We recently wrote a piece on Celiac Disease for our May "Top Docs" issue, highlighting some of the little known facts about the autoimmune disorder. For example, did you know that even the tiniest amount of gliadin (the gluten protein responsible for the side effects in Celiac sufferers) can cause a severe reaction, including diarrhea, bloating or even anemia and osteoporosis due to vitamin deficiency caused by malabsorption? Yikes.
And due to the increasing awareness of this disease, there has been an influx of gluten-free products hitting the market, including pastas, breads, cereal, baked goods and more. I should know, because although I am lucky enough not to have the disease, I do actually have a slight sensitivity to gliadin (as evidenced by the ALCAT blood test I took a few months ago through the Center for Medical Weight Loss, which tested my body's reaction to more than 300 foods, chemicals and other substances).
When I found this out, I immediately hit up Whole Foods, which carries an extensive array of gluten-free products. And honestly, they're not half bad. My favorite is the Enjoy Life Soft-Baked Snickerdoodle Cookies (130 calories/4.5 grams of fat/2 grams of fiber for two cookies). But I'm always up for suggestions...
Also, for more info on the ALCAT test, see Gold Coast's "Balance" page from the January 2010 issue, or visit the Center for Medical Weight Loss at www.cmwl.org.
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