Gluten Free Charlotte: September 2012

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Wholesome Junk Food ?! .......by Ann Oliphant, CNC

Recognize this little tub of goodness? If you are not familiar, these little mint-brownie balls ("bite-lettes") are really just what the label proclaims, "wholesome junk food"...and they taste good. Though lacking the official (and expensive) "certified gluten free" insignia, 3 of Dr. Laura's products do not contain gluten; Cole's Cashew, Better Brownie and my favorite, "Mint Double Fudge". All are balls, or more eloquently, "bite-lettes".

Personally, I am hesitant to purchase or recommend any sort of already-put-together product. An "already-put-together" product, conventionally speaking, would be referred to as a "processed" food which generally is not good and quite the opposite of wholesome. Dr. Laura's Wholesome Junk Food is wholesome, and though she produces other great tasting "bite-lettes", the three I mentioned above contain no gluten although you will not find the "certified gluten free" stamp on which many people base their puirchase decision. For the most part I lean toward having that stamp on purchase decisions regarding cookies, crackers and chips. With Dr. Laura's I make an exception.

I trust her. I trust her medical knowledge. I trust her personal level of involvement in her company and the way in which she allows her products to be produced. Do your homework, and I think you will find that same level of trust...and you're going to like your afternoon french press/tea a whole lot better with a couple of bite-lettes....a clean treat!

Next time you're out, look for Dr. Laura's at Whole Foods, Earth Fare and some of the local Harris Teeter stores...

*find Dr. Laura's bite-lettes, and other wholesome junk food (even a cookbook!) at www.lauraswholesomejunkfood.com

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.