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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – About 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease. It is a chronic inflammation of the small intestine that impairs its ability to absorb nutrients and is triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in wheat. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can vary widely from mild discomfort to debilitating fatigue and illness.
According to experts in the field, three factors must be present for celiac disease to develop: a genetic predisposition, exposure to gluten, and an initiating event such as pregnancy, a virus, or stress. Once started, celiac disease cannot be cured but it can be managed by avoiding gluten. Wheat contains the most gluten, but other grains like barley, rye, and triticale contain some too and need to be avoided as well.
A larger group of people fit into a category doctors call “gluten sensitive.” Their symptoms are milder than those with celiac disease. When people with gluten sensitivity restrict or avoid foods with gluten they feel better. It used to be hard to find gluten-free foods, but today more and more products are labeled gluten free, free of gluten, without gluten, or no gluten.
One of these new products is Maple Grove Farms Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix. It is a potato/rice/corn/tapioca based mix. It offers a great deal of versatility because it can be used to make gluten-free biscuits, cookies, cupcakes, pancakes and waffles. Recipes are provided on the package. The product is kosher certified (OU).
If you need to avoid gluten, you should know that at this time gluten free labeling is voluntary. But, stating on the label that a product contains wheat or wheat
products is not voluntary. This is required as part of the allergy labeling law.
Any food containing wheat contains gluten. To check if a food contains wheat look for the allergy statement that must appear by law. The allergy statement will read, “contains wheat,” “may contain wheat,” or ‘processed in a facility that also contains wheat (or gluten),”
When surveyed, many people think a gluten-free diet is healthier. That is only true if you suffer from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. White wheat flour is fortified with folic acid, a vital B vitamin in short supply in our diets, and whole wheat is a major source of fiber. Gluten free is not better than the alternative products with wheat and is not necessary for everyone.
For more information go to: www.maplegroove.com.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with sales of more than 8.5 million books.
Look for:
The Complete Food Counter, 4th ed., 2012
The Diabetes Counter, 4th Ed., 2011
The Protein Counter, 3rd Ed., 2011
The Calorie Counter, 5th Ed., 2010
The Ultimate Carbohydrate Counter, 3rd Ed., 2010
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
Your Complete Food Counter App: YourCompleteFoodCounterApp
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: TheNutritionExperts
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