Gluten-free seems to be everywhere. Grocery stores have entire aisles devoted to gluten-free foods. Restaurants have their own gluten-free menus. You have the one friend who suddenly became gluten-free over the summer. Even the Duc and Cox label all gluten-free options.
The gluten-free diet is for people who have celiac disease, a disease that makes them unable to properly digest gluten, a gluten sensitivity, or a wheat allergy. The question then is, is there a real increase in gluten intolerance? Or are people just using it as an excuse to not eat carbs? The answer may surprise you.
Celiac disease is four times more common now than 60 years ago and affects about 1 in 100 people. According to Mayo Clinic studies, undiagnosed celiac disease can quadruple the risk of death. So it is definitely something that should be taken seriously.
Although the exact cause is unknown, researchers have two main hypotheses for the increase in Celiac disease.
There is the “hygiene hypothesis,” which states that our environment is so clean that our immune system has nothing to fight, so instead has turned on itself.
Another hypothesis is that it is due to the way wheat is processed. Over the last 50 years wheat processing has changed dramatically and many of the foods we eat now did not exist 50 years ago. Also, wheat has been hybridized to create more efficient crops, and these new strains may be contributing to the problem.
So, there is your answer to the gluten-free trend. While some people do use it as an excuse to stay away from pasta and bread, the majority are suffering from a real condition.
Luckily there are some really delicious recipes for those who need them (or those who don’t).
Enjoy!
Make this chicken, white beans and spinach stew!
Fudge chip muffins, now doesn’t that sound delicious. Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean no sweets!
Get seasonal with pumpkin pie pudding.
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