I recently was helping my 5th grader write a persuasive letter for a school assignment. She chose to write to The CEO of a national pizza franchise to recommend they offer gluten-free pizza. While helping her with her homework I came across an excellent website for learning about gluten. I would like to recommend it here:
It is estimated that 10% of all people suffer from some form of gluten intolerance. According to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, only 1 in 4,700 people who suffer from Celiac disease have actually been diagnosed. The statistics are adding up quickly.
Intolerance vs. Celiac
Gluten intolerance or sensitivity occurs when a person’s body reacts to the protein (gluten) in wheat, rye, or barley, causing inflammation in one of varied tissues of the body (see posts under inflammation and disease tab). Persons with gluten sensitivity may or may not experience gastrointestinal symptoms.
Celiac disease occurs when the body produces antibodies that actually attack the intestinal lining. The attack destroys the part of the lining that absorbs nutrients, and as a result the person will become malnourished. People with Celiac Disease almost always feel gastro-intestinal symptoms, in addition to other varied symptoms of inflammation throughout the body.
Following a gluten-free diet, or at least limiting the amount of gluten consumed is a wise move for anyone to make in light of the above findings. Our family has discovered many foods we had never tried before, and it has been great fun adding new foods to our diet. I am trying to post some of the recipes on this site.