Before I heard Elisabeth Hasselbeck talk about her discovery of her celiac disease I had never heard of it. For a beginner or someone who is just finding out they have a sensitivity to gluten, it can be hard to figure out where to start. It's also a little daunting for family members who think they have to make a lot of changes to their plans when they are having you over for dinner or for the holidays.
I get asked all of the time “what is celiac disease?”
Celiac disease is when then lining of your intestine becomes damaged and cannot absorb the nutrients from some foods that keep you healthy. The cause is not known but the villi in a person who has celiac disease is damaged when a person eats something with gluten in it.
Not everyone who has a sensitivity to gluten has celiac disease. For non celiac disease people who are experiencing symptoms of bloating, a change of diet is usually the only thing that needs to be done after ruling out other more serious problems like cancer.
What can I feed my family member who is gluten sensitive?
You can feed your gluten sensitive family member almost everything you are eating for Holiday dinner. Most gluten sensitive people already know what to stay away from. Having a gluten sensitive friend or family member will not change your cooking habits much.
Desserts will be a place where you should consider your gluten sensitive guests. Many desserts have gluten in them because they are made from flour. Most flours, unless specified, have gluten in them. Consider having at least one gluten-free item for dessert. It doesn't have to be anything complicated. A soy based ice cream ( because some gluten sensitive people are also lactose intolerant) and some fresh fruit or a sorbet would be great.
What has gluten in it?
Anything that has wheat, barley or rye in it can trigger someone who is sensitive to gluten or has celiac disease. That counts out most desserts, breads, pastas and gravies. Just think about everything that has flour in it and that is what your friend cannot eat.
How is this going to change my holiday dinner?
It won't change your holiday dinner. As I mentioned above, there are many things on the traditional holiday menu a gluten sensitive person can eat like: turkey, non battered chicken, breadless stuffing (there are people who make their stuffing without bread), any vegetables, any fruits any non battered meats. There are a wide range of recipes you can find for baking. I recommend this book here Gluten-Free Baking Classics
Hopefully this gives a little insight as to what gluten sensitivity is and what gluten sensitive people can eat.
For other information on gluten free living, I recommend the following:
Websites
Books
Thank you!
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