Celiac Disease Awareness Month

The “Modern” U.S. Gluten-Free Diet

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.   Post (#12)… The gluten-free diet has evolved since it's early beginnings and now excludes barley (and occasionally oats) in addition to wheat and rye… Grains excluded from a gluten-free diet: Wheat All grain varieties, including spelt Most forms of wheat Wheat flour Wheat starch (unless labeled...

Barley: At one time a controversial grain for folks with celiac disease

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.   Post (#11)… Believe it or not barley has not always been universally excluded from the gluten-free diet… Dicke, in his classic feeding trials reported in 1953 (see post https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/the-gluten-free-diet-is-born-thank-you-dr-dicke/) determined that, “Of the starch containing foodstuffs as far as investigated, the following are harmless: wheat...

Oats and the Gluten-Free Diet: Something for Everyone!

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post (#10)… I have written more on oats for both scientific and general audiences than any other issue related to the gluten-free diet. My first article published in the scientific literature in 1997 was on oats and there are at least 27 posts on oats...

Happy wheat starch isn’t used in more gluten-free foods? You may have Ener-G Foods & Elaine Hartsook to thank

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post (#9)… Adapted from The Gluten Free Nutrition Guide by Tricia Thompson (McGraw-Hill) In some parts of the world, wheat starch has been allowed in gluten-free foods since the time of Dicke's classic feeding trials, but historically it has not been used all that much in...

Does wheat starch belong in a gluten-free diet?

Please also see the post Wheat Starch in Gluten-Free Foods in 2023: An Update from Gluten Free Watchdog available at https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/wheat-starch-in-gluten-free-foods-in-2023-an-update-from-gluten-free-watchdog/ In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post (#8)… First some background… Under the FDA's gluten-free labeling rule wheat starch is allowed in gluten-free foods as long as the final product contains less...

Controversial Aspects of the Gluten-Free Diet Dating Back Decades

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet--currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post (#7)... The gluten-free diet, as we know it today is based in large part on the findings of Willem-Karel Dicke's classic feeding trials. Dr. Dicke found that wheat flour, rye flour, and oats were problematic while wheat starch, corn flour, maize starch, rice flour,...

Banana Baby Follow-Up: Making Connections

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet–currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post #6… This is not the article that was supposed to post today. But I have been very privileged to help connect two “banana babies” (for information on the banana diet see https://www.glutenfreewatchdog.org/news/early-dietary-treatment-for-celiac-disease-the-banana-diet/). This makes me incredibly happy. There are others of you out...

Additional Reading for Celiac Disease History Buffs

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet--currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post #5... Posts one through four have been about the early history of the dietary treatment for celiac disease. Some of you may be interested in learning more history while others of you would like to move on already! Before moving on to the next...

Remembering the children, especially “Mechie” who helped doctors identify gluten as the factor in wheat responsible for the deleterious effects of celiac disease

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet--currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post #4... “Based on the results of an investigation of a number of patients with coeliac disease, the harmful action of wheat flour was shown to be chiefly inherent to the gliadin fraction. ---van de Kamer, Weijers, and Dicke. Acta Paediatrica. 1953;42:223-231 Dr. Dicke and colleagues...

The Gluten-Free Diet is Born: Thank You Dr. Dicke!

In Honor of Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Gluten Free Watchdog is writing a series of articles (the goal is one per day during the month of May) related to the gluten-free diet--currently the ONLY treatment for celiac disease.  Post #3... “We have learnt in the course of many years' experience in the treatment of celiac disease that it makes a great difference to the patient what kind of starch-containing foodstuffs are included in the diet; in particular whether or not wheat is used.”--Willem-Karel...