Weekly Update January 15 2016

In the News
Celiac Disease and Turner Syndrome-
Researchers in Scandinavia studied the rates of Celiac Disease diagnosis in patients with Turner Syndrome. The research confirmed long held beliefs that women with TS have a higher rate of CeD than the general population. Turner Syndrome is a chromosomal disease that affects 1 in 2,500 women.  These women have only one X chromosome, which impacts their height, reproductive organs and causes other health problems. Women can be diagnosed at birth, in adolescence or in their teens. It has been suggested that women with Turner Syndrome frequently be tested for Celiac Disease throughout their lives.

Studies like this reinforce the severity of our disease, it's association to other disorders, and the need for professional medical follow-up care. We should be having our antibody levels checked at least every other year, have bone density scans to check for osteoporosis, as well as thyroid level tests. Celiac Disease is a serious disease and we deserve to be taken seriously in our health concerns.

In the Kitchen
If you've perused my blog, you know that I'm a big fan of Chebe. They've been around a LONG time, their products are certified gluten free and non-gmo.
On a recent Michigan snow day, I decided to make hamburger buns with their Garlic and Onion mix. Instead of using the recipe on the back of the box, I used one I found on their website. This recipe called for milk and extra eggs. I was surprised how much they rose without yeast, cresting over the top of my 4" mini-springform pans. The outside was crusty while the inside was soft and pliable. I will definitely be making these again. They were quick to make, from box to oven to plate in 40 minutes.

In the Mail



Remember last week how I mentioned that I received GF Jules graham cracker mix from a Twitter party? Well, that wasn't all. I also received a great gift box from Boulder Brands, featuring some of their best goodies. That bag of Glutino animal crackers on top? Yeah, that was the first to be devoured. Definitely the closest to the real thing I've ever tasted. The package of two Udi's pizza crusts were devoured in one night, and the loaf of Millet-Chia bread went pretty quickly. The loaf of their new Rye style bread is hiding out in my freezer so I don't eat it all in one day. What you can't see is the delicious Earth Balance peanut butters inside the bubble wrap brands. Those were a great prize. I swear we spend thousands of dollars on peanut butter alone in this house!.

I'm hoping to host Twitter parties for my followers in the near future. What brands are you most interested in trying? What types of products do you miss most that you'd like to win?

In My Opinion
Photo taken from Omission website
People can be pretty passionate about beer. I think those with Celiac Disease are even more passionate about it because once you're told you can't have gluten, beer is something missed by many. And there's been a pretty passionate debate about Omission beer. Why? Because it's "gluten-removed." Say what?!

These beers have been brewed with barley, a grain that contains gluten. The creators of Omission beer add a chemical to "break down" the gluten through hydrolysis . This hydrolysis method breaks the gluten peptides into small fragments. They do test the finished product, but with a test called mass spectrometry. This is not the standard test that is used to certify products as being gluten free. Up until this point, the  TTB has stated that this beverage cannot be labeled gluten free, because it is made from grains that contain gluten.

To meet TTB standards, a gluten-removed beer must include this on their label or in advertising: “Product fermented from grains containing gluten and processed to remove gluten. The gluten content of this product cannot be verified, and this product may contain gluten.”" Of course, if you never saw their advertisement, and it's not on the label. you might not know this.

That may change soon. The FDA is taking comments from the public about how we feel about fermented and hydrolyzed items that have been treated to break down gluten. They are also taking comments from scientists about the process, as current testing methods make testing for this difficult. You can leave your own comments, by February 16, 2016, on the Regulations.Gov website.

There are many beers on the market made from grains that do not and have never contained gluten-containing grains. In my opinion, I would prefer to drink beverages from companies that have taken the extra time and energy to create a procedure and facility that is totally devoid of gluten. Brands that are most often noted are Bard's, Glutenberg, Ground Breaker Brewing and Ghostfish Brewing. Ground Breaker and Ghostfish both took home top nods at the 2015 Great American Beer Festival, winning the gold, bronze and silver medals between them.  (*Moment of honesty- I'm not a beer drinker, but I enjoy a good crisp cider now and again.)

Until the FDA declares hydrolyzed and fermented items (which include hydrolyzed yeast and malt extracts) truly safe for those with Celiac Disease, I will dissuade my readers from consuming them. I also strongly trust the opinions of Tricia Thompson, whose thoughts on this matter can be read here.

As always, we're all entitled to our own opinions. Please take this opportunity to have your voice heard and leave your comments on the Regulations.Gov website. It is our right to make our health concerns and wishes known.

 I want to hear your opinions too. Leave me a (nice) comment about how you feel on this issue.

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