As a coeliac, you tend to stick with the “simple” foods and the foods you know and there isn’t a lot of time or opportunity for snacking.
Luckily there are suppliers out there who can supply you with a nice snack. One of these is www.fabsnacks.com
They offer gluten-free snacks, but also other snacks for other allergies, such as lactose, wheat-free, yeast-free……
If you’d rather make your own snack, I can recommend this easy, no-cook recipe for that all-time favourite – COCONUT ICE it takes about 15 minutes to make, 4-5 hours to let set and then another 5 minutes to cut into pieces.
Ingredients
405 gr tin of Condensced Milk
300 gr desiccated coconut
300 gr Icing Sugar
2-3 drops of Red (scarlet) food colouring
greaseproof paper
How to make :
1. Line a square or rectangular dish with grease-proof (parchment) paper.
2. Mix all (except the food colouring) the ingredients together. Spread half of the mixture and spread out evenly into the base of the dish – use the back of a spoon to smooth out the mixture.
3. Add the food colouring to the remainder of the mixture and mixed thoroughly.
4. Spread the pink mixture over the top of the first layer and smooth out.
5. Leave overnight, or at least 4-5 hours. in a cool place before cutting into squares.
This coconut ice keeps well for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!
For a simple gift idea, place some of the coconut ice in attractive containers or jars and attach a gift tag. You may also put some squares of clear cellophane and tie with colourful ribbon.
According to medical journals irritable bowel syndrome is the most common of all bowel
disorders. (Affecting 15% of the population). Also according to the medical journals the
condition has a poor response to treatment.
It has similar symptoms to celiac disease and is often the initial diagnosis being a condition which is better known by doctors.
Typical symptoms are: -
• Digestion problems
• Abdominal pains with or without
• Diarrhoea, with or without
• Constipation
• Changes in the bowel motions, such as hard or pallet like motions
• Loose bowels especially after breakfast
• Chronic tiredness
Gluten Free Crispy Fried Chicken recipe for celiacs from America (hence use of Chex).
To prepare this start the night before:
1. Cut Chicken Breasts in halves or strips.
2. Stir up a mixture of Tapioca Starch Flour with water in a cereal size bowl.
Make the thickness – liquid and not paste (somewhere in between). (optional)
3. Dip chicken in thinned Tapioca water.
4. Place chicken in a covered bowl in fridge, overnight (if time permits).
5. Place 3 Cups of gluten free Rice Chex in a zip lock bag & crush w/rolling pin.
The next day:
6. Take Chicken out & season w/salt, pepper & your regular chicken spices. (could be any – sage, oregano, garlic powder, 2 crumbled chicken bullion cubes, paprika, Tony Chacheries seasonings or any)
7. Dip into a (cereal bowl size) crushed gluten free Rice Chex Cereal.
8. Dip into Tapioca starch or your favorite gluten free chicken flours.
9. Fry in 1 1/2 inches of Canola Oil till brown & crunchy!!!
Fry in 1 1/2 inches of Canola Oil till crunchy!!!
You should note that this can all be done immediately and does not need to be refrigerated.
This can also be done by just leaving off the water.
As an alternative this could be done in the oven & baked w/Olive Oil sprinkles over the top.
Elderly members of society , senior citizens suffer from increased incidence of Celiac Disease. A recent report found senior citizens incidence of celiac disease is greater than that of the general population.
STUDY BACKGROUND: Up to 1% of the population suffer from coeliac disease. Data on the prevalence in elderly people is scant. We hypothesized that they would over time have developed obvious symptoms. Clinically silent or undiagnosed disease would thus be relatively uncommon.
AIMS OF THE STUDY: To evaluate the prevalence of coeliac disease in elderly people.
STUDY METHODS: The study comprised 2815 individuals aged 52-74 years. Clinical cases of coeliac disease were recorded. Sera from all Subjects were screened by IgA class tissue transglutaminase antibodies, and seropositive underwent small bowel biopsy.
STUDY RESULTS: Coeliac disease was detected in altogether 60 individuals, in 25 (0.89%) on clinical grounds, and screening found in 35
(1.24%) new biopsy-proven cases. Thus, a total prevalence of 2.13% (95% confidence intervals 1.60-2.67%) was reached. Of the screen-detected cases, 15 had symptoms, albeit mostly mild. Two out of the 60 had small bowel T-cell lymphoma and two had gastric cancer. The total frequency of biopsy-proven coeliac disease and seropositive cases without histological confirmation was 2.45% (1.88-3.02%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of coeliac disease in elderly people was higher than what has been reported in the population in general. Active case finding by serologic screening is encouraged, since undetected cases may be prone to increased morbidity and mortality.
A staple food of the Incas, Quinoa is a seed which is still grown in Bolivia and Peru. It is extremely rich in complete protein (12-18%) , and is is excellent for vegetarians and vegans. The small round seeds look similar to millet but are pale brown in colour. When quinoa is cooked, it absorbs twice its volume in liquid. The seeds then sweeten and become translucent. The cooked taste is mild, and the texture firm and slightly chewy.
Quinoa was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato and later, maize. In contemporary times, Quinoa has become highly regarded for its nutritional value . Unlike wheat or rice ( which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fibre and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support Sytem for long-duration manned spaceflights.
Quinoa is good for you if you suffer from migraines. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, which helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and rebound dilation characteristic of migraines. Increased intake of magnesium has been shown to be related to a reduced frequency of headache episodes reported by migraine sufferers. Quinoa is also a good source of Vitamin B2, which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferers, most likely by improving the energy metabolism within their brain and muscle cells.
Quinoa is also a good source of magnesium, the mineral that relaxes blood vessels. Since low dietary levels of magnesium are associated with increased rates of hypertension, ischemic heart disease and heart arrhythmias, this ancient grain can offer yet another way to provide cardiovascular health for those concerned about atherosclerosis.
Herewith follows a simple, easy recipe for a Leek and Bacon Quinoa Bake. It is gluten-free, but also dairy-free, egg-free and yeast-free :
2 medium leeks, sliced into discs
1 clove garlic
1 small box of lardons
400 gr quinoa
black pepper
4 sage leaves
fresh thyme
olive oil
chicken or vegetable stock
Brown the lardons in a little olive oil; then add the leek, herbs and garlic. Add more oil, if required. Fry gently for 10-15 minutes.
Pour in the quinoa and cover with the stock. Keep adding stock until the quinoa is cooked (white rings appear around the seeds – should be around 10 minutes), then cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Make sure you leave enough stock in to ensure it is moist and loose after standing.
Finish off with some ground pepper and serve warm.
Note: refrigerate any left-overs for a delicious packed-lunch the next day! (That’s if there’s any left!)
Knowledge of current food standards, food laws and ingredients are critical for a person with Coeliac Disease whose treatment relies solely on dietary management. They have to take ownership of understanding what ingredients are in what they eat.
For anyone in doubt celiac disease is: -
• A permanent intolerance to gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats.
• affects the small bowel.
• Its treatment requires a life long avoidance of gluten.
Research was recently undertaken in New Zealand to see how people were helped to read food labels and the research found: -
• Forty percent of people had received no label reading education even though it was the most used method for identifying suitable foods.
• The majority of participants stated that they had a moderate confidence of reading food labels. However, when tested on the suitability of specific ingredients, it was evident that
further education was needed.
• Ninety nine percent of people indicated that they would find a label reading resource booklet useful.
• The majority of participants wanted a resource that included practical information put into every day language. They wanted a resource that was visually interesting and small enough to put in a bag to take to the supermarket.
The research project confirms the lack of understanding of people with Coeliac Disease when reading food labels and verifies the need for updated resources in this area.
A label reading resource booklet has been developed based on current information from the New Zealand government and the Manufactured Food Database. It includes information on the current standards, food additives, suitability of ingredients and precautionary warnings. Practical label reading examples have been provided to reinforce the written information.
This resource booklet aims to give people with Coeliac Disease the information required to choose suitable foods for their Coeliac Disease.
If you have been told to exclude gluten from your diet here are a few basic tips.
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AVOID:
- All foods made from wheat flour like bread, pasta, crackers, biscuits, cakes and pastry
- Wheat based breakfast cereals like Weetabix, puffed wheat, All Bran , muesli
- Wheat, rye, barley or oats used as an ingredient
Less obvious sources of gluten in manufactured foods:
- Wheat flour as an added ingredient, processing aid, binder, filler or carrier for flavourings and spices
- Wheat starches used as a carrier for spices, seasonings, flavourings or as a filler or binder or for dusting during the manufacturing process
- Contamination with wheat, rye, barley or oats during food production or storage
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GLUTEN-FREE (SAFE) ALTERNATIVE FOODS:
- Rice (white, brown, wild, rice flour, ground rice, rice cakes, rice pasta, rice noodles)
- Buckwheat, buckwheat noodles
- Maize (corn), maize starch, maize flour
- Cornflour, corn starch, cornmeal, popping corn, corn pasta
- Polenta
- Potato flour, potato starch
- Soya, soya flour
- Bean flours (chick pea flour, split-pea flour)
- Sago, tapioca, cassava, arrowroot, millet
- Oats in moderate amounts (up to 50g a day, which is one portion) can be consumed by most coeliacs without risk though little research has been done on oats in children with coeliac disease.
Whilst the change in your diet looks to be a great challenge you will find that you can easily adopt to this in a few months and the health benefits will be great.
Coeliac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and rye (and something similar in barley and possibly oats). This immune reaction to antigenic factors damages the mucosal lining of the small intestine, flattening the villi and reducing its ability to absorb nutrients.
The resulting symptoms of malabsorption which occur in varying degrees, may be acute
– steathorrhea, diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort, or more chronic
– tiredness, irritability and unexplained weight loss or failure to thrive in children.
The intolerance requires complete, life-long exclusion of gluten from the diet.
The peak age of onset of coeliac disease is now between 40 and 50 years, with increasing numbers of people being diagnosed in later life. The disease is more common in women than men by almost 3:1 in middle aged adults
Much remains to be learnt about how or why gluten harms the intestine. Gluten intolerance can also result in a skin disorder, dermatitis herpetiformis, which may or may not be associated with intestinal damage but is less likely to result in gastrointestinal symptoms.
A gluten-free diet is a major undertaking and always requires expert dietetic advice
It can take several months of gluten avoidance before the gut mucosa and villi return to normal and a year before previously impaired blood biochemistry improves
Complete and permanent avoidance of gluten is essential to reduce the risk of bowel malignancy and other long terms consequences of the disease.
Not to be confused with coeliac disease, wheat may provoke allergic reactions (delayed type IV) or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms of intolerance with no obvious immunological basis. Wheat allergy or intolerance will require total wheat exclusion though partial exclusion may suffice for those with a non-immunologically mediated form of intolerance for whom there seems to be a threshold of sensitivity. Commercially wheat free (and gluten-free) products are not prescribable for wheat allergy/intolerance per se.
The treatment of coeliac disease is exclusively dietary and requires the complete exclusion of gluten. This means avoidance of all sources of wheat, rye and barley. Oats are controversial and may be tolerated in moderate amounts.
The aim of medical advisors is to give first line dietary advice on a gluten-free diet for patients with confirmed coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis. People who are allergic/intolerant to wheat will require different dietary advice.
Practical dietary advice is often given such as: -
The exclusion of gluten means avoiding a wide range of manufactured and processed foods, which imposes considerable constraints on food choice and variety. Food labeling is not always helpful because although ingredient lists on food products can confirm the presence of gluten, they cannot confirm that they are gluten-free.
Gluten may be present via constituents which do not have to be declared or through cross-contamination during processing. Any food in a can, packet or jar or food that has been coated or modified in any way has therefore to be suspected of containing gluten.
Many manufacturers and supermarkets are voluntarily identifying gluten-free products by providing information or a logo on the label. In the UK, the Coeliac Society maintains a continually up-dated database of manufactured foods free from gluten.
Proprietary gluten-free foods such as breads, crackers, biscuits, pasta, flour and flour mixes are prescribabled for people medically diagnosed with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis. Their use should be encouraged to reduce the risk of dietary imbalance or non-compliance. Luxury items such as gluten-free cakes, chocolate and fancy biscuits are also available but not prescribable to reduce the costs on the NHS.
1 in 100 people in the UK has coeliac disease. However, research has showed that only 12.5% of
those have been diagnosed equating to over half a million people currently undiagnosed in the
UK.
For people with coeliac disease, eating gluten damages the lining of the gut, which prevents
normal digestion and absorption of food. If a gluten-free diet is not followed, the disease can
ultimately lead to malnutrition, osteoporosis, bowel cancer and also cause infertility problems.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley; beer; obvious sources of
gluten include breads, pastas, flours, cereals, cakes and biscuits. It is also often used as an
ingredient in many favourite foods such as fish fingers, sausages, gravies, sauces and soy sauce.
People with coeliac disease can also be sensitive to oats.
The symptoms of coeliac disease range from mild to severe and can vary between individuals. Not
everyone with coeliac disease experiences gut-related symptoms; any area of the body can be
affected.
Symptoms of coeliac disease can include diarrhea, but occasionally constipation, tiredness,
anemia, mouth ulcers, recurrent miscarriages, weight loss (but not in all cases), skin problems,
depression, joint or bone pain, and nerve problems. Sometimes the symptoms can mimic irritable
bowel syndrome that is bloating, abdominal pain and constipation. The only treatment is the life-
long avoidance of ingestion of gluten.
Due to the wide variety of the symptoms of the disease, not only do patients suffer from a
reduced quality of life during the years prior to diagnosis, but also they can be unnecessarily
hospitalised and quite often completely misdiagnosed, and treated with costly drugs.