October is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month

This October, national celiac disease support organizations are striving to increase awareness through education, screening and early detection, and funding for research. Knowing that knowledge is power, here are answers to commonly asked questions.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is a hereditary, autoimmune disorder. When people with celiac disease eat a certain type of protein called gluten, it damages the intestines. If the damage exists long enough, the body’s ability to absorb nutrients is reduced and malnutrition and many associated diseases can occur. In fact, the name celiac comes from the Greek word “koiliakos,” which means “abdomen” or “hollow” and refers to the way an individual with celiac disease can eat but still starve when gluten is present in the diet.

How do you get celiac disease?

Celiac disease is estimated to affect 1 in every 133 Americans, particularly those of Northern European descent. It’s believed that people with certain genes can get celiac disease at some point in their lives. It is not yet understood what triggers the onset of the disease or when it actually happens, but some research suggests the following may have an effect: early introduction of gluten-containing foods to a baby’s diet; puberty; the stress of surgery, illness or pregnancy; or a stressful occurrence in one’s life. Classic symptoms include gastrointestinal distress, weight loss, and malnutrition, but some individuals have no symptoms at all. At the present time, there is no cure for celiac disease; the only treatment is adherence to a gluten-free diet.

What’s a gluten-free diet?

Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. Related grains, such as spelt and kamut, have similar proteins that can also cause a reaction in an individual with celiac disease. People with celiac disease must avoid these grains and substitute other grains and starch sources, including but not limited to: corn, potatoes, rice, tapioca (sometimes called cassava), amaranth, arrowroot, pure buckwheat, millet, quinoa, sorghum, sweet potato, taro and yam. Sometimes flour is made from beans, legumes, and nuts — these are also acceptable on the gluten-free diet.

 

Obvious sources of gluten include breads, pastas and baked goods. But processed foods can also contain hidden sources of gluten that are sometimes hard to identify. For example, even though it appears french fries, soy sauce, and rice cereal are made from potatoes, soybeans, and rice respectively, they frequently also contain gluten in various forms to prevent caking or to enhance flavor. Thus, good label reading skills are a necessity for the individual following a gluten-free diet.

 

For a list of national brand gluten-free products that ShopRite carries, log on to www.shoprite.com, click on the “For your Family” tab, and select the “Health and Wellness” option.  There you will find a link called “Shopping in Our Stores” where you will can view a list of national brand gluten-free products.  Stay tuned for a gluten free private label shopping list coming soon.

 

What’s the outlook for someone with celiac disease?

The diagnosis of celiac disease can come as either a complete surprise or as the result of months or years of symptoms, feeling poorly or “just not quite right.” Once diagnosed, however, the task of learning the intricacies of the gluten-free diet may seem quite daunting. The good news is that there are many qualified health-care professionals and a wealth of information and resources available to help. Awareness about the disease is growing, as is the market for gluten-free products. In fact, the international market research firm Mintel reports that the number of new gluten-free products jumped 86 percent in 2006. For the individual with celiac disease, patience and a willingness to experiment go a long way toward making the transition to the gluten-free diet and long-term health.

For more information:

www.csaceliacs.org (Celiac Sprue Association)

www.celiac.org (Celiac Disease Foundation)

www.celiac.com (For recent information about products and research)

www.gluten.net (Gluten Intolerance Group)

The Gluten-Free Bible: The Thoroughly Indispensable Guide to Negotiating Life without Wheat by Jax Peters Lowell, Anthony J. Dimarino

Living Gluten-Free For Dummies by Danna Korn, Alessio Fasano

The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy: Wheat-Free and Gluten-Free with Less Fuss and Less Fat by Bette Hagman

Kids with Celiac Disease: A Family Guide to Raising Happy, Healthy Gluten-Free Children by Danna Korn

Wild Rice Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Need a gluten-free dish to make tonight? This one is full of great fall flavors.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

3 tbsp. chopped onion or shallot

2 tbsp. chopped celery

1 cup cooked wild or brown rice

1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

3 tbsp. chopped pecans

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1 tbsp. finely chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chicken on clean work surface. Cut pocket in side of thick portion of meat, not cutting all the way through.
2. Spray small nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in wild rice, dried apricots, pecans, thyme and pepper to taste. Cook and stir until hot. Stuff each chicken breast with filling; fold chicken to enclose filling. Place chicken breasts in shallow baking pan.
3. Sprinkle evenly with finely chopped pecans to coat. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until thermometer in stuffing registers at least 165°F.

Serves 4

Per serving: 247 calories, 17g carbohydrate, 30g protein, 2g fiber, 7g fat, 1g saturated fat, 68mg cholesterol, 81mg sodium