Gluten-free (trends, part 1)

++ Gluten-free diets have been in the headlines - and manufacturers have noticed.  This is a boon to people who have a medical reason for avoiding gluten - now, it's easier for them to find foods they can eat.  Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley, or foods containing these grains.   Incidentally, this does Not mean that gluten-free diets are low-carb diets.

Following a gluten-free diet is very important to people for people with Celiac disease.  Most people with Celiac disease also avoid oats because of a high probability of cross-contamination when several foods are processed in the same factory.  If a person with Celiac disease eats food with gluten, he/she will have an immune reaction that causes bloating, malnutrition, and damage to the intestines.  People with certain other medical conditions are less sensitive to gluten, but still fare better if they avoid it.

This is NOT something to self-diagnose - for several reasons; the main ones are:   your symptoms may be caused by something else, which then goes untreated; you are likely to eliminate a whole category of foods (grains) from your diet, along with the other nutrients found in those foods; following this diet if that's not necessary is a needless expense; foods you substitute for grains may not be healthier for you.  If you have been diagnosed with Celiac disease (or other gluten sensitivity), you should have been referred to a registered dietitian, who can help you draw up a food plan that you can live with, but still identifies and avoids all sources of gluten; and also includes the missing nutrients in other ways, including "safe" grain products. 

What other trends have you noticed lately?  Would you like to have more information on any of them? If so, leave a comment and I'll include information in a future post.