Food Allergies: Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Expertise
April 27, 2010 at 8:59 am , by Rachel Shippy
Food allergies, specifically gluten intolerance, is a hot-button topic in the food world and also in the medical community – as doctors try to qualify various forms of the disorder, the food marketplace is rallying to create products for people who do not eat gluten (found in wheat, barley, and rye).
Dr. Lucy Gibney, founder of Lucy’s Cookies {which are gluten-free, vegan, and kosher among other things} sat down with us to dish about the science behind this curious disorder and the food industry’s newest craze.
Broadly speaking, food allergies are picking up momentum – Dr. Lucy told us one popular theory is that perhaps we are doing such an efficient job with our hygeine and avoiding germs by using anti-biotics, vaccines, and having high cleanliness standards that our immune systems are essentially ‘bored’ and looking for something to fight. When this is the case, food proteins can be interpreted as invaders, which leads us to food allergies such as gluten intolerance.
According to Dr. Lucy, 1 in 133 Americans has Celiac disease (a term used to describe the long-term, ‘cell mediated’ immune response of gluten-intolerance), but only about 1 in 1,000 have been diagnosed. On the other hand a food allergy to gluten is completely different and elicits a typical histamine-type response (short term). The question of whether a patient might have Celiac or an allergy to gluten has been more readily considered by doctors and in turn more research has been dedicated to increasing diagnosis.
So, what’s a gluten-arian to eat? Along with Lucy’s Cookies, the Editors of LHJ are loving Betty Crocker‘s gluten-free brownie, cookie and cake mixes, Bob’s Red Mill products which are no stranger to the gluten-free game, and King Arthur Flour‘s gluten-free mixes ranging from pizza to pancakes. The great news is, anyone can eat gluten-free, allergic or not, and the taste has improved dramatically thanks to demand.
So while the diagnosis process is still in first gear, the food industry is moving at full speed to meet the demand of this emerging market – funny, that’s how we prioritize too, food first!
Categories: Food, Fun, Health, Ladies' Lounge | Tags: Betty Crocker, Bob's Red Mill, Celiac, Dr. Lucy Gibney, Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Gluten Intolerance, King Arthur Flour, Lucy's Cookies | 4 Comments
4 Responses to “Food Allergies: Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Expertise”
SEO Powered by
Written on April 27, 2010 at 7:17 pm, by Tweets that mention Food Allergies: Dr. Lucy’s Gluten-Free Expertise | The Ladies' Lounge -- Topsy.com
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ladies' Home Journal, LHJ Food. LHJ Food said: great #glutenfree info/products http://dld.bz/b5Z8 @kafglutenfree @lucys_tweets [...]
Written on April 30, 2010 at 11:22 am, by Mary
Thank you, LHJ, for bringing Celiac disease to a higher level of attention. Several people in our family suffer from this difficult disease and we are always so grateful for new information and sources for making life and eating easier and more pleasant. Please continue your great work!
Mary B
Written on April 30, 2010 at 4:19 pm, by Carolyn P
My husband has suffered for years with digestive problems. After trying a gluten-free diet, he is feeling so much better it’s wonderful for him. We could use more variety, recipes,and foods to help add some interest in his diet, however. Thanks for this article. Carolyn P
Written on May 1, 2010 at 3:02 pm, by Marie Bench
Hooray for Celiac awareness!!! My husband suffers from this disease and is loving all of the new gluten free products and mixes, especially Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust. Thanks LHJ for the suggestions and tips. We will definitely continue reading and we look forward to your sharing of new products and recipes!
Marie