gluten free familyA mum's blog about gluten-free living in Australia

Sydney gluten free expo

Is gluten intolerance a real condition?

This was one of the topics debated at the gluten free expo in Sydney, and Dr Robert Anderson, the man leading development of the coeliac vaccine, took to the stage to address this sensitive issue.

The gluten intolerant now far outnumber those with coeliac disease, but according to Dr Anderson finding a true diagnosis for either condition is far from straightforward.

I won’t go into too much of the science here, suffice it to say that he believes coeliac disease is being underdiagnosed by the medical communiy owing to over-reliance on things like preliminary blood tests which may give false negatives – as well as the less common issue of biopsies that can miss damage in the small intestines.

He says a gene, blood test and biopsy (where evidence of coeliac disease exists) are all required to build up an accurate diagnosis. (The coeliac society now has a diagnostic flow chart that is designed to steer prospective sufferers on a path of investigation that will prevent such misdiagnoses and I will write more on this at a later date).

This brings us to the other side of the equation – gluten intolerance. Dr Anderson believes that most cases of gluten intolerance in the wider society have been confused with fructose malabsorbtion. Read the rest of this entry »

I think a lot about protein. It’s a sad admission I know, but hunting down tempting sources of this crucial food group not only eats up a lot of time but is also a source of angst when we are on the road.

You see we are not just gluten free. Our boy’s doctor says he must also avoid casein to maintain good health which makes him ‘GFCF’ and therefore unable to tolerate cheese, milk and yoghurt.

I admit we have the odd lapse. If we suspect there may be a little dairy in something we will often turn a blind eye when out on the road. But we draw the line at things like yoghurt pots and cheese sticks. The side effects are just too annoying for our poor little fella who gets a runny nose along with a bunch of other irritating symptoms.

So what do we do when we go out? We tried taking soy yoghurt pots but these seemed to have even more dramatic side effects, possibly from the food colouring or flavours added or even a reaction to soy. So now we just steer clear completely. Read the rest of this entry »

gluten free labels

How much gluten is too much? Standards bodies around the world have been mulling that one over in recent years.

When it comes to trace quantities of gluten in food products, Europe decided two years ago that 20 milligrams or less (20 parts per million) is safe, down from 200 parts per million. The US looks set to embrace similar standards.

To be labeled gluten free in Australia, though, products must have no “detectable gluten” which at present means 5 milligrams or less per kilo (5 parts per million).

Some local coeliac sufferers are concerned. They say that overly tough standards inhibit local manufacturers and of course it also means many gluten free products made overseas cannot be sold here.

As a result, the gluten free among us could missing out on heaps of choice and paying higher prices for our goods thanks to a lack of competition.

For this reason the Coeliac Society of Australia late last year lobbied the ACCC to pull the standards back into in line with the rest of the world.

However some coeliac sufferers in other countries would like to see the same tight standards applied to manufacturers in their part of the world. Especially those who find they suffer after eating goods labeled gluten free.

Of course that could also be attributed to non-compliance to the standards. A survey conducted by the NSW Food Authority in 2007, for example, found that of 211 gluten free retail food products it tested, 4.7 did not meet the Australian standard.

One product, prawn crackers, had 160 parts per million though only 2.8% of the products exceeded the internationally recognised levels of 20ppm.

So there seems to be a trade-off: choice and price versus higher trace levels of gluten. I guess your level of gluten sensitivity would determine which side of the fence you sit on this one.

MB

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There is nothing like churning out several chocolate cakes in a single day to focus one on matters of health (watch this space for the results of our mega cake-mix bake-off!)

Especially given that it was only a couple of weeks ago that I blogged about the potential nutritional deficiencies those on a gluten free diet may face.

So now I have fibre on my mind. I was surprised to learn at the time that gluten-based wholegrains like wheat, rye and barley make up a good part of the fibre component of a normal diet.

Most gluten free carbohydrates, on the other hand, are made from refined or lower-fibre sources such as white rice flour, potato starch and corn starch.

There are some high fibre gluten free wholegrain sources such as brown rice, corn, flax, millet, sorghum, teff, and wild rice, uncontaminated oats and the so-called pseudograins: amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa. Taste and texture is the main issue here.

So unless you are a very sophisticated gluten free cook, the fibre of the gluten-containing wholegrains must be replaced in other ways.  For us, those ways have to be acceptable to kids.

So as usual, I have been digging around online for some education and inspiration.

There is no quick-fix to be had apparently. Most of the yummy fibre-packed snacks like breakfast cereal and muesli bars are also packed with gluten.

Of course fruit and veges are a no brainer in the fibre stakes, but if your little ones are also sensitive to the natural pesticides in these called salicylates (one of mine is), you may also have to look to other sources.

However it is worth noting that dates, raisins, sultanas pack a good fibre punch as do potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Of the gluten free wholegrains, brown rice holds potential for us. Until now it has boomeranged on me but I am determined to persist and I am now in the market for some yummy kid-friendly recipes.

Quinoa apparently makes a great side dish in place of rice but would the kids like it? We will have to experiment more with these exotic grains and will keep you posted.

They do like popcorn (no surprise there) and oats in the form of porridge. These are great fibre sources though not everyone can handle the latter (see our blog on the topic of oats).

Legumes such as chickpeas, kidney beans and baked beans are also high in fibre. I am thinking hommous, nachos and good old baked bean jacket spuds may now figure more prominently on the menu.

Nuts and seeds are also a high fibre snacking source. I plan to try out almonds and also sunflower seeds. Apparently peanut butter is also a good fibre source (and peanuts too of course).

Some suggested adding to your cooking a high fibre gluten free ingredient called Inulin. I also spotted an ad in a health magazine for Chia seeds which can be used in the same way. And when I searched these out online, Acacia Fibre was also often mentioned. I can’t vouch for any of these but they could be worth a try when your inspiration fails you.

Likewise, the traditional fibre supplements, Metamucil (based on psyllium) and Benefiber (based on wheat dextrin) both claim to be gluten free.

Apparently fibre should be increased in the diet gradually.

MB

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gluten free: should you supplement?

Since going gluten free I have benefited in some unexpected ways, my favourite being in the waistline department.

I don’t eat as many carbs overall and am less tempted to over indulge when I’m out and about. As a result I feel healthier in general.

So it never occurred to me that by ditching some of those old baddies, me and mine may now be missing out on some important dietary elements.

A few studies cited by experts show that gluten free diets are lower in vital nutrients including calcium, iron, B vitamins and vitamin D as well as folate, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, zinc and magnesium.

Moreover many of the packaged gluten free products are higher in fat and cholesterol than their gluten-based counterparts. And gluten free diets in general are said to be too high in protein and fat and too low in carbohydrates and fibre.

Of course many people who are not on gluten free diets are also not getting enough of the good stuff. Even back in my gluten glory days, I was no stranger to an unbalanced diet. Like most people, I knew what I should be eating but actually doing it was another matter.

The difference is that now that I have done some digging on this particular topic, I can no longer cry ignorant. And having young gluten free mouths to feed provides additional pause for thought.

While I am not qualified to offer dietary advice, here are some of the tips that I found online that may help get things back in balance:

- see a nutritionist who is experienced in gluten free diets

- take vitamin and mineral supplements as advised

- increase your helpings of oats if you can have them, as well as brown rice and quinoa and fruit and vegetables

- ensure your gluten free flours come from whole grains rather than refined sources

MB

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