What To Do If You're Diagnosed With Celiac Disease

When you or a member of your family are told by your doctor that you have celiac disease, you will most likely feel overwhelmed.  Of course, you may also feel relieved to know that your symptoms are easily treated, and damage to the small intestine can even be reversed with the proper diet.

Then you find yourself slipping back into overwhelmed mode. You may even be tempted to stop at the grocery store on your way back from the doctor's office to grab all the foods in the 'gluten-free' aisle you can get your hands on. However, this will surely cause even more frustration. 

So, what should you do when you are diagnosed with celiac disease? Read. Study. Learn. Let's take a look at a few simple suggestions for changing to a gluten-free household.

Learn to Read Labels

Understanding Food Labels (Photo credit: Healing and Eating)

One of the best things that has happened in the gluten-free world is new food labeling laws.  All foods manufactured and labeled after January 1, 2006, must be labeled in plain language with the eight most prevalent food allergens, which includes wheat. If any wheat gluten is used in any form and in any amount, it must be clearly stated on the label. Even if gluten is used in coloring or flavoring, it must be listed.
Of course, that just covers wheat gluten. You will still need to watch ingredient labels for other sources of gluten, such as barley (malt) and rye. You may wish to avoid oats, as well, even though they are not actually a gluten-containing product, because there may be cross-contamination in grain packaging and processing plants.

Learn to Recognize Gluten

Any simple internet search for the term 'gluten free foods' will give you lists of foods with gluten, foods without gluten, and foods with 'hidden' gluten. Start by creating a list for yourself of all foods with gluten (obvious foods like wheat flour, crackers, pasta, etc.), along with the potential 'hidden' sources of gluten (ketchup, broth, soy sauce, croutons, stuffing, marinades, dressings, etc.)

Now make a list of all the foods that are naturally gluten free. Here is where your whole fruits, vegetables, and proteins such as meat, fish, chicken, and eggs come in.  I guarantee, once you list all the foods you can eat without worry, you'll feel better about sacrificing other foods. (Not to mention, most of these foods are actually healthier for you anyway!)

Purge the Pantry

With a good understanding of how to read labels, and with your lists in hand, you are ready to begin at the beginning - in your kitchen. Rather than approach the grocery store yet, dig into your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer and purge anything that you know to have gluten, such as anything made with wheat flour.

Once you have cleaned out the obvious sources of gluten, it's time to put your label reading expertise to work. Take your time and read the label of each packaged food, looking for both the allergen listing and the ingredient list. Double check the labels against the list you made of foods with gluten, and remember to look for the 'hidden' gluten sources. This will take some time, but you and your health are worth the effort. Once you get used to doing this, you will quickly be able to recognize sources of gluten with just a glance.

Time to Shop

The reason you go through your kitchen first is because you need to see how much food you already have in the house that is actually gluten-free.  You may be surprised to find plenty to get you by for a few days.  If not, then get ready to take your lists to the grocery store.

Some gluten-free foods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

However, before you embark on this journey, remind yourself that you don't need to stock the kitchen full of special 'gluten-free' foods.  You'll be overwhelmed (and over budget) if you start out by buying these specialty items. Many foods (especially whole, non-processed foods) are naturally gluten free, making the shopping much easier, especially in the beginning.

Start with the basics so you can eat healthy without the frustration of trying to discover new foods. Shop the perimeters of the store, which is where your fresh produce and proteins typically can be found. Stick to the foods that you know are gluten-free to avoid label reading over-load. There is plenty of time for that later.
Stock up on naturally gluten-free foods and plan out your first few meals. Try fish seasoned with real lemon and fresh dill, and a side dish of quinoa tossed with diced fresh vegetables. Skip all the prepackaged foods to make these first meals easier - and healthier as well!  Then you can branch out and look for other foods that are gluten-free when you're feeling more adventurous.

This is a learning process, so take it slow and you can relax and enjoy (finally!) how good you feel after a delicious meal. And be sure to keep your eye on this blog for some more tasty gluten-free recipes!

What Is Gluten & Where Is It Found?

There are some words that enter our vernacular rather suddenly without much in the way of a formal introduction. The word 'gluten' is one such word. If you discuss eating, cooking, or diets at all, you have probably heard the word. You may have heard about people who have to avoid gluten. Perhaps you or someone you know has to follow a 'gluten-free' diet.

In this article, we will discuss the basics about gluten - what it is and where it is found. Let's look at the dictionary definition first:

Wheat gluten flour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Glu·ten; (noun): A protein substance present in grains, such as wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. From the Latin 'gluten' meaning 'glue.'

To explore that definition further, let's look at the scientific definition: According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health; "Gluten proteins play a key role in determining the unique baking quality of wheat by conferring water absorption capacity, cohesivity, viscosity and elasticity on dough."

That's the definition and the science, but that just seems to bring up more questions. Does this mean that gluten is just found in wheat bread? No. It's more complicated than that.

Let's begin with a list of grains with gluten. Some you will recognize immediately, while others may be less well known to you.

Barley
Bulgur
Couscous
Durum
Farina
Faro
Matzo
Orzo
Panko
Rye
Seitan
Semolina
Spelt
Udon
Wheat

As you can see, gluten can be found in many other places than wheat alone. All these foods contain gluten, the protein that creates elasticity and cohesiveness when processed. It's what makes bread, cookies, and pasta stick together.

It's easy to see now where you would find gluten in baked goods, pasta, and even in crackers and crispy coatings on fried chicken. But, there are surprising places that you might not expect to find this protein. Because of gluten's versatility in both cohesiveness and as a leavening agent, gluten is a handy additive to have around in many food processes.

Let's take a look at some other foods where are likely to find gluten:

Beer, ale, lager
Bacon Bits, imitation
Coating mixes
Communion wafers
Candy
Luncheon meats
Broth
Roux
Sauces, condiments
Soup bases
Self-basting poultry
Soy sauce
Marinades
Medicines
Vitamin and mineral supplements
Lipsticks, lip gloss, lip balms
Play Dough

In each of these items, gluten is often present as an additive used to bind or leaven.

Gluten free beer made from sorghum in an American supermarket. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now that you see how many products contain gluten, I'm sure you'd like to know where you won't find gluten. Again, some of these items may be familiar while others may not. Let's take a look at a short list of gluten-free food items.

Amaranth
Arrowroot
Buckwheat
Corn
Flax
Millet
Potato flour
Nut flours and meal
Quinoa
Rice and rice bran
Sorghum
Soy
Tapioca
Oats*

*Although oats are considered gluten-free, they are processed so often with other grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye, that oats are often 'contaminated.' This means that when purchasing commercial grade oats, you will most likely be getting some gluten in the finished product simply by being in the same batch, bin, or vat. You should look for oat products specifically labeled "gluten free" if you want to avoid gluten in your oats.

Now that you know what gluten is, and where gluten is, and isn't, you will have a working knowledge of how to recognize a diet with gluten, and a diet without gluten. These lists are beneficial to anyone with an intolerance to gluten, but are by no means all-inclusive. Any symptoms of celiac disease or gluten intolerance should be diagnosed by your physician or other health care professional.

And for some gluten-free recipes and cooking tips, be sure to stay tuned to this blog!