To those that have Celiac disease, what do you think about people eating gluten-free that don't really need to?

I have Celiac and think that those who don't need to restrict gluten are necessarily benefiting significantly. Gluten free eating can be just as unhealthy as a diet containing gluten, especially with all the processed foods that are coming out. They still have all the calories and other additives that glutened, processed foods have. If your diet contains lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, lean sources of protein, low fat diary, healthy fats and other sources of complex carbs (depending on your desired carb intake), that should be sufficient.

Exactly. There was a poll done as to people's thoughts on gluten-free foods and a good number thought that gluten-free was intrinsically healthier. A gluten-free cookie is still junk food.

Every time there is some sort of food or eating fad the manufacturer's jump all over it. Low fat was a biggie for a long time. The low fat foods were loaded with sodium and sugar, most often in the form of HFCS, which made them less healthy than before. BTW, I am not discounting Celiac as a real condition requiring restricting gluten. It is the craze developed around it so gullible folks end up doing themselves, and probably their children, more harm than good.

Yes, Celiac disease accounts for 1% of the population.

Celiac disease runs in my family to varying degrees, some being more sensitive than others.
I agree with Lisa, "what exactly have the added to replace gluten and the gluten effect on the food?"

No one has mentioned food allergies. Are there any humans who might feel better with gluten-free food or gluten-free junk good simply because the offending foods are reduced in the diet or eliminated altogether from it?

So this is my wee wonderment for today. I want to know for whom, and when, gluten-free might be helpful. The one percent who are celiacs and the ninety-nine percent who are non-celiacs might not be the only people who should be concerned about gluten-free. (My idea comes from the world of skin care. Someone taught me that at least one brand of skin care products is designed for celiacs. There is no guarantee that these products are effective for anyone, but there is at least a chance that some people might not suffer adverse responses to skin care regimes and products. Would these products be effective for me, a non-celiac, and my sensitive skin? I do not know. But it is worthwhile to look at gluten when looking at gluten-free in the world. The specialist assured me that I am non-celiac but provided specific information for me. They did not mention skin care at that time. They discussed edibles.)

I will not attempt to answer the question about replacing gluten and gluten effects in food. Anyone can study a cookbook and available gluten and non-gluten recipes. I surmise that I will learn more about the gluten and non-gluten effects of food.

I'm not the authority on Gluten, but many are getting away from processed foods like sugar and white flour.
Gluten free made from Coconut flour and various new flours on the market (expensive), in stores like Sprouts sell them, and I see young Mothers completely sold on it. They got away from the old oils, finding olive oil safflower and such healthier the new one here is avocado oil. I try to cut back on processed flour, but do think they overplay these new trends. When they introduced low-fat foods, they added sugar and that was the start of major obesity in kids. I think we have to be wise about what's best for us. Labeling has gotten better, watching sugar intake very important for me. Don't know about Celtac problems, but if gluten is a real help, o.k. by me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2017 08:10PM by Irene_L.A..

Shop - Celiac is an auto immune disease, so it can be similar to having an allergy. The symptoms can vary greatly, which is why it is often hard to diagnose. Many also suffer from gluten intolerances, to varying degrees, but not be a diagnosed Celiac. It's like any other allergic reaction, you stay away from the offending product(s). I will also add I have to watch topical products such as skin care and cosmetics as many of those products contain gluten and can be absorbed through the skin. It's the pits, but you learn to live with it!!

Irene, I have been using avocado oil for several years, and I actually do use it on my skin and hair as well as ingesting. I don't like cooking with it because like very good olive oil, the heat breaks down a lot of the nutritional value. It's far too expensive to waste like that.

A friend of mine's husband has celiac. He was in his 40s before he realized it, and actually when he was younger it was more of just a slight sensitivity but as he got older, it got increasingly bad--to the point of having to rush to the restroom within an hour or so of eating something with gluten and having horrible intestinal discomfort.

I feel for you, Kathy and everyone else with gluten sensitivity. It makes things difficult at times when there is birthday cake involved and other gluten containing foods at parties, pasta dinners, buffets, etc. There is much more adaptation these days with restaurants and available items in grocery stores, thank goodness.

You can cook with olive oil, just not extra virgin.

You can cook with any oil (though some get too hot and burn too quickly), but it's a waste of really good oil to cook with it. I pretty much only use EVOO in my kitchen as far as olive oil goes, but I do have some canola for frying.

Interesting, you know i have Divertiticulitus and can't have milk products, nuts or popcorn. These problems do get wore with age, this is a new condition, I never had to watch anything I ate. I just tried a product called Arctic Zero, gluten free, like a light sherbert that doesn't bother my tummy, but I so miss my ice creme...got off track .. I use either Olive oil or Safflower, never avocado oil. I do eat avocado's for the good fat and love them. There are many choices and it is great they are finding out just how food effects these problems. t's good to have all these choices, you do have to retrain yourself and your taste buds, but it's worth it...now and then, I'll have a soft serve at McD's....LOL

I wasn't clear. Regular olive oil, the ones from later pressings, will not break down. They are not as expensive as extra virgin and the flavor is not as pronounced.

No, I understood you, it's just I don't have anything else but some really good imported EVOO in my kitchen most of the time. I like the cold first pressed oils.

I change around, Olive oil cold pressed or safflower, a mixture of olive oil and canola, but I don't deep fry just saute. Whatever is the best buy on my shops.....I do use regular Olive oil and lemon juice with garlic for salad dressing at times.

I'm originally from the South. They fry pickles and Twinkies down there. If you can bread it, they''ll fry it!

They also fry Oreo cookies.

I took my grandma grocery shopping and overheard some folks about my age talking about some of the deli options that were gluten free.

Are you people suffering from frontal lobe damage?

Meat, cheese, other dairy, eggs, fruit, and veggies should not need a gluten free label slapped on it if it is what it says it is -_-

Of course your 100% chicken is gluten free and so are those damn oranges you just stuck in the buggie.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy??? I bet it's going to be slapped on bottled water and nuts soon.

If you have celiac, you likely know what is safe and what isn't, but even so, slapping "gluten free" on tangerines? Oy Vey.

Then again... I gotta be careful with labels. Things titled "strawberry" are often hidden cranberries!

I work part-time at an Indian food restaurant and get asked what is gluten-free occasionally. Can you tell me what contains gluten? Is it just white flour? We don't use white flour we use a chickpea batter or whole grains. Our vegans just love that they can have fried foods now. We offer a variety of breads (naan) and I want to figure out if any of them could be offered as a gluten-free option. Our regular naans have white flour in them. Thank you for helping out someone that is clueless but would like to learn to help my customers.

@LeslieKay111 wrote:

I work part-time at an Indian food restaurant and get asked what is gluten-free occasionally. Can you tell me what contains gluten? Is it just white flour? We don't use white flour we use a chickpea batter or whole grains. Our vegans just love that they can have fried foods now. We offer a variety of breads (naan) and I want to figure out if any of them could be offered as a gluten-free option. Our regular naans have white flour in them. Thank you for helping out someone that is clueless but would like to learn to help my customers.[/quote

Whole wheat would contain gluten. The general list of flours that contain gluten are wheat, rye, barley, triticale, malt, brewers yeast and wheat starch. I know the few times I go into a restaurant, I always ask for a gluten free menu and what kind of cross contamination is possible.

Coconut, sprouted corn, rice, almond, tapioca and amarranth flours are gluten free. Many more restaurants are accommodating those that have a sensitivity to gluten, which is good. I am very sensitive to gluten and even if they say they have gluten free items, I have to make sure my food is cooked in a separate area. Needless to say, I don't do many food shops!

MC, don't forget about the pecans in your pecan ice cream.

I bought some chickpea flour on a whim during a trip to an ethnic grocery story. I use it as a binder and thickener in any dish that wouldn't be mucked up by a slight taste of beans.

I bought some gluten free Pancake flour, and it was excellent, in fact, making them now with blueberries and sugar free syrup. they don't have the bad carbs that regular flour has...I'm not a baker, so, that helps my way of eating. When I now indulge, say a Danish at Whole Foods, I gain a pound.....

Exactly! Food fads, regardless of what they are, are here to stay. One decade, carbs are the devil; another decade, fat is evil; now, it's gluten (wheat protein).

If we stay away from processed foods, we are off to a good start. That's difficult. Processed foods are easy (Subway) and they taste good (bacon, Frito's).

@LisaSTL wrote:

Every time there is some sort of food or eating fad the manufacturer's jump all over it. Low fat was a biggie for a long time. The low fat foods were loaded with sodium and sugar, most often in the form of HFCS, which made them less healthy than before. BTW, I am not discounting Celiac as a real condition requiring restricting gluten. It is the craze developed around it so gullible folks end up doing themselves, and probably their children, more harm than good.

Someone mentioned social occasions. Imagine being the one Celiac kid in the neighborhood... you don't get birthday cake because it'll make you sick. Just the one time, you are a little brave, and you have some. You and everyone else wish you had not done that. Or, everybody stares at you, or whispers about you, or laughs out loud at you because you have to have the "Different Cake". BahahahahahaHHHHHAAAAAAA! On school treat days, your parental unit brings Normal Treats for everyone except you, their own kid. You have to have the Icky Food.

There is nothing wrong with making everyone aware of the various individual dietary needs that humans have. Someday, we all might just think that different people need different food and separate our food needs from the entrenched food traditions. Maybe someday it will be equally okay to have cake and ice cream for non-Celiac birthdays and to do something else altogether for a Celiac birthday. I can dream, right?

I cook with EVOO. I cook on lower heat and I don't deep fry anything. It makes no sense to have pure olive oil for cooking, and extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings. It takes me years to go through a bottle of oil.

@LisaSTL wrote:

You can cook with olive oil, just not extra virgin.

I buy my cooking oil at .99 store where they have a mixture of olive safflower or canola oil. I use it for salad dressing with garlic and lemon (very few calories). I as well don't deep fry just saute. Olive oil is good for the heart. I am buying gluten free, as many products here are now gluten free and I have to say, I hardly ever have heartburn anymore. I feel it is a healthier choice for me having dijestive problems. I do everything in moderation, and for good fat, eat avocados, olive oil, much less processed foods which will kill you, make you a diabetic, don't add salt, instead use turmenic, pepper and herbs, and 80% less sugar. Sounds worst than it is. I do miss my danish....small price to pay for feeling good.