National Gluten-Free Day

Gluten.  These days you hear about Gluten quite a bit.  There are gluten-free options in restaurants, in grocery stores and there is a lot of information on the web too.

Why is it so important?  There are somewhere between 2.5 and 3 million people that have an allergy to gluten and it can cause major issues with your body.

What exactly is gluten?  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale.  Triticale is a cross between wheat and rye.  Amazingly gluten is found in many foods that we all eat. Foods like baked goods, breads, soups, pastas, cereals, salad dressings, food coloring, malt, and beer.

Celiac’s disease is an autoimmune disease.  It is hereditary.  If you have celiac’s disease gluten is a trigger to your digestive system.  This causes damage to your small intestine. If unchecked it can lead to additional health issues.

When you eat at a restaurant you need to take precautions.  Food cooked for you should be cooked separately from other meals so that gluten is not transferred to your meal.

An allergy to gluten can be challenging but there is good news.  People with these allergies are creating a need and therefore a growing market.  The younger generations are also opting for  a gluten-free diet. Companies are discovering a growing market which is good for business too.

How to celebrate National Gluten-Free Day?  Try inviting a friend to lunch for a gluten-free lunch, take photos and then post them to social media.  You can also try to make a gluten-free recipe.  Coconut flour or rice flour can be very tasty in a recipe!

Private Home Health Care understands issues around gluten.  We hope that you can find more helpful information around great gluten-free foods!