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

One of the tough parts of being a blogger is reviewing products.

This week we were really put through our paces, chomping our way through a feast of bakery goods, this time dispatched our way from Melbourne bakery, Silly Yaks.

Baguettes, rolls, loaves (fruit and plain) pies (savoury and sweet), sausage and vege rolls, nocchi, quiche, pizza bases; I’ve tasted most of these things over the past seven days and I must say it has been rather a pleasure.

The whole family enjoyed the fruit loaf at breakfast time and the rolls and baguettes were handy to grab from the freezer when we needed them.

The tomato/chilli nocchi made a very nice lunch for two, and I also sneaked a yummy sausage roll when no-one was looking.

But the highlight had to be the pies – both large and little. They have tasty, tender pastry that contains a variety of ingredients such as rice, soy, tapioca and maize flour. Read the rest of this entry »

You’re probably realising by now that when it comes to your child’s diet there are a whole load of experts out there – and none of them is your paediatrician.

Schools, daycare centres, well meaning relatives, family friends – they all have strong opinions about what you should be feeding your child. Add food intolerances or coeliac disease into the equation and you will suddenly find that the whole world knows better than you (and your dietician/doctor) about what is good for your child.

Part of the problem is the perception that food intolerances are just a growing fad. You can almost see those start eyes rolling when you mention gluten intolerance to some carers/educators, and some relatives can take the whole issue even more personally. They may either try to tackle you on head on and talk you out of your foolishness – or subtely undermine your efforts by slipping prohibited foods to your child.

This of course can jeopardise the health of your child – and with severe intolerance or coeliac disease – this is really a dangerous situation. Its also very hard to deal with if the very person or organisation you are relying on, is letting down you and your child when you are not around to prevent it. 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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gluten free cooking

I was doing it a bit of internet research on gluten the other day and it struck me how many different reasons there were for taking gluten out of your diet.

Unless you have been ordered to avoid it by a doctor, I figure it must be pretty confusing for anyone weighing up the pros and cons of this inconvenient dietary regime.

So I have decided to do a quick review of the multitude of reasons so many of us are taking this path.

Coeliac disease This is a well documented medical condition in which the stomach lining is damaged by gluten. It might cause many painful symptoms or none at all, but sufferers must strictly avoid all gluten – even trace fragments that could be picked up by accident from other nearby foods. A blood test from your doctor can determine whether you might be suffering from this condition.

Gluten intolerance It might be eczema, regular tummy aches, IBS or some other annoying condition that leads many to avoid gluten. Taking gluten out of the diet or even just reducing it can be enough to help sufferers of these sorts of irritating conditions,  but doctors are unlikely to suggest gluten free regimes because little research has been done on their effects beyond the very serious coeliac condition. There are some tests that can be done to detect intolerances but they are not easy to track down.

Sick, grumpy children They could be included in the category above, but many gluten intolerant children are not able to articulate particular health issues. Instead they may eat poorly, sleep poorly, suffer constipation or diarrhea and demonstrate unhappy or disruptive behaviour.  They may also have particular behavioural issues or poor concentration and could be underweight (though some may also be big for their age).  The medical community at large does not really acknowledge this condition though some dieticians and paediatricians are starting to cotton on to the devastating impact of food intolerances on children.

Because there are such a wide range of reactions in children, key clues to gluten and or dairy intolerance may be  things like chronic ear infections, stuffy noses, and strong favouritism of the very foods they have trouble with. Ironically it is this key symptom that makes it so difficult for parents to choose a gluten and/or dairy free diet because they are unsure what their child might eat instead.

Of course most adapt quite happily to alternatives once the offending foodstuffs are removed but its quite a big leap of faith (I know because I have taken it!).  A dietician who specialises in food intolerances could help you conduct an elimination diet if you want to be sure that these are the offending foods, and could also advise you on the type of dietary supplementation you may need to do to rebalance the diet.

Autism, ADD, ADHD At the core of this gluten and dairy (casein) free regime is the belief that gluten and the dairy protein called casein have an opiate effect on the brains of some children with these conditions.

While the number of doctors promoting this diet as a treatment for conditions such as autism are still in the minority, there are many stories to be found online of a reduction of symptoms in some children (though not all) in response to this diet. The theory is that for these children the food particles are not properly digested because of damage to the stomach called a leaky gut. The opiate effect of these undigested food particles in the blood stream is then thought to act on the brain exaccerbating many behavioural and physical symptoms.

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So there you have it – a potted summary of the many reasons we might choose to avoid gluten. While I cannot vouch for the science behind any of these beliefs, what I can vouch for is my own experience. Taking dairy and gluten from my son’s diet was a revolution for us. It was scary and challenging but we could never go back. (and believe me we have lapsed from time to time on holidays or at special events but we always live to regret it)

We would love to hear your stories and please tell us if you think we have missed something important.

LH

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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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Unlike my co-blogger Lucy, I am not a very inspired baker. I want someone else to do it for me. That means that at the moment, my only gluten free bread source is the supermarket.

The problem with their loaves is that they have food additives I’d really prefer to dodge. So I have been hunting around for an alternative source.

There are some wonderful specialist gluten free bakeries out there but none near me and for some reason, I just don’t fancy ordering bakery goods online. So I figured the mainstream bakery franchises were my best bet.

I checked out Bakers Delight first. No luck. According to its website, as its bread is all baked onsite, the risk of contaminating a gluten free loaf would be too high.  Brumby’s, on the other hand, started offering a gluten free, dairy free, preservative free loaf last September to franchisees who request it.  It is sealed to prevent cross-contamination and frozen to preserve freshness. I’m keen but my local store has yet to take up the offer.

The cross-contamination risk is a big issue for traditional bakers given the intense reaction some people can have to even the tiniest amount of gluten. This, however, has not deterred Muffin Break, which offers a small selection of gluten free muffins and these are baked onsite. This issue is apparently addressed within its franchisee training according to its HQ, and its website says it follows strict procedures to ensure its products are gluten free.

Likewise Sparkle Cupcakery in Surry Hills in Sydney bakes both in the same location. It says on its site that it bakes its gluten free cakes first in the morning to reduce the number of flour particles in the air.

So the treat makers, it seems, have more appetite for risk than their doughy counterparts. Cake for brekkie kids?

MB

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My mission: follow the progress of the experimental gluten vaccine that was developed and is being tested in Melbourne.

My incentive: the idea of scoffing into delicious spongy white carbs again.

My problem: several years of waiting as that is how long it is likely to be before the vaccine is available to the masses.

Things are underway however. The first clincal tests started last May to test the safety of the treatment – which desensitises sufferers to gluten – and to determine dosages and the like. 40 people were involved and it is meant to go for about 11 months.

If all goes well, the next phase will involve another small study to look at how effective the vaccine is against gluten intolerance. It has already been successful in mice.

Phase three would be a much larger version of phase two but would require significant funding, a potential hitch in the speed of delivery of this treatment.

Funding usually comes from pharmaceutical companies but to date, gluten intolerance and celiac disease may be rife and dangerous but diagnosis of these conditions is still very low, especially in North America, which makes the financial returns uncertain for a backer.

The upshot? Its all very exciting but don’t hold your breath.  But do watch this space for updates.

MB

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We know that gluten makes some of us sick but can it actually kill us? According to a recent Swedish study of 30,000 people it can, even those of us who are merely sensitive to the stuff.

People diagnosed with full-blown celiac disease had a 30% greater risk of death, mostly from heart disease and cancer, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association in September.

But the stakes were higher for those with gluten-related intestinal inflammation (ie undiagnosed celiac disease). For them, the risk of death increased by 75% and for those with gluten sensitivity, raised gluten antibodies but a negative intestinal biopsy, the risk of death increased by 35%.

Though the absolute risk of death was still quite low, overall the findings certainly provide new inspiration to stay on the gluten free wagon.

MB

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[6/12/09]  There is a new fad in town and it is not about what you do and don’t eat. Its about bagging out we people on gluten free diets.

TV3news in New Zealand wags its finger at us, warning that unless we have tested positive for coeliac, we are all wasting our money, and a USnews title has a similarly cautionary tale to tell about our fickle diet fancies.

Apparently we are all suffering from some hysterical delusion in which we imagine that we are actually benefiting from the stupendous amount of effort it takes to avoid gluten in our diets.

They have wheeled out the same type of doctors as our first GP and paediatrician who both assured me my son had absolutely no reaction to gluten after an apparently definitive blood test.

These people believe that only those with a positive result to coeliac testing are in any way responsive to gluten, and the rest of us are pathetic wannabes just trying to jump on their bandwagon.

These kind of misguided reports are not only shortchanging those poor souls that really do have a serious gluten sensitivity, but after testing negative to coeliac are left with no further medical support. They also do little to convince our own friends and relatives that we are not as balmy as they always suspected for removing one of the western world’s staple food from our diets.

Thank goodness for our current paediatrician who only needed one glimpse of my son’s faltering growth chart to suggest trialing a gluten free diet (I had honestly hoped he would not make that recommendation but in retrospect it was the nudge I needed).

Fortunately Dr Rodney Ford in New Zealand has also been studying affects of gluten on our minds and bodies and developed some very interesting ideas about why so many of us are starting to get sick from it despite what our doctors tell us. His research also indicates that the current testing methodology for gluten sensitivity might be quite deficient.

Of course I would never want to downplay the serious medical concerns of coeliacs, who unlike my son, can suffer devastating consequences from a trace fragment of gluten carelessly slipped into a pasta sauce. And when it comes to the food preparation business, there really is no excuse for ignorance about the distinction between the two conditions.

But I just don’t understand why those gluten-sceptic doctors think anyone of sound mind would take on a gluten free diet as a fickle, passing fad. Gluten free living is no picnic. It is a daily, difficult slog of deprivation and compromise in addition to the expense.

In fact the only reason I stick with it is that in return for my efforts I get a child that can actually sit down and eat a meal and gain weight from it, and no longer spends several hours most evenings grizzling for no observable reason. Oh, and I don’t get my own miserable, crippling stomach aches anymore.

But I probably  just imagined all of that.

LH

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