Lately, a trend has emerged among health-conscious people to eat a gluten-free diet. This is a difficult step, because even with the emergence of many gluten-free products, avoiding it in a mainstream lifestyle requires careful observations and planning.
Ironically, many people who follow a gluten-free diet don’t really have an idea of what it is or what it does in the body, only that it may be “bad” for your health. Americans spend more than $10 billion each year on products labeled gluten-free, but a recent survey found that only one-third of 1,012 United States adults could identify what gluten actually is and does. NSF International conducted a telephone survey and discovered that more than 25 percent of consumers believe that wheat-free also means gluten-free (wrong); there are also 15 percent who believe gluten is wheat (wrong). More than 45 percent believe rice is a gluten product, while more than 30 percent accused potatoes of being a gluten product (neither contains gluten).
When asked why they were not including gluten products in their diet, 19 percent claimed a gluten allergy, while 12 percent claimed going gluten-free made them healthier. Just under 10 percent admitted they have celiac disease, which would be an amazing finding, since scientific research has long established that less than one percent of the United States adult population truly has the disease.
No one is allergic to gluten. Many people claim a “gluten allergy” out of ignorance. There are only three gluten-related disorders: celiac disease, wheat allergies and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Thus, many may be fronting on their alleged disability out of ignorance or willful self-righteousness, believing that gluten-free gives them a health edge.
THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET
Following the diet may eliminate many of your favorite foods unless they bear the gluten-free tag. Pizza? Out. Pasta? Out. Hamburgers with the buns? Out. You get the idea, but for those with celiac disease, it’s a must to adhere to avoiding the protein in order to control the disease and risk complications. Fortunately, there are specialty -- and even mainstream stores -- that carry a gluten-free assortment, and many fast-food businesses are now awakening to the gluten-free market and offering alternatives to their traditional fare. Best bet: find a celiac disease support group in the area for up-to-date information on gluten-free products and dining.
Many people new to the gluten-free diet will consult a nutritionist. That allows them to ask questions and plan a diet based around the new restrictions while maintaining the vital nutrients needed for good health.
Some foods that are gluten-free include fresh eggs, fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, coated in batter or marinated), beans, seeds, unprocessed nuts, fruits, vegetables and most dairy products. Any food you eat should not have gluten grains, preservatives or additives, but such grains and starches as buckwheat, arrowroot, amaranth, fax, corn, cornmeal, hominy, gluten-free flours like soy, rice, corn, potato and bear, millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, tapioca, soy and teff are fine.
THE DANGER ZONE
While the list of permitted foods is extensive, avoiding wheat in the diet can be a challenge. That’s because many foods and drinks are processed using enriched, bromated, phosphate, plan and self-rising gluten products. Particular dangers to watch for include farina, durum flour, graham flour, semolina, spelt and kamut.
Among the foods that atypically have gluten in them (unless labeled gluten-free) are bread, beer, candies, cakes, pies, cereals, cookies, crackers, Communion wafers, croutons, French fries, imitation meats and seafood, gravies, pastas, matzo, processed lunch meat, soy sauce, salad dressing, seasoned rice, potato chips, tortilla chips, most soups and soup bases, self-basting poultry, and vegetables in sauces.
There are also hidden gluten products that celiac patients and the gluten sensitive should approach with caution. They include oats, which can be contaminated during growing and processing, food additives like modified food starch, malt flavoring and others, and medications and vitamins where gluten is used as a binding agent.
The cross-contamination problem exhibited with oats is not isolated. Many food labels have a “may contain” hedge statement on them, indicating that cross-contamination may be a factor in their products. This is a safety measure to warn consumers about the potential for gluten’s appearance in the product in trace amounts.
The United States Food and Drug Administration requires any product bearing the “gluten-free” label to have less than 20 parts per million of gluten, but some products labeled “wheat free” may still contain gluten. When I doubt, check the label.
Cross contamination may also occur outside of the manufacturing plant. If foods are prepared in the same area, or if utensils are not scrupulously cleaned, there can be cross contamination. A common toaster, for example, can leave traces of gluten products on your gluten-free bread.
Of course, many servers in restaurants are not knowledgeable about the products they have in their kitchens, so it’s best to be extra-cautious in what you ingest and where you dine.
RISK FACTORS
Gluten-free living isn’t merely a fad. People who have celiac disease are on the diet for the rest of their lives, or such potentially serious complications as chronic diarrhea, vitamin deficiency and severe abdominal pain may arise. Even those who don’t have severe symptoms may actually be damaging their internal organs by getting trace amounts of gluten, contributing to such serious issues as small intestine cancer.
Because wheat is such a vital part of most diets, vitamin deficiency and its subsequent effects on many parts of the body, including bones, eyes and general hormone levels, is a serious consideration. Celiac patients must make sure they are ingesting enough calcium, fiber, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.
If you have concerns about gluten and your potential susceptibility to celiac disease or wheat allergy, speak to your doctor. It’s worth undergoing a few tests in order to avoid the ordeal of being ultra-careful with a diet that you may not need to undertake.