they were missing what she described as beer character. It helped drive me to keep looking for a solution."

Michaelson says: "Joe deserves the credit for all the work he put into that — having a gluten-free beer that actually tastes like beer. I wanted to make sure if we did something, we delivered on the flavor that other beer consumers were experiencing and enjoying."

Omission will stick with its Pale Ale and Lager styles for now, but Michaelson says the line could expand.

"We want to continue to give people with gluten sensitivity the option to try different craft styles, which hasn't really been an option for them," he says. "The great thing about Omission is, you don't have to be a celiac to enjoy it."

Read more: Finally, A Gluten Free Beer that Tastes Like Beer

Omission's beers are currently only in Oregon, but they will begin to show up nationally starting next week.

My questions:
I wonder how their flavor will compare to other gluten free beers?!? Right now I like Bards over Redbridge!

What's your beer preference? Would you try Omission's?



Rachel aka Gfreegal

Check out this interesting information!

We all remember the buzz a few weeks ago surrounding Domino's new gluten free pizza. Some were excited, but many were up in arms about the potential cross-contamination.  I was curious, but too afraid to try the pizza myself (the thought of "possibly" getting sick was just too much for me). 

Well, our friends over at CeliAct, decided to put their curiousity into action.  Find out what they did below:


"...we decided to use the nationally acclaimed laboratory that we use to test CeliAct for gluten. This time, we would test Domino’s gluten-free pizza.
Well, the results just came in and they are very, very interesting…

The Domino’s Gluten-Free Lab Test

Since we sell supplements specifically for people with celiac disease, making sure that our supplements are gluten-free is the most important step we take in producing CeliAct. For that reason, we use a lab that tests down to a sensitivity of 3 parts per million (ppm). To put that into context, the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) tests down to a sensitivity of 10 ppm. World leading celiac experts, including Dr. Fasano, have suggested that the FDA use a threshold of 20 ppm to conclude that a food is gluten-free or not.

We decided that one pizza was not enough. To get more representative results, we tested Domino’s gluten-free pizzas from 3 different cities across the United States. Pizzas from New Orleans, Boston and Washington, DC were used for the test.

Once at the lab, each pizza was homogenized (think high-grade food processor) to ensure that the whole pizza was tested, and not just any small piece."


To find out THE RESULTS, on CeliAct's site, click here!

Now for the BIG QUESTION....

Would YOU eat Domino's gluten free pizza after learning this new bit of information?

I've realized something about myself today.  I am a woman on a mission!  This mission, to find as many gluten free cosmetic options as I can!  Whether make-up, lotion, deodorant or toothpaste, I want to know that my "non-food" products are gluten free. 


For this Food Free Friday post, I'm looking into Cover FX Makeup.  I recently came across this new makeup line (at least new to me) on Sephora's website and saw that it was paraben free!  I love that, so I emailed them to inquire about whether or not their makeup is gluten free.

Here was their reply:

"We do not use any gluten ingredients in our products but the maufacturing facilities which produce our products are not certified as a gluten free facility.  We are confirming if they intend on becoming a certified gluten free facility."

Your preferences on what products to use are your choice.  Please use your own discretion before purchasing any products.  For me, knowing I have the option of certified gluten free cosmetics & skin care, I lean towards choosing those, but that's my preference. 

• We know you’re always on the lookout for new gluten-free foods made with nutritious ingredients that also taste great, so we also wanted to offer you the chance to try out and review the newest addition to our gluten-free family, Tortillas! The Tortillas come in three tasty flavors (Plain, Spinach and Fiesta) and all contain 5 grams of fiber per serving so they’re sure to add a little zing to spring wraps or a summer taco party. Would you be interested in receiving samples to taste and review?
• Do you have a favorite organization that supports celiac awareness? If so, perhaps you’d like to write a post encouraging your readers to help give back and support the amazing work they’re doing by encouraging them to select that organization on our Spread the Bread page?
• A quick post on Facebook or a Tweet can help your favorite celiac organization get some important funding this May. If you’re not able to help us give some dough in the ways mentioned above in May, might you be able to post a link on Facebook or Twitter?

{UPDATE} G-Free Foodie posted the following quote from Dr. Alessio Fasano (gastro-neurologist and gluten expert), "Neither Celiacs or individuals with gluten sensitivity can safely eat this pizza option."  Just wanted to give you this perspective as you use your own judgment before biting into this pizza. 

{Original Post}
That's right...Domino's Pizza came out with its own gluten free crust!  There's a bit of controversy surrounding the new gluten free addition to the chain's menu and I want to know what YOU think about it.

Here's a little bit about this new development:

"Now, instead of whipping up a gluten-free pizza at home or going to a gluten-free restaurant, those with a gluten sensitivity can enjoy a slice of Domino’s pizza that they had once removed from their diet.

The company’s new gluten-free crust is made from rice flour, potato starch, rice starch and olive oil. Domino’s worked with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to bring their standards to the company’s employees and kitchens."

Read the rest of the article here!

Here's where the controversy lies.  There's a note made by the company stating that only those with a "mild gluten allergy" should partake of this pizza because they can't guarantee against cross contamination.

As stated on Domino's home page, "Domino's pizza made with a Gluten Free Crust is prepared in a common kitchen with the risk of gluten exposure. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness supports the availability of Domino's Gluten Free Crust, but CANNOT recommend the pizza for customers with celiac disease. Customers with gluten sensitivities should exercise judgment in consuming this pizza."





So, what do you think? Would you be willing to eat this pizza?  Do you even think it should be getting all this buzz as the "first national pizza delivery chain to offer gluten free pizza?"

To read more about the new pizza offering, check out this article.
Also, here's their gluten free crusts FAQs.

And PLEASE, please tell us what you think.  We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks to the lovely GlutenFree Jen, I found out that today is the day to vote for CLEAR gluten-free labeling on medicine.  There's a bill that needs our signature to go forward. 

You can read a little more about it here on Jen's site. 

And you can vote here NOW!
They need bipartisan cosponsers by May 8th to move the bill ahead.

I don't know about you, but I believe this is something that should be clearly labeled for everything, especially medicine.  Just two weeks ago I had some pretty bad congestion, went to the store, and then had to call the company for the medicine I was looking at.  They were very kind, but could not answer my questions.  They took my information, but it was almost a week later before I got a call back (congestion now gone!).  Luckily I wasn't THAT sick, but had I been the experience would have been miserable. 

I would love a clear label on everything.  It would be a wonderful confidence boost and save a lot of time, and living with a snotty nose! :)

*Note: I now know that Target's form of Mucinex is gluten-free (as of May 1, 2012). :)

This first Food Free Friday post of  National Celiac Awareness Month is dedicated to knowledge.  Food blogger knowledge to be precise. 

Friends from Nourished-Melanie, me, Lauren-Lucille, & Jasmine

Last month, I had the privilege of attending Nourished, a Food Blogger Conference.  I can sum it up in one word, wow.  It was just so wonderful to get to meet so many passionate people, each with a different "niche" in this gluten-free (or allergen free) food blogging world.  The conference was advertized as, "the only food blogger conference tailored to the needs of those on special diets, writing about special diets, and niche bloggers."  Once I came across the site for this conference I knew I just HAD to attend. 

What I learned:

1. Have confidence in myself when cooking & creating recipes!  ~From Karen Morgan at Blackbird Bakery Recipe development isn't necessarily "my thing," but I do tweak and create things from time to time.  If this is "your thing" though, take this to heart.  Try new things.  Know your limitations.  Most of all...purchase a recipe journal to chart your successes and failures. 
2. I am my brand!  ~From Mary Fran Wiley at Franny Cakes  
• Stop and think about who I am (who you are) and what my focus is.  This was great advice because in every area of life I can easily think I need to do everything.  BUT...I don't and I can't.  From this I realized that I want this blog to be something that makes YOUR life easier.  My husband, Crosby, and I lead a very busy life.  We have a lot going on and we love every part about it.  But, that means we need things that are quick, easy, and healthy.  So, our job (our brand) is to bring you just that.  We love you (our readers) and we know how difficult and overwhelming this gluten free journey is.  Hopefully we are/will make this journey easierAnd as we continue on this journey, that's my goal.  *One thing I have to note, I am a teacher so I apologize if I come across that way.  :) 
3. Be respectful, classy & real!  ~From Lauren-Lucille Vasser at The Celiac Diva & Anne Roland Lee at Schar USA 
• This is just good advice for life, but it was a cool reminder in thinking about what brands/companies we choose to work with.  Love it!
4. Take risks & follow my gut!  ~From Silvana Nardone at Silvana's Kitchen & Cybele Pascal at The Allergy Friendly Cook 
• This is also good life advice, but I think in the world of blogging, we can get wimpy.  I'm still new to this blogging world (not yet a year), but it seems that it'd be easy to get complacent which is just the opposite of what I want.  I'm excited to take risks and see how far we can take this thing!  I hope you'll continue with us for this journey! :)

I learned SO much from all the great presenters, but I just wanted to give you a little taste of this wonderful conference.  If you are a food blogger, I would highly recommend that you attend next year.  It should be just as fabulous! 

Now, I want to leave you with a taste of the AMAZING food we enjoyed at lunch.  I cannot tell you how stinkin' awesome and fun it was to walk into a banquet room full of food and be able to eat EVERYTHING! 

Had to put a giant pic of the cupcakes!!!  Soup & sandwiches on top!  MMM!!!

Thanks again Nourished!

In honor of Celiac Awareness Month Nogii is discouting their bars by 20%!

From the site http://nogii.com/

For those of you that are unfamiliar with this product, Nogii bars were created by Elisabeth Hasselbeck (pictured above), a co-host of The View and author of The G-Free Diet: A Gluten Free Survival Guide.  Quick side note, this book was a great resource for me when first going gluten-free.  I don't know about you, but I'm not a big fan of textbooks, so being able to glean some information about my newfound "condition" while enjoying the read was awesome!  Granted, I still had a ton more Celiac research to do (and am still constantly research more info.), but it was a great place to start.

Back to the bars.

I was able to sample these at the GFAF Expo in Chicago last month and was quite impressed. I especially liked the Paleo bars (they're soy free and I try not to have too much soy in my diet).

All bars have:

• No gluten
• No high fructose corn syrup
• No trans fat
• No hydrogenated oil

They have high protein, super protein, paleo bars & kids bars. 

I found out about the above promo from their email blasts and figured, why not pass along the information.  Yay for deals during Celiac Awareness Month!!

Two questions before I go:
What protein/granola bars do you like the best?  Maybe you love something that I need to try! :)
If you've tried Nogii bars, what did you think?  I haven't tried all of them and would love to know your thoughts. :)

It's Celiac Awareness Month, which means it's time to beef up our understanding of Celiac Disease.

Woot woot...aren't you excited?!?!  Hehe...can't you tell I'm starting to feel better? :)

My goal this month is to publish more than just the normal 2-3 posts a week. I mean, come on, it's OUR month!  Why not celebrate?!?!

We're happy...we're celebrating!  Are you?!?! :)

For today, I wanted to highlight some hidden sources of gluten.  I found this great list from Everyday Health that explains some places where gluten may be that you may not have thought about.  No, I don't mean hidden like under your bed, I mean places like cosmetics, healthcare products and weird things that you'd just never thought about.

Two things to really take note of on the above list are medications and vitamin supplements.  PLEASE make sure you read what they have to say about these two (as well as the rest of this list) to insure that you are not, as I like to say, "secretly poinsoning" yourself. 

As always, I'd love for you to share comments about hidden sources of gluten you've found.  The more we educate each other, the better off we all are. 

For me, it was garlic salt.  I used it for at least the first 6 months of going gluten free and could never figure out while I often felt kinda sick.  So lame!  But hey, I always make sure to mention it to others (I have not checked this product since that experience 3 years ago...but I've just decided to use more pure ingredients, meaning garlic+salt=garlic salt). :)

Looking for some new gluten free recipes to try?

Head on over to Amazon for your free Gluten Free recipe ebook! I just did!

Read it on your kindle, iPad, tablet, iPhone, blackberry, droid, computer...wherever you enjoy reading your ebooks, it's available now!

You can get the book here!

Get it while it's FREE!!!

Can you believe it?

I was shocked to learn that some Advil contains gluten. Then again, I shouldn't be considering there are so many forms of hidden gluten, why would silly me think medicine was exempt?!

Thanks to the investigations of Goodie Goodie Gluten Free, I've learned that all Advil liquid gel and Advil migraine contain gluten! Steer clear my friends! Steer clear.

However, all Advil tablets, gel caps, and caplets are gluten free!





To read Goodie Goodie Gluten Free's post in it entirety, read here!

This information makes me want to continue with a more thorough investigation when it comes to "non food" products.

Anything you're curious about?

Ever wonder about the differences between Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity? Or maybe you're wondering if YOU should go gluten free?

Check out this informative article from the Wall Street Journal!

New Guide to Who Really Shouldn't Eat Gluten

You've got abdominal pains, bloating, fatigue and foggy thinking. You feel worse after eating wheat or other foods with gluten, and better when you avoid them.

A report is calling for a new classification system for gluten-related disorders, including celiac disease; dermatitis herpetiformis; gluten ataxia; wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity. Melinda Beck has details on Lunch Break.
.Is it a wheat allergy, celiac disease or the power of suggestion, given all the buzz around gluten-free diets? Or might it be an ailment medicine doesn't officially recognize yet?

Aiming to clarify the situation, a group of 15 experts from seven countries is proposing a new classification system for the gluten-related disorders plaguing a growing number of people around the world for unknown reasons.

The proposal defines a spectrum of illnesses based on the kind of immune defenses people mount to gluten, from wheat allergies to autoimmune responses, such as celiac disease, in which the body mistakenly attacks its own tissue.

for more...read on here.

Where was this when we went on our honeymoon to Paris in July 2010???  Who knows, it could have been written already and I just didn't find it...I couldn't find a date on the article.

Also, restaurant cards from Celiac Travel were super helpful for our honeymoon! 
Restaurant cards in French!  I would show these to restaurant servers/owners when entering their restaurant or cafe and they could tell me real quick whether or not I could eat there.  Haha...many times I was quickly told, "No...no...no" and shooed out of the establishment! Love it!  Hey, at least they cared enough to not let me get sick! :)

So, here's the great article that I had mentioned earlier.

Gluten-free Food in France

by Virginia Franco, Demand Media
article found here, at USA Today.

Managing celiac disease or any other condition that requires a restricted gluten-free diet is challenging even from the comfort from home. Travelling to a foreign destination can make it even more so. Fortunately, with some proper planning and advanced knowledge, managing celiac disease in France, the the land of patisserie (pastry) and pain (bread), does not have to be "pain"-ful. With a little knowledge about gluten-free French foods and terminology, your travels through France should be pain-free.

Association Francaise des Intolerants au Gluten

The Association Francaise des Intolerants au Gluten translates to the French Association of the gluten-intolerant. If you can read French, you will find a lot of information on their website that will help you navigate the country gluten-free. If you don't, print out their list of "produits génériques autorisés/interdits" or "list of acceptable and forbidden foods" and bring it with you whenever you are at a restaurant, a bakery or even a grocery store. The "inderdits" are the forbidden foods. The list is incredibly detailed, and includes gluten-free product lines and distributors, as well as detailed information such as particular types of regional sausages that are gluten-free. Association Francaise des Intolerants au Gluten http://www.afdiag.fr/

Bio Stores

The term "bio" means organic in France, and "magasin bio" means a health food store. Larger “bio” stores carry greater selections of gluten-free products including muesli, cereals, muffins, small cakes and cookies, although even smaller "bio" stores have an impressive array of gluten-free products. There are literally hundreds of "bio" stores throughout the country, so your best bet is to ask for a bio store with foods that are "sans gluten" or gluten-free.

Aux Biscuits d’Antoine

This bakery prides itself on its line of gluten-free products. Aux Biscuits d'Antoine's biscuits, crackers and cookies are carried in many "bio" or health food stores. Aux Biscuits d'Antoine 5 Petite Rue 89310 ETIVEY - FRANCE (33) 03 86 55 71 73 biscuits-antoine.com

I came across this article today and thought you might find it of interest. 

It's directed to restaurant owners, but has some insightful stats and information regarding our lovely gluten free diet.  The title pretty much sums it up...we're mainstream and getting more headway with restaurants and grocery stores every day! 

To quote my hubby, "Hallar!" :)

• Gluten free goes mainstream

  Tags: Business Strategy and Profitability, Food & Beverage, Health & Nutrition, Trends / Statistics
  December 26, 2011

By Cari Price, Corporate Development Chef, Food IQ

Recently, eating gluten-free has grown significantly in awareness and practice in the United States. Ten years ago most of us didn’t know what the diet encompassed let alone name the genetic digestive disorder behind it — celiac disease. Although awareness has grown rather quickly, the occurrence of American’s with celiac disease has only doubled every 15 years since 1974, according to a recent USA Today article.

So why have sales of gluten-free products increased 16 percent in 2010 alone, based on Nielsen Company data? And why does gluten-free rank the No. 1 nutritional claim related to specialized diets on restaurant menus tracked by Mintel Menu Insights?

Awareness of gluten-free is obvious when you consider the expansion in availability and significant sales growth of gluten-free products. And gluten-free menu claims have grown a whopping 114 percent over the last three years. This leads us to believe that consumers beyond those diagnosed with celiac disease are eating gluten-free.

When it comes to menu development around specialty diets such as gluten-free, our industry’s biggest concern is longevity. Is this diet just another fad or is it a growing consumer need? There is a lot of discovery to be done surrounding consumer expectations as well as the best replacements for gluten-containing ingredients, and these processes can be expensive. Additionally, employee education and training is key to preventing cross-contamination with gluten, which is of the utmost importance when dealing with food allergies. Is the gluten-free diet just a “flash in the pan” like the low-carb diet and countless others that have surfaced in recent years? Or does it have sustainability in America?

Here's another great, informative article from Better Nutrition's magazine.  The more I read the magazine, the better I am loving it.  It's full of useful information that can help you lead your life towards, you guessed it, better nutrition! 

This article deals with guidelines on gluten free labeling and how to sift through the insanity that is food product labels!  I promise, this article will help you and it does get better (just like anything, going gluten free is a learning process, but your health is SO worth it!). 

Also, there's an added bonus of a recipe at the end of this article!  Banana walnut pancakes!  I haven't tried them, but ohh they sound yummy!!

I remember when I first began to wonder if I was allergic to gluten.  I had been so sick for quite a few months (possibly unknowingly sick for years) and I just couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with me.  After attributing my ailments to many different possibilities (but to no avail) I came across Celiac Disease.  Let me rephrase that, my wonderful mother came across Celiac Disease, so I started trying the gluten free diet. 

I need to stop for a moment and encourage (kinda more demand here!) that you get the proper testing before attempting a gluten free diet.  I've said before that my doctor at the time I self-diagnosed (I later got the biopsy for confirmation) was without much knowledge regarding a gluten allergy.  Had I known then what I know now I would have asked for the proper testing.  So please, make your first step and ASK to get the blood test and biopsy before attempting to go gluten free. 

Now back to the beginning of my gluten free journey.  I was at SUCH a loss as far as knowledge and understanding of this new diet (as many of you are) and it just seemed so unbelievably overwhelming that I didn't know where to begin.

If this sounds like any of you, keep reading! 

I found a wonderful article from Better Nutrition magazine that covers some pressing questions about going gluten free, what it is, and what to expect. 

The article was written by Melissa Diane Smith, a nutritionist and author who specializes in personalizing the gluten-free diet!  Love it...hopefully I can meet her one day and pick her brain! (Don't worry, if this happens I'll report back what I learned to all of you!). 

So here's the Q & A she provided.  Info taken from Better Nutrition's website.