| Today, if you suffer from celiac disease, it's much | | | | hint of wheat, rye and barley. (From the wheat |
| easier to live a gluten-free life. Still, it's an often | | | | family, for example, it means avoiding spelt, |
| frustrating, time-consuming challenge. You only | | | | kamut, semolina, durum, einkorn, and faro.) |
| have to visit most restaurants and grocery | | | | Gluten is hard to replace entirely |
| stores to know that your gluten-free options are | | | | Gluten is everywhere. While the main sources of |
| often limited, and you have to dig deeper to | | | | gluten are breads, cereals, pastas, crackers and |
| know what dinner special to order or what snack | | | | other baked goods, it also lurks in other less |
| brand to choose. | | | | obvious places such as luncheon meats, salad |
| It is estimated that gluten-free shoppers spend an | | | | dressings, yogurt, malt vinegar, soy sauce, many |
| average of 45 to 90 minutes more in grocery | | | | flavorings, and gravy and sauces thickened with |
| stores than the average food shopper. And no | | | | flour. Be wary of consuming gluten as a hidden |
| wonder -- finding substitutes and reading labels eat | | | | ingredient in food products, medicines or vitamin |
| up a lot of time. | | | | supplements. Ingredients to avoid or question |
| Why so much gluten in our diets? | | | | include graham flour, modified food starch, MSG, |
| Our farming history is grain-based, which is why | | | | dextrin, caramel colour and natural flavorings. |
| gluten is so common in our diets. Our ancestors | | | | Now for the good news |
| survived and prospered because of grains grown | | | | The good news is that many foods are naturally |
| on the rolling prairie seas. As a result, today the | | | | gluten-free: meats, fish, poultry, eggs, legumes |
| staples of the average North American diet | | | | milk products, fruits, vegetables and rice. And |
| contain a lot of products and ingredients that | | | | while wheat, rye and barley (and related grains) |
| contain wheat, barley and rye -- ingredients you | | | | must be avoided, you still have a choice of other |
| must avoid in a gluten-free diet. People with celiac | | | | healthy, tasty substitutes including millet, |
| disease experience a severe immune reaction to | | | | amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa. As well, ground |
| gluten -- the protein found in wheat, rye and | | | | rice, flaxseed, almonds and legumes can be |
| barley that inflames the lining of the small | | | | substituted for gluten flours. |
| intestine, interfering with the absorption of | | | | Summary: |
| minerals and vitamins. When your body can't get | | | | For people with celiac disease, or for those simply |
| the nutrients it needs, serious health complications | | | | keen to cut back on their gluten, life is getting |
| can arise. | | | | easier with a rapidly growing range of gluten-free |
| How to keep celiac disease under control | | | | products such as baked goods, rice snacks, pizza |
| The only treatment for celiac disease is a | | | | dough and pastas. Even restaurants and airlines |
| gluten-free diet for life. (Even sneaking in a small | | | | are joining the bandwagon, offering more |
| amount of gluten from one beer can re-inflame | | | | gluten-free substitutes. Soon perhaps you'll even |
| the small intestine, which may take time to | | | | find gluten-free snacks at baseball stadiums and |
| recover.) Living gluten-free means eliminating all | | | | hockey arenas. |
| foods and food ingredients that contain even a | | | | |