Whether you’ve got celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, elimating gluten from your diet is crucial in your health and quality of life. But with the lack of regulation on gluten-free products, the gluten-free foods you are buying may actually be harming your health. To raise awareness of the need for gluten-free standards, the world’s largest gluten-free cake will be delivered to Capitol Hill on May 4, 2011 as part of National Celiac Awareness Month. Here’s more on the gluten-free dilemma.
Whether you’ve got celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, elimating gluten from your diet is crucial in your health and quality of life. But with the lack of regulation on gluten-free products, the gluten-free foods you are buying may actually be harming your health. To raise awareness of the need for gluten-free standards, the world’s largest gluten-free cake will be delivered to Capitol Hill on May 4, 2011 as part of National Celiac Awareness Month. Here’s more on the gluten-free dilemma.
The deadline for a gluten-free definition has passed
In 2004, Congress gave the Food and Drug Admininstration (FDA) until 2008 to create a definition for what a gluten-free product actually means. That deadline has come and gone, leaving the health of the three million Americans with celiac disease at risk. Further, having no standardization of gluten-free products also impacts the lives of the 17 million Americans who have a gluten sensitivity.
>>Diagnosis and treatment for celiac disease and gluten intolerance
The problem with gluten-free labels
According to The Washington Post, the US gluten-free product industry has soared from a $100 million industry to an estimated $2.6 billion industry by next year. This translates into an enormous surge of products labeled gluten-free that may not actually be gluten-free. Without a definition of gluten-free, food manufacturer’s are not necessarily held accountable if gluten is found in their products. Some companies may not test their products for gluten or allow small amounts of gluten into their products.
>>Six tips for living gluten-free
May is National Celiac Awareness Month
Canada, Brazil, Austrailia and other countries have defined gluten-free products as .0007 of an ounce for every kilogram (2.2 pounds). To urge the FDA to standardize gluten-free in the US, gluten-free advocates are presenting Capitol Hill with the world’s largest gluten-free cake as part of National Celiac Awareness Month and the campaign for reliable gluten-free labeling for Americans whose health depends on gluten-free foods. For more information, visit www.1in133.org.
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