When it comes to quality of my food, I learned to choose for the best whenever possible.  For a long time now, I have been avoiding conventional food and buying mainly their biological equivalents.

Till now, I haven’t been paying much attention to the costs of such food choices. However, recently I went to Lidl a couple of times and I noticed that I have a few (bio/GF) favorite products. Even better, I realized I saved money by buying these products in Lidl rather than in AH or a biological supermarket.

Below I show you some of my favorites from Lidl. They are gluten free (based on ingredients and allergy information), some also biological.

Vegetables (all biological)

You can find more biological vegetables by Lidl. Last weekend, I saw also different bio pumpkins and zucchini.

Nuts and seeds 

Great in salads!

I like to grind walnuts and use them in gluten free baking as a replacement for an expensive almond flour.

Sugar-y but gluten free 

These sweets contain glucose syrup and/or maltodextrine. I can have only a small amount, otherwise I get headache and other symptoms. Perhaps, you can tolerate them better.

 From the Delicieux line in Lidl, also the ‘Amandel Petits Fours’ (small amandelgebakjes) are glutenfree. Their bottom is made of almond cookies.

Other

I became really addicted to olives last weeks. These are quite tasty and cheap.

Soon, I will post a recipe for vegetarian butternut squash-lentils chilli ‘con-carne’ that I made with these beans. The sauce contains corn starch and is free from wheat.

I like these eggs for their nicely yellow yolks. But I also buy the biological eggs from Lidl if they are in stock.

I don’t tolerate dairy proteins well but I have no problem with butter.

 I really like the bio apple moes as an evening snack. The curry sauce makes a boring meal a bit more spicy and the gluten free pasta’s from Lidl are really cheap (penne, fusilli and spaghetti).

You can also find in Lidl paprika chips which are gluten free, some borrelnootjes, fritessaus, some ice-creams (Gelatelli /fake almond Magnum; Noblissima/Viennetta), frozen potato croquettes (not my fav though), an oven-dish fish mediterranean, some fresh and processed meat (e.g. Zwagerman Saksische leverworst; and andere vleeswaren), many dairy products, (bio) rice waffles and other.

I just wanted to show you the ones that I like the most.  I also buy there WC paper (the pinky one ;). The mineral water is not so tasty BUT unlike the Dutch tap water – the Lidl mineral water is free from estrogen and traces of Roundup chemical so I buy it sometimes too.

And bananas, not biological but so cheap ! ;-) I like to use them in my banana-avocado-cacao-honey ‘pudding’ (see the recipe).

Cheers,

Kati xxx

The ready spice mixes contain many highly refined food additives which irritate humans intestines. Healthy people usually don’t feel it but someone with compromised digestive system will experience unpleasant symptoms.

Paleo diet (considered a healing diet) allows using spices and herbs. But spices are powerful ingredients and some of them could irritate the very damaged intestinal wall (at celiac patients without intestinal villi, people with a leaky gut). For us there is developed Autoimmune Protocol (AIP). It is an elimination diet which excludes all foods potentially irritating guts for a period of time (30-90 days) sufficient to fully heal intestines.

People with diagnosed celiac disease (or other gluten intolerance) can use dry spices only from the brands that guarantee no gluten traces.

Simple flavor inducing food ingredients approved for AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) 

• Onion (fresh & dry)
• Chives (fresh & dry)
• Garlic (fresh & dry)
• Imbir (fresh & dry)
• Horseradish (fresh & dry)
• Lemon grass
• Turmeric
• Lemon juice
• Lemon zest
• Olive oil
• Parsley (fresh & dry)
• Dill (fresh & dry)
• Basil (fresh & dry)
• Other fresh or dry herbs: Marjoram, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, Cinnamon, Bay Leaves, Lavender, Cilanto, Peppermint, Saffron, Sage, Tarragone,
• Salt
• Fruits: oranges, pineapple, bananas, apple mousse, raisins,
• Coconut flakes
• Carob
• Honey
• Maple syrup
• Mushrooms
• Crispy bacon (e.g. instead of croutons on salad)
• Ghee
• Olives green & black
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Capers
• Sauerkraut

AIP friendly ingredients for bases of homemade sauces

• Olive oil
• Avocado
• Ghee
• Coconut oil
• Coconut milk
• Coconut cream
• Lemon juice
• Orange juice
• Bone broth
• Vegetables pure
• Fruits pure (e.g. rhubarb, apple)
• Water with coconut flour or arrowroot starch

There are many many other basic ingredients which could be used in Paleo recipes but NOT in AIP diet.

Some examples

• Nut butters
• Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds butter
• Mustard, mayonnaise
• Egg yolk
• Nut milks (almond milk)
• Seeds derived spices like cumin, pepper
• Tahini
• Roasted sesame seeds
• Poppy seeds
• Cocoa/cacao
• Vanilla
• Nightshades like tomato’s, red pepper and products made of.

I hope that such a list inspires to experiment with flavors or/and makes the AIP shopping a bit easier. Have fun shopping for new ingredients and experiment!

Kati xxx

How did you learn what the gluten free diet really stands for? I didn’t get any guidelines from my doctor and the visit with a dietitian was scheduled 3 months after my diagnosis.

When I first heard that I can’t eat any gluten I stopped eating products that were containing it. That went well with the knowledge I researched myself. But in the beginning I didn’t know that the diet had to be so strict that even gluten contamination is a deal breaker for a Celiac patient like me.

Have you seen or heard the guidelines for a gluten free diet from the Dutch Coeliac Association (NCV) yet? There is so many information on the internet that one might feel lost from time to time. I paged the presentations which were shown during the Dutch Coeliac Disease Day on 18th April 2015 in Vianen and collected all the guidelines below.

Healthy gluten free lifestyle

• Healthy food
• Sports and other physical activities
• Enough sleep
• Relax
• Joy/Fun/Motivation

Good Gluten Free -NCV Guidelines

– Strict gluten free food without traces of gluten

– Mostly homemade meals prepared from whole (unprocessed) foods (cook from scratch)

– Each meal should consist of healthy protein, fats and carbohydrates

– To avoid processed food (not all products with a gluten free logo contribute to your health)

– Variety of preparation techniques (steaming, baking, boiling, frying, grill, raw food)

– Variety of food products (as long as they are gluten free and unprocessed)

– Not to eat the same food every day (even the healthiest food eaten in excess can have negative influence)

– Not to consume gluten consciously (it can set you back for even 6 months and you need to heal the intestinal villi all over again)

– Not to eat products produced in the same facility as conventional food

– A lot of food rich in dietary fiber

– Enough of products rich in essential vitamins and minerals (preparation techniques are crucial)

– A lot of vegetables (preferably with each meal) 

– Two fruits per day

– Three big meals with fruits or/and vegetables per day and 2-3 small snacks

– A lot of water and herbal tea

– Chewing thoroughly

– Processed sweets and snacks only occasionally (not every day)

– Careful with sugar, fat and salt

– To use salt with iodine (e.g. yozo, bakers salt)

– To consume healthy fats like olive oil, fat fish, avocado, nuts and seeds

– To consume enough of vitamin D (supplement, sun exposure), Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and folic acid (vitamin B9)

It is possible to email a dietitians that work together with NCV for an advice. An email address you need is: dietist@glutenvrij.nl.

Source: www.glutenvrij.nl/

Cheers,

Kati xxx

• All food purchased outdoors pre-packed and not pre-packed (if it is a supermarket, restaurant, market stand, bakery, cafe or canteen) is required to have included allergens information,
• No more random, misleading ‘gluten free’ terms on food packages will be allowed (only with a GF certificate)
• And hopefully better awareness in horeca with regard to food allergens as it is not acceptable anymore that we receive no answer to our question ‘Is your product/food gluten free?‘
• Other changes
• *Specific for fish

The 14 allergens (and products thereof) that must be labelled or indicated as being present in foods are:

1. Cereals containing gluten such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt or khorasan

Except:
(a) wheat-based glucose syrups including dextrose
(b) wheat-based maltodextrins
(c) glucose syrups based on barley
(d) cereals used for making distillates or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin for spirit drinks and other alcoholic beverages

2. Crustaceans for example prawns, crabs, lobster, crayfish
3. Eggs
4. Fish

Except:
(a) fish gelatine used as a carrier for vitamin or carotenoid preparations
(b) fish gelatine or isinglass used as a fining agent in beer and wine

5. Peanuts
6. Soybeans

Except:
(a) fully refined soybean oil and fat
(b) natural mixed tocopherols (E306), natural D-alpha tocopherol, natural D-alpha tocopherol acetate, natural D-alpha tocopherol succinate from soybean sources
(c) vegetable oils derived from phytosterols and phytosterol esters from soybean sources
(d) plant stanol ester produced from vegetable oil sterols from soybean sources

7. Milk (including lactose)

Except:
(a) whey used for making distillates or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin for spirit drinks and other alcoholic beverages
(b) lactitol

8. Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachio nuts, macadamia (or Queensland) nuts

Except:
nuts used for making distillates or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin for spirit drinks and other alcoholic beverages

9. Celery (including celeriac)
10. Mustard
11. Sesame seeds
12. Sulphur dioxide (>10mg/kg or 10mg/L) expressed as SO2 -a preservative found in some dried fruit, wine, sweet breads with dry fruits and meat products
13. Lupin
14. Mollusc for example clams, mussels, whelks, oysters, snails and squid

The layout of food labels will change. On the pre-packed products the allergens have to be emphasized using a typeset that clearly distinguishes it from the rest of the ingredients, like different font, bold,  style or background color. It i snot allowed anymore to include additional box with the list of allergens. This is supposed to simplify the labels.

The business selling the not pre-packed food (for example restaurants, deli counters, bakeries and sandwich bars) is required to have a detailed knowledge on presence of food allergens in the food that they distribute. This information can be communicated:

• on external informational boards 
• on menu card
• spoken information

It is not acceptable anymore that the horeca personnel cannot provide allergy information that one requires. They need to know which ingredients are present in the dish that they provide. Unfortunately, there is more to it (read below).

Be aware!

The current change in food labelling does not cover information on possible cross-contamination. The processed food is still a bit of a Russian roulette for people with strong food allergies and intolerances. It is very possible (especially for the not pre-packed foods but also for pre-packed products) that small amounts of the allergen come into contact with the ‘free from allergen’ food. You still need to be very careful when buying such food (unless you are not very sensitive or unless they are marked by a certified (in case of Celiacs) gluten free logo).

Not required on the label

• Manufacturers often use phrases such as ‘may contain’ to show that there could be small amounts of an allergen in a food product because it has entered the product accidentally during the production process. It’s not a legal requirement to say on the label that a food might accidently contain small amounts of an allergen. Only some manufacturers label their products in this way to warn their customers of this risk.

• It is important to understand that different manufacturers (if labeling their food with *may contain) can choose to use different phrases to warn of allergen cross contamination risks. These different phrases describe how the risk arises, but are not indicative of the severity of the risk. For this reason, none of these warnings should be read as being more or less serious than another phrase.
  • May contain x
  • Made on equipment that also processes x
  • Made in a factory that also handles x

* For the sensitive Celiacs as myself: Manufacturers are not obligated to inform consumers about the possible cross-contamination of the products. Multiple random tests on food with naturally gluten free ingredients performed worldwide to detect gluten contamination showed gluten content above the safe (for some) threshold value of 20 ppm. This means that not all processed foods are safe for sensitive individuals with allergies and/or food intolerance(s). Only certified gluten free products are assured to contain gluten below <20 ppm.

*Main source: https:///www.food.gov.uk/  **I claim no rights to the pictures used in this post.

I hope that the information included in this post was helpful to you.

Cheers,

Kati

Luckily we can influence (partly) and reduce the negative processes that take place in our body. We can do it by making responsible choices of foods (a few good tips in my previous post).

Every food product has pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. It doesn’t mean that we have to eliminate the pro-inflammatory foods but learn how to use them correctly. It is possible to eat everything (almost) by keeping equilibrium between the pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory substances in the body.

Factors deciding whether food is pro- or anti- inflammatory

• Amount and type of fats

– Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, olives, avocado) are better than saturated fats (animal fats, dairy).
– Trans-fatty acids (chemically altered by heat or hydrogenation) like margarine or deep fried foods disrupt cell functions and the balance between fatty acids; they are strongly inflammatory.
– Grape seeds oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, sunflower oil – have very high ratio of Omega6 to Omega3 which makes them inflammatory foods.
– Best amount of nuts / day is just one handful.

• Antioxidants

– Antioxidants (e.g. vitamin C and E, selenium, beta-carotene) neutralize free radicals and thus fight the inflammation.

• Vitamins

– Vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid have an anti-inflammatory effect due to suppressing activity of the amino acid homocysteine (which is an inflammatory factor).
– Vitamin K reduces inflammation (e.g. kale, broccoli).
– Vitamin C is a water soluble antioxidant thus neutralizes free radicals.
– Vitamin E is soluble in fat (nuts, oils, seafood, avocado) neutralizes free radicals.
– Beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A; fat soluble) in sweet potatoes, carrots, leafy greens, squash and melon – neutralizes free radicals.

• Minerals

– Selenium – neutralizes free radicals, acts anti-inflammatory.
– Zinc – it is a helper nutrient that supports action of antioxidants.

• Phytochemicals

– Foods with anti-inflammatory compounds (e.g. turmeric, ginger, chili peppers, garlic, and curry) strongly reduce inflammation.

• Amount of sugar and how fast it is metabolized

– Sharp spikes in blood sugar can create inflammation in the body.
– Serving size is very important. Desserts should always be eaten in moderation.
– Fruits high in sugar are inflammatory (especially juices!). However, full fruits are also great sources of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. On the inflammation free diet, 2-3 fruits / day are advised.

• Preparation technique (cooking and processing alters all above factors)

– Deep fried foods should be avoided.

Fatty acids promoting the cellular anti-inflammatory chemicals

– EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid from Omega3 family) – salmon, tuna, herring;
– DHA (Decosahexaenoic acid from Omega3 family) – salmon, tuna, herring;
– GLA (Gamma-linolenic acid) – seeds of the evening primrose and borage plants;

Fatty acid enhancing production of pro-inflammatory chemicals

– ARA (Arachidonic acid from Omega6 family) – eggs, dairy, organ meat;

In a post ‘Gluten-free grocery shopping’, I have listed a number of food products which should benefit a Celiac’s health. I also pointed out which nutrients (fibers, proteins, fats, phytonutrients etc.) support the healing process and which might inhibit it.

*Please, keep in mind that everyone’s body chemistry is different. What is considered healthy for one person might not be healthy for another person. Each person has its unique sensitivity level to the gluten contamination or other food sensitivities. I suggest to listen carefully to how your body reacts to individual foods.

Inflammation is a totally normal reaction of our body to invasion by bacteria and viruses. It protects us from infections. Besides, it is one of the body’s healing powers. For instance, when you injure your ankle, it hurts and it swells. The pain is a signal from our body to stop what we are doing. The collection of blood and fluids in the injured area immobilizes the injured place. Nutrients transported by the blood begin the repair process. This kind of inflammation is a natural healing process.

However, we do want to eliminate the chronic and excessive inflammation that occurs in bodies of people with autoimmune conditions. The inflammation in a Celiac’s intestine is not a healing or protecting process. Existence of a chronic inflammation increases the risk of life threatening diseases.

Conditions characterized by excessive inflammation

• Heart disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cancer
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases (like Celiac or Hashimoto’s)
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Prostate disease

Inflammation vs our diet

The cells in a human body produce a variety of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory chemicals using nutrients from food we eat, specifically from fatty acids. Most of fatty acids derived from Omega-6 fats are converted into pro-inflammatory substances and fatty acids from Omega-3 fats are used to make anti-inflammatory substances. The right balance between consumption of Omega-3 and Omega-6 plays an important role in maintaining a balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory reactions in the body.

The modern society, in highly developed countries, consumes about twenty times as much Omega-6 as Omega-3 fats. Most of us eat too many sweets, starches, empty calories, and highly processed foods. Consequently, these dietary habits contribute to our problems with inflammation.

Some make a link between the worldwide epidemic of inflammatory conditions and increased consumption of cereal grains, the oils produced from them (high in Omega-6 fatty acids), and decreased consumption of vegetables and legumes.

The fact that the diet of our livestock has followed the same trend, leads to production of meat, milk and eggs with lower Omega-3 content and higher Omega-6 content. Similarly, the farm-raised fish is fed with a grain-based feed. (I won’t even discuss that inflamed intestine of the farm-raised fish caused by the presence of soy proteins in their diet).

What can you do

To support your body in fighting inflammation (celiac, Hashimoto’s) you can start with eating a balanced diet and reduce consumption of Omega-6 fats. Reduce but do not eliminate, your body needs these fats too. The correct ratio between Omega-3 and Omega-6 is 2:1. Fats like olive oil (cold pressed, organic, raw, extra virgin) or avocado are a good choice but in moderation and shouldn’t be used for cooking in high temperature. From my experience, for baking it is the best to use fats like butter (bio, from grass-fed cows), duck fat or palm fat. Coconut oil has many good properties too if your body can tolerate it; mine can’t. I avoid frying on plant based fats.

Also, reducing consumption of refined flours, sugar, and hydrogenated fats is very important. The latter are present in margarine, biscuits, cakes, frozen meals, fried foods, sweets, crisps, fish fingers and many dairy products. Besides, consumption of Omega-3 sources (fish oil and chia seeds) and other anti-inflammatory foods (ginger, cayenne, turmeric, ginkgo biloba) is beneficial for people with a chronic inflammation.

Based on ‘The inflammation free diet plan’ by M.Reinagel, other and my own experience.

*Please, keep in mind that everyone’s body chemistry is different. What is considered healthy for one person might not be healthy for another person. Each person has its unique sensitivity level to the gluten contamination or other food sensitivities. I suggest to listen carefully to how your body reacts to individual foods.

(Some of the listed products sometimes are made also from corn, potato, rice, arrowroot, tapioca or peas, which are inherently gluten free)

• Caramel color
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (initially it was produced from plant proteins like gluten; nowadays mostly from chemical synthesis and fermentation)
• Other taste compounds (e.g. meat-like taste added to snacks or meat analogues )
• Enzymes
• Ethanol*
• Glucose syrup
• Maltose syrup
• Fructose syrup
• Gluten
• Hydrolyzed wheat protein
• Maltitol
• Mannitol
• Xylitol
• Sorbitol
• Soy sauce
• Malt vinegar
• Bran
• Bran hydrolysate
• Cellulose from the wheat straw
• Dextrin
• Wheat flour
• Barley flour
• Germ
• Germ oil
• Maltodextrin
• Wheat protein isolate
• Barley protein isolate
• Wheat starch
• Barley starch
• Starch hydrolysate
• Yeast
• β-glucan from barley
• Brewer’s yeast
• Barley malt
• Malt extract
• Malt flavor
• Penicilin
• Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
• Lysine

Food products that can contain ingredients from the above list:
(Some of the listed foods sometimes contain ingredients with the same/similar name but extracted from corn, potato, rice, arrowroot, tapioca or peas, which are inherently gluten free)

How you can avoid gluten contamination at home

• Prepare clean kitchen’ surface to work on
• Use clean kitchen accessories (cutting board, plate, spatula, knife, pot, frying pan etc.)
• Store food well protected – close it in a bag or in a box
• Keep the gluten containing food away (separate, lowest shelf; closed container/bag)
• Make sure your ingredients are not contaminated (butter, foods in pots)
• Clean the dining table and the table mats (the best are from a non-porous material)
• Do not drink water from someone else’s bottle/cup (nor share yours)
• Do not use someone else’s fork, spoon nor knife (do not ‘borrow’ yours)
• Make sure nobody transports its own food above your plate/meal
• Each dish should have its own spoon, take your food first – or ask your family to use the ‘drop it on a plate’ technique
• Once your food ‘escaped’ the plate – let it go
• Wash your hands after feeding the dog (dog’s food contains gluten)
• Kiss only washed ‘gluten-consuming’ lips of your loved ones  :-)

The gluten containing grains were listed in a previous post.

Keep in mind

• ‘Gluten free’ does not mean strictly gluten free, it means that the product contains <20 ppt of gluten.
• ‘Gluten free’ does not mean ‘Wheat free’. 40% of people with celiac in the Nederlands can not tolerate wheat starch.
• ‘Wheat free’ does not mean ‘Barley free’.
• Processed meat like sausages, lunchmeat, hot dogs, chicken nuggets etc. can contain gluten. Gluten is often used as a binder in these products.
• Packaged, marinated or covered with spices meat/fish/sea-fruits  can contain gluten. It is not, however, specified on the package.
• The wheat and barley derived food ingredients  are polluted with traces of gluten.
• 30% of grains that are inherently gluten free (like amaranth, buckwheat, oat) are contaminated with gluten.
• According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), testing done on a random wheat starch using the R5 ELISA found gluten in amounts up to 279 ppm.
• Wheat starch hydrolysates (e.g. glucose syrup, maltodextrin) were found to contain intact gliadin and gluten peptides, but the amounts were rather low (< 5 ppm of gluten for maltodextrin and up to 25 ppm in the glucose/dextrose samples).
• If you don’t see the word wheat on an FDA-regulated product containing maltodextrin, the food product does not contain wheat protein.

List of food ingredients that can be made of wheat or barely and their applications.

The generic term ‘gluten’ confuses me. This is because, as a food process engineer, I know that gluten is the storage protein in mature WHEAT seeds. The gluten proteins consist of two groups of proteins Glutenin and Gliadin – the second with distinctive functionality broadly used in food processing. Gliadins belong to a group of plant storage protein called Prolamin.

Prolamins are characterized by a high content of amino acids Glutamine and Proline, which are generally soluble only in strong alcohol solutions and are resistant to proteases and peptidases (enzymes) of the gut. Some Prolamins – found in the seeds of cereal grain like wheat (Gliadin), barley (Hordein), rye (Secalin), sorghum (Kafirin) – induce celiac disease in predisposed individuals.

However, in medicine it is certified to call ‘gluten’ all the Prolamins that have to be eliminated from a celiac diet. While there are a few sources of Prolamins, the refined wheat-derived (and other forbidden grains-derived) food ingredients are used in almost all the processed foods. Unfortunately, these ingredients are not necessarily gluten free. Therefore, if not specified ‘gluten free’ on the label of the product, it is highly recommended to avoid it. Noteworthy, some individuals react to the processed foods, even though the products are certified by FDA as ‘gluten free’.

Grains containing ‘gluten’

– Wheat (in Dutch – Tarwe)
– Wheat sub-species like Spelt, Kamut, Einkorn, Triticale and Durum (and made of it Bulgur, Couscous, Semolina, Farina)
– Barley (and made of it Grits)(in Dutch – Gerst)
– Rye (in Dutch – Rogge)
– Oats* (unless certified as gluten free!) (in Dutch – Haver)
– All crossbred varieties and derivatives of the listed grains

* Oats (& other non-gluten grains) do not contain gluten by nature but can be contaminated by:

• the fields it’s grown in – if other gluten grains have grown there
• the trucks it is delivered on – if the truck is used to deliver other grains as well
• the machinery it is cut on – if the machines cuts other grains as well

A video about what is gluten and how strong the bonds between these proteins are.

The main principle of the gluten-free diet

The main principle of the gluten free diet: all food products and food ingredients made of the above listed grains, unless certified as gluten free (which means that the product underwent processes designed to remove gluten residues), have to be eliminated from the menu. The current food legislation (The Food and Drug Administration, FDA) certifies ‘gluten free’ as containing gluten in amount of <20 ppm (parts per million) which is equivalent of <20 mg/kg. On the other hand, research shows that every person can tolerate its unique level of the gluten exposure. For some people the lowest threshold value might be below 5 ppm. Therefore, there are no universal guidelines suitable for everyone.

[See image gallery at glutenfreelady.nl]

Just a little bit of science

A study, mentioned in Amsterdam during the AOECS’2013, resulted in a slogan: ‘A Milligram of Gluten a Day Keeps the Mucosal Recovery Away’. In conclusion to that research, to prevent damage to the intestines and long-term problems gluten should be strictly avoided. Conversely, another study, published in 2012 in American Society for Nutrition, reassures that consumption of 500 g of the certified gluten-free products per day does not provoke intestinal damage in celiac patients. The risk of the latter is <0.5 % (fig 1). They also tested the gluten residue in the certified gluten-free products (manufactured in Germany, Italy, Spain and Norway) and it was below the 20 ppm (~5 ppm/kg). It is important to note that around 50-80 % of diagnosed celiac disease patience suffer from persistent small intestinal damage. It may be a result from other gluten-free food transgressions (intentional and/or accidental) like e.g. dining at restaurants. Besides, all products were tested with the same analytical method (R5 sandwitch ELISA), which does not detect all gluten fragments. This method is specific for gliadins and does not detect glutenins (the second group of gluten protein).

Fig 1. Risk from gluten (Spanjersberg et al, 2007).

[See image gallery at glutenfreelady.nl]

From www.fda.gov :
Why didn’t FDA adopt zero ppm gluten rather than less than 20 ppm gluten as one of the criteria for a food labeled gluten-free?

FDA used an analytical methods-based approach to define the term gluten-free and adopted < 20 ppm gluten as one of the criteria for a food labeled gluten-free because the agency relies upon scientifically validated methods for enforcing its regulations. Analytical methods that are scientifically validated to reliably detect gluten at a level lower than 20 ppm are not currently available. In addition, some celiac disease researchers and some epidemiological evidence suggest that most individuals with celiac disease can tolerate variable trace amounts and concentrations of gluten in foods (including levels that are less than 20 ppm gluten) without causing adverse health effects. 

Eliminated gluten from the kitchen:

• All food products from the kitchen shelves – even if originally it contained no gluten it  probably became polluted upon using
• All food products from the fridge
• Jams and other products in open jars/tins – most likely polluted with a knife having bread crumbles on it
• Wooden kitchen accessories like cutting boards and wooden spatulas
• Colander
• My old bread box
• Old frying pans that were not easy to clean anymore
• Baking forms/molds
• Old toaster

Cleaned really well:

• All kitchen surfaces
• Kitchen shelves
• Oven
• Fridge
• Plates, cutlery and pots
• Cloth kitchen towels
• Dining table and mats

Bought new:

• Cutting boards
• Spatulas
• Baking forms
• Bread baking machine – with a fast gluten free program
• Bread box and bags with a seal to keep bread in it
• Frying pans

Removed all the gluten containing medicines and supplements from the medicine cabinet.

Learnt how to distinguish hazardous and gluten free products (how to read the label’s and recognize gluten free logo’s) 

Checked gluten free department in every store in a neighborhood

Checked online shops for gluten free products

Started baking gluten free bread, cookies, cakes etc. using gluten free ingredients (my recipes)

Filled my kitchen shelves, fridge and freezer with naturally gluten free foods 

Visited a dietitian and learnt following:

• The celiac symptoms can occur already after consumption of 10 milligrams of gluten, (otherwise known as a bread crumb) and this is why the contamination has to be avoided by any means
• Web shops with gluten free products
• Handy recipes
• Handy links to find the safe food, e.g. Livaad.nl
• About ‘De Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging’
• About tax compensation (ref)
• Overall tips regarding how to stay gluten free

Subscribed to the Dutch Celiac Association ‘De Nederlandse Coeliakie Vereniging’ 

• Membership card
• Discount when shopping for gluten free foods at certain shops (e.g. webshop, EcoPlaza)
• Welcome packet from DNCV
• Welcome packet from Schar
• Brochures with information’s
• Invitations to organized by DNCV events like baking workshops, gluten free markets, symposium’s etc.
• Mails informing about new gluten free products available on a Dutch market
• Other

Found blogs / websites written by other celiacs/doctors/ scientist for ideas and inspiration, knowledge but also support!

* After my diagnosis I found a following post by Gluten free Goddess ‘here’ . Check it out!