Celiac Disease FAQs
My doctor recently told me I may have Celiac Disease, and the front line of cure is the diet. Can you help me?
Celiac Disease (CD), is also known as Celiac Sprue and Gluten-Sensitive Enteropathy. CD is a chronic digestive disorder caused by a toxic reaction to the ingestion of "gluten". Gluten is group of proteins that is found in all forms of wheat, including durum, semolina, spelt, rye, oats, barley, and related grain hybrids such as triticale and kamut. CD has also been called "The Irish Disease" because it is genetic and most commonly found in those of Celtic origin. This disease affects about 1:50 persons in Ireland and recent studies show that it affects 1:250 in the United States.
Cause
The cause of CD is unknown. It appears to be strongly associated with a group of genes on Chromosome 6. These genes (HLA class II) are involved in regulations of the body's altered immune response to the gluten protein fractions. In fact, the allergic person may not even need the whole gliaden protein to be present. Current research shows that even an amino acid sequence as small as 4 Amino Acids may elicit the allergic response. CD is triggered during any stage of life by unknown environmental factors such as stress, physical trauma, viral infection, pregnancy, or surgery.
Symptoms
This disease is an autoimmune disease. The site of this reaction is the small intestine, the function of which is to digest and absorb nutrients. The absorptive surface of the small intestine are damaged or destroyed. This means the body is unable to absorb basic nutrients. The patient may have chronic abdominal pain, cramping, and diarrhea. If left untreated, the results can be life threatening.
Long-term disorders that can result from CD: bone disease, osteoporosis, internal hemorrhage resulting from Vitamin K deficiency, nervous system disorders due to nutritional deficiencies, pancreatic disease, intestinal lymphomas and other cancers, other food sensitivities may arise, such as lactose intolerance.
Diagnosis
This disease is very difficult to diagnose. However, there are useful tests now available. Antibody tests are used to identify people who may be at risk. A biopsy of the small intestine is the only sure diagnosis: the results are classic - flattened or absent villi of the small intestine. The physician would then recommend a gluten-free diet and monitor the patient.
Cure
There is no known cure. The primary treatment is dietary; life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet. When the toxic proteins are removed, the bowel will heal itself, nutrients will be absorbed again, and health will return. The challenge to the CD patient is to learn to carefully read labels to find sources of hidden gluten. It can be in soups, salad dressings, processed foods, soy sauce, licorice.
There are several support groups that provide a tremendous service to CD patients. For further questions, please visit the Celiac Disease Foundation's website (www.celiac.org/cdf).
Glutenfreeda Online Cooking Magazine is another excellent source of information and recipes for gluten-free cooking.
Dietitian's Word of Warning
If you feel you may have a food allergy, please consult a doctor and request a referral to a local dietitian. It is generally a very bad idea to practice medicine without a license. Similarly, it is extremely risky to arbitrarily eliminate entire food groups from your diet for long periods of time. Nutritional deficiency and a general weakening of the immune is system are the usual results.
I was told that no rice exists that contains the protein (or fragment thereof) gluten. I am very sensitive to wheat and wheat proteins. Now I find sweet rice contains gluten, is that true?
It is false. This is a result of confusing two terms: "glutinous", meaning sticky, with "gluten", a term describing a protein found in wheat and other cereal grains. Sweet rice is also called "waxy rice" or "glutinous*rice" or "sticky rice" Sweet rice tends to have a higher level of free sugars than the nonwaxy rices, hence the name "sweet rice". It is also stickier than short grain when it is cooked, and is used in Asia for sticky sweets and snacks, as well as for a variety of desserts. It is also a nice rice for Japanese sushi. Sweet rice, when ground to a flour, has excellent thickening, binding and freeze-thaw properties, making it important for industrial production of gravies and sauces.
I have Gluten Enteropathy. I notice some rice syrups list "barley malt" on the label. Yours does not. Does that make it safe for me?
Lundberg's Sweet Dreams® Brown Rice Syrup is now "gluten free". Many people have food allergies to wheat and/or the proteins in wheat and other cereal grains. Formerly, our rice syrup was produced with the aid of a cereal enzyme that could potentially pose a problem for the gluten intolerant. Now we are using a fungal enzyme that produces a superior product which is safe for people with Celiac Sprue disease to consume.
I am allergic to gluten so I must avoid all wheat-containing products. This includes soy sauce,. which is brewed from wheat and soy. Tamari has been wheat-free until recently, when I noticed it had some wheat pieces in it. Does the Tamari in your rice cakes contain wheat?
We use organic Tamari manufactured by San-J, a manufacturer who does not use wheat pieces to produce the organic Tamari sauce we use. So, you are safe with all our Tamari cakes.
I have gluten enteropathy. Which of your products are safe for me to eat?
Rice is one of two grains that do not contain gluten, a substance associated with Celiac Sprue disease. With the exception of rice and corn, most other grains (including the wheat, rye, barley, oats, and "ancient grains") contain gluten, gliadin protein, or a fraction thereof. We recognize that a number of our customers are gluten intolerant; Lundberg Family Farms® is interested in developing products that contain the most wholesome, highest quality natural ingredients. To this end, we recently reformulated our rice syrup making it safe for gluten intolerant individuals to consume. All of our whole grain rices and blends are by definition gluten free.
Our other products, to the best of our knowledge based upon the most current research, are gluten-free and safe for those sensitive to the gliadin protein found in gluten.