gluten free - celiac disease

Gluten-Free Bread and Celiac Disease: Day 73 and 74

Canyon Bakehouse sent me a couple loaves of gluten-free bread today. It looks like bread, has the texture of bread and it ate like bread. In the gluten-free world, great tasting breads like these are hard to come by!

Why am I featuring gluten-free?

Because there are currently around 3 million people who have celiac disease in the U.S.

Some of them are reading my blogs and wondering what alternatives they have. How can they join me on my bread journey?

Here are a few gluten-free bread options:

Canyon Bakehouse - gluten free - celiac disease

Bread by Canyon Bakehouse.

Maya delivered fresh baked gluten-free bread and cakes to me from Brazil. BRAZIL? Yes, you heard right. She read that I was on this amazing journey and wanted me to try her bread. Her tapioca based gluten-free bread tasted great as toast, and lacked the after taste of most gluten-free bread. Perhaps it’s the tapioca that makes her bread special. Thank-you Maya!

Bread and brownies from House of Maya

Bread and brownies from House of Maya.

Although some people are gluten-free by choice, some don’t have an option. Celiac disease affects one’s digestive process. When someone who has it eats gluten, their immune system is triggered to attack the small intestine, and stops the absorption of key nutrients.

Side effects include bloating, swelling, constipation, gas, chronic diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting.

More serious issues such as osteoporosis or neurological conditions can come about if the disease is undiagnosed.

Celiac is an inherited disease, so if someone in your family has it, there’s a chance you may as well. It is also more frequent in people who have related symptoms. However, it often goes undiagnosed or there is a delay in pinpointing the problem.

Thankfully for those suffering from celiac disease, new labeling laws has made it easier to identify food that’s safe to eat and gluten-free products are becoming more abundant. The gluten-free market is a booming one, making life a little bit easier.

There is also a strong community of support, ready to offer advice and guidance.

What does the future hold for the treatment of celiac disease? Eating gluten-free is easier than ever before, and it looks like that trend will continue. However, new research is finding pills that would make the small intestine less permeable to gluten or that would break down gluten, and drugs to counteract the effects of gluten to the small intestine. But as we still search for ways to make life easier for those with celiac disease, gluten-free breads that taste good go a long way!

Rotella's Italian Bakery gluten-free bun celiac disease

Rotella’s Italian Bakery gluten-free bun.

Here’s what I ate on Days 73 and 74 of EB90:

Food Portion   Calories  
Day 73
DKB 21 G 5 Slices (45g) 600
DKB WBDR 6 Slices (40g) 660
Canyon Bakehouse 7 Grain 1 slice (34g) 90
Butter 2 Tbsp 200
Strawberries 1C 50
Apple 1 95
Cherries 1C 74
Apricot Sugar-Free Jam 2 Tbsp 40
Meatballs 4pc 290
Greek Cheese Spread 1 Tbsp 23
Cauliflower 1 C 188
 Total 2310
Day 74
DKB 21 G 4 Slices (45g) 480
DKB WBDR 3 Slices (40g) 330
Butter Croissant 60g 240
Peach Tart 1 pc 280
Canyon White 2 Slices (34g) 180
Canyon 7 grain 2 Slices (34g) 180
Mozerella cheese 3oz 240
Cherries 1 C 74
Lima Beans 1 C 110
Banana 1 pc 110
Calcium Supp
 Total 2224

 

gluten free, celiac, celiac disease, wheat allergy, wheat intolerance, gluten misinformation

Gluten is Evil and Bad for You. Or is It?

What the heck is the deal with all the gluten misinformation and haters bashing it?

The soft chewy texture of a great peasant loaf would not be possible without gluten! We realize some people are negatively affected by gluten. For those people, we are so sorry you have to endure those lifeless loaves of gluten free bread.*

If you have jumped on the anti-bread bandwagon you should know that gluten-free bread is not necessarily a healthier bread.  Gluten free breads often lack fiber, vitamins and minerals found compared to their whole grain cousins. In fact, gluten offers some things the body needs. So, if you gave up bread due to the negative myths currently being shared, here are some truths about gluten.

gluten misinformation, gluten myths, dough bread

The Truth About Gluten

  • Gluten is the main structure forming protein it makes your bread dough stretchy and strong!
  • Gluten gives texture to baked goods!
  • Gluten is responsible for the nooks and crannies that capture butter in your English muffin.
  • Gluten is high in protein. Wheat gluten is about 75% protein and all-purpose flour is about 10% gluten.
  • Gluten is high in iron at a about 4% serving for vital wheat gluten
  • Gluten is made into seitan, which is a great meat substitute for those on plant based diets. It is high in protein and low in fat.
  • Gluten is a protein found in many whole grains such as wheat, barley, faro, rye, bulgur, and triticale.
  • Gluten allows bread to rise and hold the volume by trapping gas bubbles formed during fermentation.
  • Gluten is elastic and makes bread chewy.
  • Gluten retards moisture loss in baked goods creating a longer shelf life
  • Gluten keeps your cinnamon rolls light and fluffy.
  • Gluten has been consumed by humans for at least ten thousand years.

It is easy to blame gluten for many symptoms of tummy upset or weight gain. In the last decade many diet fads have emerged that promote a bread and gluten free lifestyle. For those of you who still love bread, gluten is not the enemy of all modern day illnesses. In fact, without gluten, one of our oldest known prepared foods would not have existed.

What is some gluten misinformation you’ve come across?

*celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and wheat allergies are serious issues in regard to consuming gluten and wheat products. We are not reducing the importance of a gluten free diet for those who suffer from any of the above.