Gluten free is not a fad

Gluten intolerance is real. It’s not a fad. It’s certainly not a joke. The medical community has become much more aware of what this human condition is and the damage it can do.

A group known as the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America was formed in 1974 and is a leader in education and the distribution of information regarding gluten intolerance. Headquartered in Auburn, Wash., this organization has 75 branches across America and has a presence in 13 other countries.

GIG says about itself: “We care for celiac and non-celiac gluten-intolerant individuals on a local and regional level through programs tailored to their community. GIG envisions a healthy gluten-intolerant community in which all persons are involved contributing citizens.” That’s a pretty strong mission and one under the leadership of executive director Cynthia Kupper that it is performing well.

What is gluten, anyway? How much trouble can it really cause?

Gluten refers to the proteins found in all grains including wheat, rye, oats and barley. Common foods like bread and pasta often contain wheat. The other three are less common but are still around. Cereal can be a problem. So can our friend beer — and simple gravy.

People with gluten intolerance cannot absorb the proteins found in foods containing these grains. Eating them can cause serious health problems, including malnourishment, fatigue and damage to the small intestine.

The tough thing is that the amount of gluten needed to trigger a problem is quite small. The flour in a ¼ teaspoon of roux used to thicken a sauce can result in bloating and great physical discomfort in a short time. For celiac patients and others experiencing gluten intolerance such as dermatitis herpetiformis and non-celiac gluten, sensitivity it is a real concern.

GIG has a program known as Gluten-Free Certification Organization. This program certifies foods safe for gluten-intolerant individuals. They also have a Gluten-Free Food Service program that helps that industry employ the proper strategies and techniques to produce gluten-free products.

There is also a Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness program for large operations. This program assists in the availability of gluten-free meals. Chains like Outback and The Melting Pot have participated in this program.

At Jimmy’s, we are a part of GIG’s Chef to Plate. This is an awareness campaign designed to celebrate restaurants serving gluten-free items. In 2011, more than 900 restaurants participated, and the program reached more than 7 million people. We just received our 2012 certificate and are proud to display it.

In researching this article, I communicated with Rebecca Powell with GIG. She provided me with additional information about the organization. I asked her for a list of participating restaurants in our area including Montgomery and Columbus. Since she is so far away and not familiar with “these parts,” she sent me a list of everybody in Alabama and Georgia. To my great surprise, the list has less than 50 entries. This includes multiple locations of some operations.

Granted, there are restaurants that offer gluten-free options that do not participate in Chef to Plate. And there are chefs out there that will accommodate dietary concerns with absolute accuracy. But this low number, I think, tells us that real awareness of gluten intolerance is far from where it needs to be.

Remember the low-carb craze? The Atkins and South Beach diets? Sure you do. I did the very-low-carb regimen for well over a year way back when. I enjoyed it. I felt great and redistributed some weight. Yet it was a cooking challenge and really was difficult outside your own household. This was before restaurants had low-carb offerings.

How serious was I? If I got a burger, I threw away the bun. The same was true with a breakfast biscuit. Pasta once a month, and it had meat and cheese to balance the carbs. (At that time, no-carb pasta was awful.) Otherwise, I used zucchini or eggplant to hold the tomato sauce and cheese.

No chips or crackers was the rule. I ate the toppings from a canapé and tossed the base. I ate almost no bread for 18 months — just a nibble at a restaurant. Ditto for pizza and rice. Not many beans ever came my way. Thank goodness all the aromas were carb-free.

I say all of this to illustrate that eating gluten-free is much easier than carb-free. And it’s much more fun. Flavor is not off-limits. Rice is OK and so are rice noodles. Meats and seafood are fine. Just don’t coat with flour.

As you read earlier, there are lots of gluten-free products available. I get gluten-free pizza bases for customers. I made gluten-free dishes for a wedding rehearsal dinner this year. The bride was gluten-intolerant. I made canapé bases from gluten-free pizza mix and bound sauces with cornstarch. There was no bread pudding for dessert, however.

Here’s an idea for you. Try having a gluten-free weekend this summer. Make a party out if it. Challenge your guests to bring a gluten-free dish if you want. Get children or grandchildren on board and make it fun. You will find how easy this really is to accomplish. You just have to plan a little and be careful about packaged foods and sauces.

The next time you visit a food store, look for gluten-free products. You will see a number of them. Check the ingredients list of your favorite things. You will find that many contain no gluten already. There will be others that sneak wheat into something that you had no idea about.

And the next time you encounter diners who are asking about gluten-free dishes, realize that these people have an actual problem with serious consequences. They are working hard to deal with a life-threatening condition. Be considerate. Gluten intolerance is real.

Jim Sikes is an Opelika resident, restaurant owner and columnist for the Opelika-Auburn News. You can find this and other columns here and at www.jimmysopelika.com.

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