Gluten-Free Foods Key Terms

Understanding the key elements of gluten-free foods

In today's health conscious world, gluten-free foods are an excellent item to offer your customers who may be concerned with flour allergies. Commonly associated with people who have celiac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis, many people choose gluten-free foods to better their health and to stay disease free.

To be considered gluten-free, foods cannot have any type of wheat flour in them. This includes whole wheat as well as traditional bleached white flour. The following are some of the key terms you should be familiar with when offering gluten-free foods.

 

Organic options

Organic foods and gluten-free food pairings are a natural choice for your customers since many organic foods are gluten free, which makes it easier to find.
Try: UCS gives consumers information on organic gluten-free food and its benefits.

Celiac disease

Celiac disease requires avoiding foods with gluten. It is a digestive disorder that affects both children and adults, causing damage to the intestine when gluten-contained products are consumed.
Try: Celiac Sprue Association offers an excellent resource on celiac disease, its symptoms and definitions. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse has diagrams and information on celiac disease.

Gluten-free diets

Gluten-free diets are an option for my consumers to ensure that they get the healthiest foods for their conditions such as celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.
Try: The Vegetarian Society has an information sheet about a gluten-free diet and its benefits. The Mayo Clinic has an informative article on exactly how to go about being on a gluten-free diet.

Flour allergies

Flour allergies and gluten-free foods go hand in hand. By having flour allergies, consumers need to ingest gluten-free foods. Flour allergies are also called celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis.
Try: Flour Allergy makes learning about different flours and allergies less complicated by breaking down the different types.

Gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. In order to properly sell gluten-free foods, it's beneficial to know exactly what gluten is and how it affects different people who have food allergies and diseases.
Try: Enterolab has a facts page stating what gluten is and how it is harmful in foods.

Dermatitis herpetiformis

Dermatitis herpetiformis is another food allergy caused by foods containing gluten. This is similar to celiac disease and causes damage to the intestines when gluten-contained foods are consumed.
Try: Medline Plus has pictures and information on herpetiformis. The AOCD offers a dermatitis herpetiformis database and gives informative facts and articles.

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