Seven months ago I wrote a post called “How The Media Is Making Things Worse For People With Celiac Disease“, and nothing has changed. Nothing. I know that really seven months is not a long time in the grand scheme of life and certainly don’t expect one of my posts to out-do the incredible damage that the majority of the media has been spewing but it’s time to write about it again.
There is no doubt that gluten free industry has boomed over the past few years. Every company is starting to develop their own ‘gluten free’ lines & it is becoming more popular in the restaurants. I have mixed feelings this development. I am thrilled that there are more options available for faster prepared foods & treats for myself and my kids (donuts, cookies & food similar to what their friends are eating at school) but i am weary on what this is doing for those of us who have to eat gluten free & even more so for those individuals & families new to the gluten free diet for medical reasons.
why?
Story on ABC News
1. There is a learning curve to changing your diet to be 100% gluten free. It can be overwhelming and challenging because of the importance of sticking to the diet. Many who are first diagnosed freak out over the food they will miss. Information in the media about what it is like to eat gluten free and what celiac disease is – disturbs me with the inaccuracies about what is gluten free (this video from ABC News shows Elizabeth Hasselbeck telling the viewers that this ”where she hangs out” while standing in front of 3 freezer doors saying that she feels like her “name should be on here” ).
What that does is leads people to believe that ‘gluten free’ is hard to find & that it can only be found in small sections of some grocery stores. Totally leaving off the HUGE naturally gluten free foods (you know like fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy etc). THAT leads into point #2:
Brown Sugar is NATURALLY gluten free
2. With the huge increase of the gluten free diet being considered a ‘diet fad’ & every seeming company jumping on the bandwagon we get products in our stores that are trying to capitalize on this. Gluten free is traditionally more expensive because it costs more to produce. Companies are ‘smart’ & that is when you find products like this brown sugar (photo to the left) marked GLUTEN-FREE on the label and selling for a higher price. What’s the issue? Brown sugar is naturally gluten free. Yet the company stamps the label on their package and then increases the price.
There is another danger that is perpetuated with the media and people calling the gluten free diet a fad. One that has the very real potential for serious health issues for those that are affected. ”Fad” is defined as an “interest followed with exaggerated zeal” and giving the gluten free diet a title like that gives off a very wrong perception. Often times a ‘fad’ just ‘fluffed’ off as something that is only ever done for ‘unimportant reasons’ and although media will briefly mention the medical needs for being on a gluten free diet – most of the coverage right now has a negative connotation on why the gluten free diet is a fad and not important and in some cases it’s even said to be unhealthy.
This people leads to disastrous issues…
Used with permission from GlutenFreeLife.com
1. You get chefs who are working in a restaurant that offer some gluten free options who think it is FUNNY to give those who request a gluten free dinner full on gluten … on purpose (click the photo to read the comment). Complete disregard for peoples health because he thinks that the issues with gluten is all in the persons head. Sure celiac disease is not immediate like certain other food safety concerns (anaphylaxis peanut allergy) but it is SERIOUS & any contamination will have very serious consequences. This is not the only time this has happened either – just caught on Facebook.
Paul Seelig Charged with selling bread falsely labeled gluten free
2. Another incident in recent news is leading me to wonder if the ‘fad’ label is what is causing this. Paul Seelig, owner of Great Specialty Products decided it would be just fine to label GLUTEN bread as GLUTEN-FREE at a North Carolina State Fair. More than 2 dozen people got sick from this. Could you imagine that? The complete disregard for peoples health? It is so much more then just a fad diet that you can cheat on once in a while. He not only labeled it incorrectly but assured those who purchased the bread that it was made in a dedicated gluten free facility & tested the product weekly to ensure the had no trace of gluten. This goes much further then someone who ‘just didn’t know’.
I have mentioned this so many times that i am big into the language that we use. Celiac disease is not an ‘allergy‘ or ‘like an intolerance‘. This is my life; my daughters life and an estimated 1 in 133 other people (for celiac disease; much more if you include gluten allergy, gluten intolerance, autism, mental health illnesses, PSOS & much more).
Gluten free is NOT a diet fad – it is a medical treatment.
If you are in charge of preparing food for people who request a gluten free diet — prepare it as if they had celiac disease NOT as if they are inconveniencing you for a ‘healthier lifestyle diet choice‘. & stop taking advantage of those who need to eat gluten free by selling your naturally gluten free products at an increased price! & learn the correct medical terminology & stop perpetuating the dangerous myths.
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! I had no idea it had turned into a fad diet. I don’t eat gluten free, but had noticed the increase in products available. Sad that once again they are turning a real health risk into an industry and in the process making fun of it at the same time.
Jessa recently posted..Good instead of bad
Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 2, 2011 at 12:49 am
business being sneaky and the media being dangerously misinformed is a bad combo
I think these are great points and I totally agree! (For the record, I’m not GF at all, but I have noticed what’s happening with the whole GF thing turning into a fad.) Additionally, something that seems troubling about the whole GF as a “healthy lifestyle diet choice” is that it’s misleading. As you said, manufacturers are realizing that this “fad” is a huge cash cow and they’re developing all sorts of GF products. Often, it seems like people think, “I can eat all the GF cookies/doughnuts/processed foods I want because they’re GOOD for me!”. No. They’re not. Just like you can’t eat a package of cookies just because they’re “low-fat”. It’s all tricky marketing and it confuses consumers. I’m so happy that options are expanding for people because people that do need to be GF should totally have options just like people who can tolerate a standard diet, but everyone needs to realize that just because something is GF it doesn’t mean it’s healthy.
Stephanie @ Confessions of a Trophy Wife recently posted..1 year!
Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 2, 2011 at 12:51 am
yes there has been the misinformation that gluten free automatically means healthy. cookies are cookies and donuts are donuts and it is great for those who need the gfree diet to have those options without always having to cook them yourselves. Everything in moderation, right? Something that bothers me though is the media will say that eating gluten free has a high risk of weight gain — not taking into the account the stats of those on a gfree diet who are now FINALLY gaining weight because of the proper diet.
thanks for your input! xxo
Twitter: DorianTB
March 31, 2011 at 3:49 pm
For starters, I’ll never eat at Damien Cardone’s restaurant (hmm, wasn’t Damien the name of that evil kid in THE OMEN? Coincidence? Hmmm….
), with his obvious disregard for his customers’ safety. The increased availability of gluten-free products for those of us who genuinely need them is a double-edged sword. When the fad-diet crowd gets ahold of them despite having no real need to eat gluten-free foods, it cheapens the seriousness of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity for people whose bodies truly can’t handle it. As Jessa and Stephanie said in their posts, there are plenty of foods that are naturally gluten-free, like meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables, as long as they’re not breaded half to death. The thing is, most folks who have trouble adjusting to a GF dietary regimen really want bread, cupcakes, and other baked goods. I make my own GF brownies, cakes and such, but I’ve gotten more than one strong reminder that “gluten-free” doesn’t mean “calorie-free” — everything in moderation, folks! 
Also, the experts in the ABC News segment never pointed out that there are plenty of whole grains that DON’T have gluten, such as quinoa, amaranth, teff, flours made from white or brown rice.
DorianTB recently posted..THE PRODUCERS Meet…THE PRODUCERS!
Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 2, 2011 at 12:53 am
thanks so much for your input! i am so grateful for the many options that are available as far as gluten free for traditional gluten products – i just wish that those bigger companies were not trying to ‘cash in on it’.
& yeah the media are so clueless. American media seems to be big into the scare tactics & use it for everything.
I hate people like that guy who thinks he can “fake” us out . If I get sick in a restaurant, I take into account that it’s hard to be gluten free — especially in a public environment. Unless I’m severely ill, I won’t complain. But it galls me to think someone is intentionally making someone else ill.
I’ve been gluten free for a year now and it makes a huge difference. Like you, I’m thankful for the increased options out there, but frustrated at paying for “gluten free” items that are naturally GF.
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Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 2, 2011 at 12:54 am
It is disgusting for someone to intentionally give someone a food product they specifically asked not to have – & so dangerous!
So glad you are feeling better on the gfree diet! if you have any questions don’t hesitate to drop me a line!
xxo
Twitter: babspinfrance
April 1, 2011 at 3:47 am
Wow! I seriously just learned so much. I am not GF and obviously didn’t realize it had turned into a “fad”. I think it is seriously disturbing that other people take advantage and have such serious disregard for people’s health.
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Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 2, 2011 at 12:56 am
Celiac disease, gluten intolerance and gluten allergy are far to disregarded as unimportant issues – it should be taken seriously. Imagine if those with a peanut, shellfish allergy or those with medical issues were treated this way!
thanks so much for your input.
Twitter: kdowling09
April 4, 2011 at 12:37 pm
this is a WONDERFUL article. my bff was diagnosed with celiac disease a few years ago & it’s no joke! i can’t believe that a restaurant would serve a full on gluten meal to someone who is gluten intolerant!
thank you for the brilliant insight.
i’m stopping by from the UBP11 – love your blog!
kristin recently posted..mangia mondays 4- apple doughnuts with maple glaze & bacon
Twitter: AccustomedChaos
April 4, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Thank you Kristin
& i am just as surprised as you – i can be quite surprised by some peoples lack of respect.
Thanks so much for dropping in & i hope to see you back again soon! xxo
As a celiac sufferer, I totally agree with everything you’ve said in this post. I mainly want to comment on the post of Damien Cardones statement. If any of his GF diners are like me, they most likely wouldn’t get sick while still at the restaurant. If I get ‘glutened’, the gastro-intestinal nightmare hits exactly 3 1/2 hours later, by which time I’ve left the place I’ve eaten. And I’ve never once called and complained, which maybe I should start doing just to show people that they are actually affecting my health. I typically assume that there was accidental cross-contamination, and I don’t want to get anybody in trouble. If my life were endangered, it would be different. It definitely sucks to have to spend several hours in the bathroom, in pain for the next few days, but I’m not going to die from being glutened, so I generally give somebody the benefit of the doubt and conclude that it was accidental.
Great article . I am so angry and frustrated at the Fad label . I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2003 and reading how people go gluten free for the hell of it angers me so much . Most only go 50 % gluten free which makes things worse .
I wish that all this fad diet would go away and celiac disease and the gluten free diet be put in the spotlight for the right reasons.
What angers me the most is the people who go gluten free seem to benefit so much yet I have been on the gluten free diet 8 years and have 0 benefit’s and lots of other health problems,
Wow, that fb comment from that chef makes me SICK!!! >:(
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