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    A Request to Anyone Making Gluten-Free Claims

    May 1, 2018 By Meagan Fikes 2 Comments

    A Request to Anyone Making Gluten Free Claims | The gluten free label is being used incorrectly and it's hurting those with celiac disease and non celiac gluten intolerance. | eatsomethingdelicious.com

    The gluten free label is being used incorrectly and it's hurting those with celiac disease and non celiac gluten intolerance. | eatsomethingdelicious.com


    Some links on this site are affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase at one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Additionally, I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I only link to products and services I personally recommend and believe will benefit my readers. These links help to cover some of my blogging expenses. I appreciate your support!


    Imagine the following scenario

    You go to the doctor after years of suffering and finally receive a diagnosis. The treatment seems surprisingly simple: take this prescription with zero side effects and you'll be fine.


    You make your way to the pharmacy to get your prescription filled feeling optimistic and even excited about taking this step towards feeling better. The pharmacist is having a pretty busy day and while filling your prescription, a pill from somebody else's prescription accidentally gets mixed into your pills. Maybe the pharmacist even notices it but thinks "Eh, what's the harm? One tiny little pill won't hurt. I'm really busy and need to finish this up so I can move on."

    It turns out that one little pill does the opposite of the drug you need. What do you think happens? Can one little pill, such a small amount of medication, really hurt you?

    Of course, this is a horrible scenario but something similar is happening to people with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance every day.

    From here on out, I'll just refer to both celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance as "celiac disease" but know that I'm talking about both.

    They say food is medicine but for those with celiac disease, that is truly the case. Our doctors aren't writing us a prescription for a pill but literally prescribe us a gluten free diet (yes, that diet that's been at the butt-end of jokes the past few years) to manage our condition. Our food is our only medicine and should be treated as such.

    The gluten free label is being used incorrectly and it's hurting those with celiac disease and non celiac gluten intolerance. | eatsomethingdelicious.com

    Now, I'm going to tell you a true story

    A few years ago, I learned that there was a place not far from home that made these beautiful, hand-painted chocolates. I looked on their website to discover that all of their products were gluten-free! Places like that are not only rare but also extremely valuable to people like myself because no gluten-containing products in their facility means no risk of cross-contamination of gluten - a situation where even a trace amount can cause me severe illness for a month and a half. I know that sounds crazy but it's not all that unusual for people with celiac disease. I've heard as little as 1/64th of a teaspoon of gluten is enough to cause intestinal damage.

    My sister and brother heard me talking about the chocolates and surprised me with a large (and not cheap) box of their chocolates for christmas that year. I was so excited! We passed the box around so everyone could see all the intricate decorations.

    I picked out a chocolate to try but flipped over the box to double check the ingredients, a habit I'll always have, only to see the words "may contain wheat". What?! Why?! I continued to scan the ingredient list and saw it contained wheat-derived ingredients.

    I had to break it to my brother and sister that I couldn't eat their thoughtful gift, contact the company, and get their money back.

    What did this company have to say about all of this? They thought it would be rare that somebody who had a true gluten intolerance would order their chocolates.

    Seriously?

    It's not just food manufacturers either

    Us bloggers are guilty too.

    I've seen it so many times on Pinterest. There will be a recipe I'm thinking about pinning and the pin's image says it's gluten free. However, I know to look closer than that. A quick scan of the ingredients reveals that the recipe calls for corn flakes, rice krispies cereal, steel cut oats, or any variety of oats without the "gluten free" specification. Sure, a lot of bloggers will specify in the recipe notes but too many don't.

    If I were to make any one of these recipes, I would know not to get the brand name corn flakes or rice cereal and to look for the gluten free versions. I would also know to not only get the gluten free oats but more specifically, the purity protocol gluten free oats (as opposed to mechanically sorted).

    But what happens when somebody who's newly diagnosed makes these recipes? Or if a friend, family member, or coworker wants to make one of those recipes for somebody who can't eat gluten. They may not know what pitfalls to look for and take the term "gluten free" at face value. I know I made myself sick plenty of times when I was first diagnosed. There's a huge learning curve!

    Of course, this can only be taken so far. Any naturally gluten-free ingredient has the potential to be contaminated with enough gluten to make somebody sick. I wouldn't go as far to specify using the "gluten free version" of things like nuts, oils, produce, or any ingredient that's typically gluten free. However, I think it's important to specify the gluten free versions of things that aren't typically gluten free like cereals or are usually unsafe like oats. Additionally, making brand recommendations can be very helpful to people making the recipe.

    Restaurants

    I get it. Somebody sits down to eat at a restaurant, asks for their gluten free diet to be accommodated, then orders the chocolate lava cake for dessert and the staff is left wondering why they even bother making the accommodations in the first place. Gluten free as a weight loss diet has sent mixed signals to restaurants and the population in general. It has led people to believe that gluten intolerance isn't real and to joke that celiac disease only happens to the trendiest among us who also have been blessed with a Whole Foods sized grocery budget.

    The reality is, celiac disease doesn't discriminate and it is very real. Of course I don't have any issues if a non-celiac, generally healthy person wants to share my diet with me for whatever reason but people preparing our food need to understand that there is a difference. The person cheating on their diet doesn't need kitchen staff taking special precautions such as changing their gloves or using freshly washed equipment but there are people out there who really do need those accommodations. Don't let one group of people ruin it for the rest of us.

    The gluten free label is being used incorrectly and it's hurting those with celiac disease and non celiac gluten intolerance. | eatsomethingdelicious.com

    A lot of you probably know that I stopped eating in restaurants a few years ago so I can't speak much on how things are being handled these days. Doing a quick Google search of a few popular restaurants brought a big change to my attention.

    When I was still eating out in restaurants, most places had a "gluten free menu". These menus came with a disclaimer at the bottom with various statements about how the food is not made in a gluten free kitchen and that the restaurant cannot guarantee the absence of gluten in any of their menu items but do their best to accommodate.

    Today, when I looked at these menus, most of them were no longer called "gluten free menus". Instead, they use variations of menu titles like "Gluten Awareness" (54th Street) and "Mindful Choices Around Gluten" (Culvers). Even Papa John's states that their gluten free crusts are "Not recommended for customers with Celiac Disease as pizzas may be exposed to gluten during the preparation process."

    This may seem disappointing to those with celiac disease but I think their statements really show that restaurants are becoming more educated. Or scared of getting sued. Something like that... but I would rather restaurants be honest and advise me not to eat there than to claim they're meeting expectations that they don't currently have the capacity for. I don't know how obvious the fine print is when ordering within the restaurant as opposed to looking at the menus online but I hope they make it clear. Maybe somebody who's eaten out more recently can fill me in?

    Friends and family

    You mean well and we love you for it. However, take the time to talk to the person you're cooking gluten free for. Find out the best practices for preventing cross-contamination of gluten in a non-gluten free kitchen. Let the person know what ingredients (and brands) you're using. Educate yourself on the hidden sources of gluten. Don't be afraid to email a company if you have questions on the gluten-free status of a product. And if the person you're cooking gluten free for isn't comfortable with somebody else handling their food, respect that. We've all gotten sick too many times at the expense of wanting to be a polite guest.

    The gluten free label is being used incorrectly and it's hurting those with celiac disease and non celiac gluten intolerance. | eatsomethingdelicious.com

    My request

    What I want those who are making these claims to understand is that our health is what's at stake here. This isn't about keeping up with food trends or offering everything the competition offers. There are lots of reasons why people have to eat gluten-free and even though the non-medical reasons seem to get the media's attention the most, many people cannot consume it, even in trace amounts, because they have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance, any number of medical conditions, or simply feel better without it.

    If somebody's not 100% confident and educated in their gluten-free claims, they shouldn't try to force it. Gluten free products, recipes, and menus are so convenient but lose that convenience factor when they make us sick.

    Again, our food is our medication. Manufacturing and properly labeling that medication is not a job to be taken lightly. If even a small amount of gluten finds its way into our "medication", it has the opposite effect of the medicine we need. Please ensure our "gluten free" food is celiac-safe or remove the gluten-free claim altogether.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patty McGuire

      May 19, 2020 at 1:39 pm

      Meagan, this is so thorough and so well explained! I never knew about cross contamination issues, or that even things like oats and rice are not necessarily safe. Extremely eye opening!

      Reply
      • Meagan Fikes

        May 27, 2020 at 10:32 pm

        Thanks Patty! I didn't know about that stuff at first either and when I learned about it, I was sure it didn't affect me. I was so wrong! I wish I would have had somebody really explain it to me from the start but I doubt I would have believed them if I didn't experience it for myself.

        Reply

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    About Meagan

    About Meagan

    I started out with a passion for creating unique recipes and decorating cakes. In June of 2012, I discovered I was not only severely gluten intolerant but also, many of the foods I was eating I simply couldn't include in my diet anymore. Fortunately, my love for trying new recipes, ingredients, and cooking methods made re-learning how to cook seem more like a fun challenge than an unfortunate circumstance. I'm so happy to say that my dietary restrictions haven't stopped me from doing what I love. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do.

    Some links on this site are affiliate links which means that if you make a purchase at one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only link to products and services I personally recommend and believe will benefit my readers. These links help to cover some of my blogging expenses. I appreciate your support!

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    She’s finally here 🥰 Erika Claire Fikes was b She’s finally here 🥰
Erika Claire Fikes was born January 24th, 2022 at 1:35pm. 7lb 9 oz, 19 inches.
    Not really a new recipe but I shared my sons 4th b Not really a new recipe but I shared my sons 4th birthday cake on the blog today. Also wrote a recap on everything that’s been going on for the past year since I would normally write about it in my blog posts but haven’t written anything! I don’t know when I’ll be back on there. I’ve only had time for site maintenance and I really miss blogging but I’ll be back on once things slow down. The link to the new post is in my profile!
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#glutenfree #dairyfree #cakedecorating #foodallergies #celiacdisease
    I almost didn’t make this into a casserole becau I almost didn’t make this into a casserole because the sauce and pasta combined made a delicious side dish on their own! @beldolcefood #sponsored my most recent blog post and provided me with their new gluten free fusilli and penne to try out. I used the fusilli in this recipe and the sauce is a creamy, cheesy enchilada sauce made from just 3 ingredients.
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I ended up adding taco meat, fire roasted tomatoes, corn, black beans, and dairy free cheese to make a taco noodle casserole. Then we ate it all and I made it again! This is one of those recipes that will be going in our regular meal rotation.
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This is a pretty versatile recipe. It can be made vegan just by leaving out the meat and it’s just as good. And as I said earlier, the pasta with just the sauce makes a really good side dish. You can also top it with whatever you like such as cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream, scallions, or salsa.
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The recipe and details on @beldolcefood new gluten free pasta is linked in my profile:
@eatsomethingdelicious
Let me know if you try it!
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#glutenfree #dairyfree #glutenfreefacility #pasta #casserole #beldolce #foodallergies #f52grams #foodbloggerpro #celiac #glutenintolerant #eatsomethingdelicious
    I’ll just say it - I’m one of those bloggers t I’ll just say it - I’m one of those bloggers that makes cakes for their blogs “birthdays”. Or uses the blog birthdays as an excuse to make yet another cake recipe....yeah, that’s probably more accurate.
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Definitely felt like I needed a good excuse for this one because it’s my fifth variation of gooey butter cake! However, my site is seven years old so maybe I should have had seven gooey butter cakes ready to go? Guess I’d better get caught up before year eight 😉
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Anyways, I really enjoyed this carrot cake variation of gooey butter cake. The cake layer/crust swaps out the yellow cake mix with spice cake mix and I added in some shredded carrots and raisins. I kept the “gooey” top layer the same except that I topped it with a sprinkle of cinnamon and additional raisins before baking.
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If you want to try the recipe, the link is in my profile: @eatsomethingdelicious
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#gooeybuttercake #foodallergies #glutenfree #dairyfree #foodbloggerpro #baking #celiac #f52grams #f52sweets #glutenintolerant #carrotcake
#glutenfreelife #eatsomethingdelicious
    Couldn’t decide which to use on his birthday inv Couldn’t decide which to use on his birthday invites so got a big trifold card and used almost all of them 😅 This is the first time he’s cooperated (sort of) for his “milestone block” photos since he learned to roll over so it’s been a long time!
    Here are a few last minute treat ideas! The carame Here are a few last minute treat ideas! The caramel stuffed crispy rice treats recipe is written below. The other recipes (gooey butter cookies, salted caramel turtles, and pumpkin snickerdoodles) can be found at the link in my bio!
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CARAMEL STUFFED CRISPY RICE TREATS
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INGREDIENTS
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• ¼ C dairy free butter, divided
• 4 C mini marshmallows (regular and vegan both work), divided
• 6 C gluten free rice cereal *see notes*
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided
• 10-11 oz dairy free chewy caramels
• 11.25 oz can sweetened condensed coconut milk
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DIRECTIONS
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1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the dairy free butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 cups of marshmallows and stir until they are melted with no lumps.
2. Remove from heat and stir in ½ tsp of vanilla then gently fold in 3 cups of cereal until it is well-combined with the marshmallows.
3. Using wet hands, press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a 7x11 inch casserole dish and set aside.
4. Unwrap the caramels and add them along with the sweetened condensed coconut milk to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often to avoid burning. Once this has turned to a completely smooth sauce, pour over the cereal layer.
5. Make your top cereal layer by repeating steps 1 and 2. Distribute this evenly over the caramel layer and pat down with wet hands.
6. Once the treats have cooled down, they will firm up and hold their shape when cut. Cut into squares and serve.
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NOTES
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• Potential allergens contained in this recipe may vary due to brands of ingredients used, product reformulations, etc. Please verify that all your ingredients are safe for you to consume and always be mindful of allergen cross contamination while cooking.
• Double check that the cereal you use is gluten free. At least one brand carries 2 different versions of rice cereal and only one is GF.
• Don't make both cereal layers in one large batch then divide it up. The top layer will cool and firm up before you can layer it on which will make the caramel seep out when you press it down.
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