What's the harm in gluten?

This post was inspired by a comment that a classmate made on my blog. I know it was just an assignment but it made me realize that not everyone knows about celiac disease. Prepare to be informed.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is marked by an intolerance to gluten. Gluten includes wheat, rye, barley and triticale. When those with the disease ingest gluten, a toxic reaction damages their small intestine and nutrients cannot be absorbed by the body. Damage to the small intestine can be deadly and there is no known cure. Celiac disease is inherited and life-long. A surprising one out of 133 people in the United States have celiac disease.

The Symptoms

Those who suffer from this unfortunate disease can experience quite a range of symptoms. The most common symptoms are migranes, intestinal pain and discomfort, "leaky gut," nausea and vomiting, weakness, and weight loss. For a full list, visit the Celiac Disease Foundation website. It is also possible to not feel any symptoms and not be aware of the disease until a flare-up.

Diagnosis

If someone is experiencing these symptoms, they may have several tests done to diagnose Celiac Disease. Doctors will test blood for antibodies that indicate celiac disease. In order to take an accurate test, a patient must have been eating gluten-free for the past 4 weeks. The only way to lessen the pain of celiac disease is to eliminate all forms of gluten, for life.

If you or a loved one are suffering from these symptoms, please get tested NOW.

For more information, visit www.celiac.org

"The Foodie Awards"

In spirit of the ending of award season 2011, I will award my favorite gluten-free & dairy-free brands among several categories. Since my diagnosis six years ago, I have become quite the critic among emerging brands in the gluten-free market. The categories include: Best bread, Best pasta, Best Cookie, Best Cracker and Best Bagel.

BEST BREAD: Udi's

Available in White, Multigrain and Cinnamon Raisin

Udi's gluten-free products are new front-runners for taste, quality and bargain for gluten-free bread. Yes, a loaf of bread is around 6 or 7 dollars but it's worth every penny to finally have a delicious sandwich that doesn't taste like cardboard.

BEST PASTA: Schar Tagliatelle

Available in Spaghetti, Fusilli, Penne, Multigrain Penne and Anellini

This pasta is a staple in my diet. I keep atleast two boxes in my kitchen for a quick and delicious meal. Tagliatelle is my favorite noodle shape but all of them are tasty. It takes about 6-9 minutes to cook and tastes great without needing to be masked by sauce.

BEST COOKIE: Kinnikinnick Montana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Runner Up: Kinnikinnick KinniToos Sandwich Creme Cookies

These are my absolute favorite gluten-free cookies. In fact, I love all of Kinnikinnick's cookies. Kinnitoos are my second favorite because they taste almost the same as regular gluten-filled Oreos and come in both vanilla and chocolate. Check out their whole cookie section online because they are hard to find in stores. Worth the shipping cost!

BEST CRACKER: Blue Diamond Pecan Nut Thins

Available in Almond, Hazelnut, BBQ, Sea Salt, Smokehouse, Cheddar Cheese and Country Ranch

Not only are there many varieties of these crackers but all of the ones I've tasted (or am allowed to taste because of my milk allergy) are filled with flavor. They can be eaten plain or with hummus (my favorite), salsa or guacamole, you name it! Most food stores carry these crackers but the Blue Diamond website has a locator to find the closest retailer.

BEST BAGEL: Udi's

Available in Plain, Whole Grain and Cinnamon Raisin

Once again, Udi's wins hands-down. Before these came on the gluten-free market, I hadn't found any edible bagels. They stay soft and don't need to be toasted (shocker)! I use my dairy-free cream cheese or peanut butter on top and it makes an easy breakfast.

You've probably noticed that I didn't award a Best Pizza. This is because I have yet to find a good pre-packaged pizza that is both gluten and dairy free. Most people swear by Amy's frozen pizzas, but they don't sit right with me. I'll make another post once I discover a brand I am partial to.

Happy pain-free eating!