Gluten-Free: Not a Fad But a Necessity for 18 Million Americans

Gluten-free products seem to be everywhere -- from pasta and cookies to bread and even ice cream. Major food retailers such as WalMart, Whole Foods, Wegman's and Target carry a number of gluten-free products, and PF Chang's, Outback, Chili's and other chain restaurants have added several gluten-free menu items.

Although it may seem as though gluten-free is a fad in a society obsessed with new diets, the reality is that for those who suffer from gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, this is not a choice, but a necessity. In fact, experts estimate that 1 in 16 Americans have some form of gluten sensitivity.

So what is gluten and why is it such a big deal for nearly 18 million Americans? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley that is responsible for the elastic nature of dough. For many individuals this protein is easily digestible and has no effect on their overall health. But for those with any type of gluten sensitivity or intolerance, the ramifications of consuming gluten can range from constipation and bloating to diarrhea and malabsorption, which can result in malnutrition and severe weight loss. While there is a diagnostic test for celiac disease, there are no tests or a defined set of symptoms that identify gluten intolerances.

The increasing population of gluten-free eaters has not gone unnoticed by food manufacturers. Those that suffer from gluten intolerance have a much wider array of gluten-free foods to choose from today. The once small selection of gluten-free foods now makes up a $6.3 billion industry and growing.

The increasing availability of gluten-free foods is especially important to those that suffer from the most severe form of gluten intolerance, a condition called celiac disease. This autoimmune disease is a genetic disorder that affects 3 million Americans. Untreated, celiac disease can lead to a number of other health issues including malnutrition, osteoporosis, infertility, neurological disorders and other autoimmune diseases, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA). Seventeen percent of family members of celiac patients also have celiac disease, making it one of the most commonly occurring lifelong, genetically determined diseases.

People with celiac disease suffer on average for nine years before they are correctly diagnosed.. For this group, a strict gluten-free diet is the only treatment. There are no pharmaceutical or surgical cures for celiac disease, so finding gluten-free foods are key to maintaining their health. This is why accurately labeling gluten-free food is crucial.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you or a loved one suffers from gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease:

• Look for certification. Growing awareness about gluten intolerance has prompted manufacturers to step up their labeling practices and indicate products that contain gluten; however, without gluten labeling mandates from the FDA this practice is inconsistent across products and manufacturers. As a consumer, it's important to look for the certified gluten-free seal issued by Quality Assurance International (QAI), and the healthcare nonprofit National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA). This seal ensures consumers that the food was produced in a facility without gluten and that it has gone through a supply chain free of gluten. Similar to the certification for organic and kosher foods, gluten-free certification is now much more commonplace.

• Be aware. Some things that contain gluten are obvious, such as wheat pasta or bread. But gluten is also found in foods that aren't as apparent, such as soy sauce, beer, some salad dressings and gelatin. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list the eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies on labels: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. Gluten is not included on that list because technically it's not an allergen, but there are efforts being made now to change this in the near future. In the meantime though, it's still necessary to be hyper vigilant about reading labels. If you see ingredients including wheat, rye and barley or ingredients made from these grains such as malt (made from barley), then it means there is gluten in the product.

• Keep it fresh. Talk to any dietician and you'll hear that the best way to shop in the supermarket is to stick to the outer aisles, the thinking being that everything in that location -- fruit and vegetables, meat, dairy, etc -- is not processed, and therefore less likely to contain gluten. Certainly there are some processed foods, such as some cookies and potato chips, that are gluten-free and therefore safe, but as a rule the more processed it is, the more likely it is to contain gluten.

Living with gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease isn't easy, but it's manageable. It requires a complete change in diet that lasts a lifetime. It doesn't have to mean a life without flavorful and exciting foods. By knowing what to look for -- in the supermarket or on restaurant menus -- eating a gluten-free diet is accessible and can be a pain-free and healthful transition.

 

Comments

[Keith Evan]

02:52 PM on 07/03/2012

I dont really like it when they quote stats of how many people are gluten sensitive or celiac, the number is always wrong as it is impossible to really say. Hopefully if more people try it and get relief from health conditions that they are having then the real number will become apparent. Maybe if someone added up the total population for people with know condtions that improve on gluten free diet we would have a more accurate number.

So if someone adds this list up we would know more.

Conditions improved by going gluten free
Autism/asperger
Asthma
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
any form of Colitis
Crohn's Disease
Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Eczema
Rashes
Hives
Psoriasis

Any and ALL autoimmune disorders like:
Multiple Sclerosis
Celiac Disease
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Grave's Disease
Hashimoto's Disease

This list is far from complete but are just the common ones.

[kelleyward]

03:46 PM on 07/02/2012

You have this right. Gluten-intolerance is on the rise here in America and many of us need to look at ways we can reduce the amount of gluten we are exposed to on a daily basis. I have type 1 diabetes and many other autoimmune diseases run in my family and my husband's family including celiac disease. Because of this we have decided to try to eliminate as much gluten as we can from our diet. Here is an article I wrote about it listing Authentic Gluten-Free foods if you are interested in reading more about this important topic. Thanks for sharing this helpful information with others. Kelley
http://kelleyward.hubpages.com/_3u47dtkr7xqut/hub/Authentic-Gluten-Free-Foods

[samgoesmyway]

06:05 PM on 06/08/2012

hello

[TheBohoChick]

02:27 PM on 05/25/2012

Well, I have heard of all the different "gluten" related conditions. Outside of documented Celiac disease everybody else is just following what so many are calling a fad. I dismissed it when I first heard of it as well....but then I was given some research on how gluten insensitivity can cause or exacerbate hypothyroidism. Having this condition I thought why not? I have several of the symptoms, i.e. lots of gas, eczema on my hands, and extreme fatigue. I started cutting out wheat based foods and to my amazement, I immediately started feeling better. No gas, no itching and not tired! Am I gluten free? No. But I am cutting out obvious wheat products and it is definitely helping! It remains to be seen if this will actually improve my thyroid function or not. But since I have eliminated obvious wheat products I am amazed at how MANY products I used to eat contained some form of wheat flour! I have always eaten lots of fruits and veggies, have a garden and canned my own foods. I feel like I'm in a science fiction movie where the government force feeds the population some kind of mind numbing substance, especially since it is apparent that many foods contain gluten in highly altered forms, as though if you don't eat the obvious ones they are going to make sure you still get your daily dose!!

[tyson nutritionfix]

03:45 PM on 05/24/2012

If you look at the improvement for people who are gluten-free, it's really night and day compared to 15 years ago. Now many restaurants have gluten-free options, and grocery stores usually stock a section of GF products.

[Dorothy Moody]

11:59 PM on 05/24/2012

It would be nice if those GF options in the grocery stores weren't so darned expensive. I get very annoyed when I go into a restaurant that boasts a gluten free menu, only to find out that they've merely compiled a list of everything on the menu that was already gluten free. P.F. Chang's has a wonderful menu that closely mirrors the regular menu.

[Darius Xym]

11:51 AM on 05/25/2012

That's because celiacs are a captive audience and the foods are relatively specialist. I suppose one benefit of more mainstream interest in gf is the prices *may* come down a bit but as likely they'll go up again when the fad dietters hop on some other bandwagon.

[jgamble28]

11:50 AM on 05/24/2012

my cousin died from celiac disease. So it's nothing to play with.

[cogentidea76]

11:19 AM on 05/24/2012

6 2/3 of the population? That's it? And now I have to eat less-appealing foods?

[Jared Miles]

10:13 AM on 05/26/2012

Who said you have to eat them?

[Lisa Arends]

05:31 AM on 05/24/2012

As someone who has been gluten free for 5 years due to intolerance, I have mixed reactions to the fad. On one hand, it can be aggravating when people think I can have "just one bite," but on the other hand, I love that I can get a gluten free cupcake when the craving hits! Ultimately, what we eat or not eat is a personal choice regardless of the reason, and it should be respected.
http://lessonsfromtheendofamarriage.com

[Dorothy Moody]

11:57 PM on 05/24/2012

Where do you get GF cupcakes? Oh, how I miss cupcakes that I don't have to make myself! My friends also think I can have just one bite or I can "cheat" every once in a while, but they're starting to get used to the idea that just one bite can give me just one day of stomach distress.

[Jared Miles]

10:11 AM on 05/26/2012

Well, where do you live? In Dallas, we have Tu-Lu's and Wholesome Foods Bakery - both 100% GF stores - that sell cupcakes. Occasionally, Sprinkles carries one (although I don't know if they use separate equipment). I imagine most major cities have options.

[Jen Mansfield]

04:46 PM on 05/23/2012

I wonder how many other people who are gluten sensitive suffer from cross reactive responses? I was diagnosed with Non celiac gluten sensitivity 3 years ago, and it wasn't until I removed all grains from my diet that I started to heal. It turned out I was having a reaction to almost every other grain (it seems my body can't differentiate between a gluten protein and those of most other grains). If you have a similar experience I would love your feedback with my site! I'm looking for contributors who can help validate these types of experience beyond my own, so if interested, please head over to www.inspiredeats.net and contact me to help. Thanks!

[Darius Xym]

07:12 AM on 05/23/2012

Sadly, gluten free has become a fad. Many people need to follow gluten free for medical reasons, my kids included. Sadly those reasons have been drowned out by an even larger number of people following it for weight loss or other misinformed reasons. On the plus side it means greater choice for celiacs but on the minus side it means a medical condition is conflated with a fad. When the fad bubble bursts (as it will in time) where does that leave the people who left behind?

[Phil Ernst]

10:15 PM on 05/22/2012

No gluten here: http://www.facebook.com/TwistBakeryCafe. More than a bakery. Everything made on site. In addition to Gluten Free, the facility is Peanut Free and majority of products are free of soy and dairy, too. But, you'll never know it by the appearance and more importantly, by taste.

[Seven Devils]

06:51 PM on 05/22/2012

$6.3 billion insustry. That's because a teeny-tiny loaf of Udi's is $5. A bag of glutino pretzels will run you upwards of $7.

Gluten-free eating isn't a choice in my house. It's liberation from multiple crippling conditions. Funny, we could take the rx's that cost nearly a thousand dollars a month and would be almost completely covered by insurance, YET even getting a tax break for going the nutritional route is impossible.

It's worth it because the health benefits are so great, but it seems like some of these foods are just punitively expensive.

[Dorothy Moody]

12:13 AM on 05/25/2012

You have that right! The next time my work offers open enrollment on a flexible spending account, I'm going to ask if I can use it for my GF grocery shopping. A bag of Oreos is $3. A bag of GF cookies containing less than a third of the quantity is at least twice as much.

[superreader]

03:47 AM on 05/25/2012

Celiac-diagnosed GF eaters are eligible for a tax break on medically necessary food & related costs. You have to keep records carefully & it's the same threshold as other health care deductions. There are pro & cons involved, just like anything else. Some resources you can check out follow.

Tax Deduction for Gluten-Free Foods as a Medical Expense for Diagnosed Celiacs Only
Mostly positive overview with IRS case citations http://bit.ly/JXzEK5

Is the Tax Deduction for Gluten Free Food Worth the Hassle?
A cautionary analysis by a GF blogger who's also a tax preparer
http://bit.ly/JXyRZC

[Seven Devils]

07:55 AM on 05/30/2012

Thank you for the information, but the break only extends to Celiac's.  We have multiple issues, including autism, asthma, chronic headache, etc., but we fail celiac tests.  

What's upsetting is that there's a pharma company getting approval for a drug to eliminate gluten digestion as a treatment for autism.  However, autistic individuals still can't get medical experts to admit there's a connection--- meaning they can't get any help to eat healthily.
It's only not crazy when a profiteer says it.

[Abbe Dalton Clark]

05:02 PM on 05/22/2012

I have celiac disease, and while I don't mind the fad followers whose demand has helped make it easier for me to find safe food, I really take issue with cheaters who let everyone know that they have CD or GI then have a slice of gluten-containing pizza. With even a crumb accidentally finding its way onto my plate, I get so sick that cheating isn't an option. It makes it harder for me to have my disease taken seriously because people seeing these cheaters think that a little gluten is okay. Please remember that, regardless of the fad dieters, and regardless of people lacking self control, that there are a few million of us who have to eat this way but probably would not if it were merely a lifestyle choice. I don't want attention or to be difficult, I just don't want to get really really sick.

[cosminsky]

04:18 PM on 05/22/2012

For years I've avoided gluten but my doctors said I didn't have Celiacs. Finally a few months ago they tested me and found out I have a full-blown wheat allergy. Which totally explains why I'd have trouble breathing after taking pills, eating rice (because of course they add wheat to RICE!), and certain places even coat grilled chicken in a wheat paste before they grill it.

[Darius Xym]

07:17 AM on 05/23/2012

Wheat allergy is different to gluten intolerance / celiac disease. Something which says gluten free may not be wheat free and vice versa. E.g. many products especially in Europe say gluten free but use highly refined wheat starch (codex ailimentarus standards). Something which says wheat free might still contain gluten from barley, spelt, kamut, triticale etc.

If you are allergic to wheat you might be able to eat kamut or spelt which are relatives of wheat but sufficiently different that some people can tolerate them. This would not be the case for celiacs who cannot tolerate gluten in any form.

[Jared Miles]

10:26 AM on 05/26/2012

You are correct that something can be wheat-free without being gluten-free. But the reverse is not true. If it's gluten-free, then it is also wheat-free.

[Carl Caroli]

04:11 PM on 05/22/2012

I had been suffering from severe dermatitis on my extremities for over twenty years, seeing doctors and dermatologists, with prescriptions to barely mitigate the effects without correct diagnosis. By cutting out gluten after researching it, the problem is gone. Unless I cheat or eat something at a party or restaurant that I shouldn't have, it stays away.