In honor of the fact that May is Celiac Awareness Month, I spent the past weekend in Chicago at the National Restaurant Association show becoming much more aware of the toll that celiac disease can take on the human body – and of the great strides that have been made in recent years in diagnosing this ailment and in creating gluten-free products.

It’s estimated that about 1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease. For these people, eating the gluten protein found in wheat, barley, and rye causes the body to attack itself, with an auto-immune reaction that destroys the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients.  Eventually, widespread malnutrition results, and manifests itself in so many ways that diagnosis of celiac disease takes, on average, eleven years. There is no cure for celiac disease; celiacs must follow a special gluten-free diet the rest of their lives.

Fortunately, food manufacturers have responded with a raft of new products to make life easier for celiacs. The photo on this page shows breaded chicken from WGC member GF Naturals whose COO, Robert Hapanowicz, joined me this weekend to speak on a panel about gluten-free restaurant choices. Unlike traditional breaded chicken which uses refined wheat, this chicken has a coating of brown rice and millet, providing a satisfying crunch and all the health benefits of two great whole grains. 

One of the especially cool “side effects” of the increased emphasis on gluten-free products is the growing variety of grains that are becoming available. For those of us without celiac disease or other wheat sensitivities, wheat is a great food. However, variety is just as important with grains as it is with vegetables. Carrots are healthy too – but we know that it wouldn’t be a good idea to eat them to the exclusion of other vegetables. Yet we often ignore the importance of variety when it comes to grains. Over seventy percent of the grain eaten in the U.S. is wheat, according to USDA. It’s time to branch out and eat other whole grains, and the many gluten free products (like chicken breaded in millet and brown rice!) make that easier. Most grains are gluten-free, so there are plenty of choices.

With any challenge, some folks see the glass as half empty and others see it as half full. I had dinner on Saturday night with Alice Bast, founder of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, and was very inspired by her take on celiac disease, which she has. “I’m so lucky!” said Bast as she tucked into gluten-free pasta with Italian sausage. “Most people with a chronic disease have to take expensive medication with scary side effects. All I have to do is eat good food, and I’m fine.” 

Want to hear more about the indomitable spirit of some of my new celiac friends? Check out another piece of last weekend’s story on the Oldways Table blog.  (Cindy)