Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where the body reacts negatively towards foods containing a substance called gluten. The prevalence is thought to be about one in 133 people with about 97% of individuals with the disease living as undiagnosed. In Celiac disease gluten essentially damages the small intestine resulting in poor absorption of nutrients. Untreated, Celiac disease can lead to nutritional deficiency, infertility, depression, neurological problems and even digestive cancers. The only treatment is the total avoidance of gluten. So what exactly is gluten? It's the protein found in all kinds of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, kamut, einkorn and faro), rye and barley. Occasionally oats can become contaminated with gluten, so individuals with Celiac disease should ensure their oats are certified gluten free. Gluten can also be hidden in many foods, including beer, candies, soy sauce, imitation and processed seafood and meats and even medications. Gluten is found in many foods since wheat flour is a common base ingredient. Gluten free flour choices (instead of wheat) include arrowroot, corn or potato starch, white rice flour, bean flour, tapoica and gelatin powder.
For individuals with Celiac disease it's not just about making sure to not eat gluten containing foods, but also ensuring foods don't come into contact with gluten during any process of food storage, preparation, cooking or consumption. When we think of preventing cross contamination we often think of using refraining from using the same cutting boards, surfaces and cooking utensils and cleaning work areas. Cross contamination can happen quite easily on a much smaller and not normally recognized scale. Individuals with Celiac disease are encouraged to use separate jars for spreads and even use separate toasters for gluten and gluten free bread. It can also occur in bulk food bins, restaurants and during food manufacturing. Preventing even trace amounts of gluten for an individual with Celiac disease is quite important as damage can still occur to the bowel even when symptoms are not present, hence the diligent need to prevent cross contamination.
Gluten free is also a popular trend among for those looking for good health and weight loss. If you're someone who avoids gluten or other foods because you don't feel well after eating them, then it is probably a good idea and you should continue to do so. However, if you are someone who is avoiding gluten just to get healthier or lose weight you might want to think this over. Taking gluten out of one's diet is often confused for taking out highly processed foods (think between the aisles of the supermarket). Anyone who takes out overly processed foods from their diet and replaces them with more whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds and other lean proteins is bound to feel better, not to mention drop a dress size or two! The other thing to keep in mind is gluten free foods will occasionally have more calories as extra fat or sugar is utilized to bind the food together. A serving of regular pretzels has about 110 calories and 1 gram of fat, whereas a similar serving of gluten free pretzels will run you about 140 calories and 6 grams of fat.
The other thing to keep in mind about gluten free choices is that aren’t routinely fortified, and frequently made with rice flour or other highly processed flours. This means choosing these options in abundance could run you the risk of be running low in nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, and fibre. Gluten can be a healthier choice, but it doesn’t always mean the healthier choice, especially if whole grains are being replaced with gluten free sweets and treats. So should you go gluten free? If you are treating a gluten intolerance, sensitivity, or have Celiac disease the answer is most certainly yes. If you are looking for gluten free foods to help you lose weight or become healthier, following a varied diet with little to no restriction of any wholesome foods is not the way to go.
May is National Celiac Awareness Month. For more information on Celiac disease contact the Canadian Celiac Association at www.celiac.ca.
As seen in The Telegram May 9, 2011
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