Gluten Free Charlotte: May 2009

Friday, May 22, 2009

Bella Monica GF Pizza Tasting @ Earthfare

I received word that Trevor from the Bella Monica Flatbread Company (see previous posts on Gluten Free Raleigh here) (makers of excellent Gluten Free frozen pizzas) will be on site at the South Park Earth Fare in Charlotte on Saturday, May 30th, 2009 between 11am - 2pm.

If you have not had the chance to try Bella Monica GF pizza, this is a perfect opportunity. You will not be sorry and will go home with a huge stack of pizzas (I always do). Make sure to say hello to Trevor and tell him the Gluten Free Charlotte blog sent ya!

South Park Earth Fare
Web site
Phone: (704) 749-5042
721 Governor Morrison Street
Suite 110
Charlotte, NC 28211

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Souper!Salad Gluten Free Menu

I recently was alerted to a Charlotte area restaurant called Souper!Salad. They are an 82 location soup and salad bar chain based in Texas. Click here to check out their extensive Gluten Free menu and here for more information on the Matthews location.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Uno Chicago Grill - Gluten Free Pizza Update

Here are a few exciting updates from Uno Chicago Grill which is already offering a great Gluten Free menu.

1) A brand new Gluten Free pizza has just been added to the GF menu at Uno's. They already were serving a Cheese pizza and a Pepperoni pizza but are now offering a Veggie pizza. Featuring peppers, onions and mushrooms as toppings, the new gluten-free veggie pizza will give those suffering from Celiac Disease or wheat intolerance or allergy yet another option to enjoy pizza at Uno. Frank W. Guidara, CEO of Uno Chicago Grill, said the company was encouraged to proceed with the launch after the gluten-free community responded so passionately to Uno's introduction of its cheese and pepperoni gluten-free pizzas earlier this year. Uno's gluten-free pizza crust is prepared in a dedicated gluten-free facility, whose products are certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization, and is delivered to restaurants frozen in a sealed case which includes a baking pan, for immediate placement into freezers. Uno's gluten-free pizzas are thin crust and round, making the difference in shape from their oval flatbreads and deep-dish pizzas striking and unique to the eye.

2) Uno Chicago Grill will host a national Dough Rai$er fundraising event May 25 - May 31 to benefit the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) in support of National Celiac Awareness Month in May. Consumers interested in participating in the May Dough Rai$er can secure a voucher here, which they can then bring to their local Uno Chicago Grill location. 20% of sales generated from those who participate will support the ACDA cause.

Uno's has 1 Charlotte location. Get out and try the new Veggie pizza while also raising funds for the ACDA.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Shane's Rib Shack - Free Ribs May 16th

Check out the following offer for FREE RIBS at Shane's Rib Shack on Saturday May 16th, 2009.

The first 100 people at every Shane’s will each receive a free half rack of baby back ribs and a large Coca-Cola Zero. The will also receive a numbered "Shaniac" Jersey T-shirt with a number from one to 100 indicating their place in line. The only Shane's in the Charlotte area is the one at Grand Promenade Shopping Center Village II.

Click here to see Shane's Gluten Free menu which of course includes the Ribs.

Celiac Disease by the Numbers

1 out of every 133 Americans (about 3 million people) has CD.
97% of Americans estimated to have CD are not diagnosed.
CD has over 300 known symptoms although some people experience none.
Age of diagnosis is key: If you are diagnosed between age 2-4, your chance of getting an additional autoimmune disorder is 10.5%. Over the age of 20, that rockets up to 34%.
30% of the US population is estimated to have the genes necessary for CD.
2.5 babies are born every minute in the USA with the genetic makeup to have CD.
There are 15 states in the US with populations less than the total number of Celiacs in the US.
CD affects more people in the US than Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease combined.
500,000 new Celiac diagnoses are expected to occur in the US by 2012 -- thanks to efforts to raise public awareness of the disease.
People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a 'very good' or 'good' understanding of GF diets.
It takes an average of 11 years for patients to be properly diagnosed with CD even though a simple blood test exists.
The average cost of misdiagnosis is $5,000 - $12,000 per person per year. Improving the time to diagnosis could save the health care system millions of dollars annually in unnecessary medical care.
A recent study by Packaged Facts projects that the sales of GF food will reach $2.63 Billion by 2012.
GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive then their non-GF counterparts.
The smallest amount of gluten which has been shown by a biopsy to cause damage to a Celiac is 0.1 gram per day - or 1/48th of a slice of bread.
The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act became law in 2006 allowing for easier reading of food labels for those with CD. What took so long?
12% of people in the US who have Down Syndrome also have CD.
6% of people in the US who have Type 1 Diabetes also have CD.
Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with celiac, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
There are currently 0 drugs available to treat CD.