According the the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, as many as 1 in 133 Americans suffer from gluten intolerance. (Of course, this does not count those people who are allergic to this substance – adding these folks would greatly increase the total number who avoid gluten. Gluten is one of the top 8 food allergens.)

Celiac disease differs from allergy in that celiac sprue is an autoimmune disease where the actual villi of the small intestine are damaged by the reaction to gluten. As a result, the individual’s absorption of nutrients from food is reduced. Like many low-grade allergies, celiac can go undiagnosed for years, while the sufferer’s health declines.

Both celiac and allergies have the same primary treatment: avoidance of the substance. In fact, while current research has shown that some food allergies can be reversed by introducing small amounts of an allergen and slowly increasing it, you cannot cure celiac this way. The only way to regain your health if you have celiac sprue is to completely avoid all gluten. Even trace amounts will be detrimental to the health.

Food processing companies are starting to wake up to the realities of gluten intolerance and gluten allergy. As this segment of the market grows and consumers demand more options, many companies are responding to the challenge.

One of these is Betty Crocker. You have to know that gluten is on the radar of big food companies when Betty Crocker decides to get into the business. Their new gluten-free offerings include devil’s food and yellow cake mixes as well as brownies and chocolate chip cookies – family favorites, to be sure.

The mixes are made in a special gluten-free facility, which ensures that those with celiac can buy these with confidence. Ingredients are all natural: the mixes use a combination of rice flour, potato starch or flour and cornstarch, depending on item. Just like other packaged mixes, you’ll need to add your own butter, eggs, water – or perhaps, gluten free vanilla, as in the case of the cookie mix.

Source: JSOnline