It may be just a crumb of bread, but to sufferers of celiac disease, eating that tiny crumb can make everyday living nearly impossible.
Avoiding the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, barley and oats, can be a hassle for people with celiac disease. Normal tasks, like toasting a piece of bread, are no longer simple. But indulging in gluten is hazardous, resulting in severe and painful digestive problems.
Elizabeth Dahlstrom Burnley, a lecturer in food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University, aims to ease that burden by offering gluten-free cooking workshops.
Celiac disease is a lifelong digestive disorder that affects about 1 in 133 people in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, it creates a reaction that destroys the small intestine and interferes with food absorption.
Only about 5 percent of people with celiac disease have been diagnosed because symptoms are difficult to pinpoint, Burnley said. There are hundreds of symptoms that can stem from celiac disease, including intestinal problems, abdominal pain, aching joints, and skin rashes. Celiac disease poses danger to its unsuspecting victims because it decreases their immune functions, making them more susceptible to cancer, Crohn’s disease, and osteoporosis, among others, Burnley said.
Although once given little attention, celiac disease has recently captured public interest, and gluten-free cooking has exploded into a 1.7 billion dollar industry, Burnley said. Buying prepared gluten-free foods and frequenting restaurants with gluten-free menus is a popular, albeit expensive, choice for people with celiac disease because it can be challenging to replicate the taste of food with gluten.
Gluten-free foods tend to be high-priced, costing up to five times the amount of conventional food, because the ingredients are more expensive and gluten-free kitchens must be completely clean of any gluten-contamination.
“Human bodies can be sensitive to specific proteins, and they can cause violent reactions,” Burnley said. “If a person with celiac disease goes out to eat, and by accident the server had a crouton on a salad and then removed it, the person could be sick all night. People with celiac disease may think a little bit of gluten won’t hurt them, but it will.”
Burnley’s class offers 15 gluten-free menu plans, 50 gluten-free recipes, a list of gluten-free foods, foods with “hidden” gluten content, and restaurants with guaranteed gluten-free menus. The class is open to the public.
This will be the second time Burnley has taught the class. This summer, she taught nine students, and so far, 10 students have enrolled this fall. For Iowa State students, the class is 1 credit, pass/fail. For the public, the workshop costs $250 plus fees. The class meets Mondays, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. The class begins Sept. 14 and ends Oct. 12.
Burnley understands the importance of public awareness. Her sister-in-law was clueless as to why she was constantly getting sick until she was diagnosed with celiac disease four years ago. Suddenly, their family’s life changed forever. Making family meals was no longer as easy as it once was, as gluten is a staple in many prepared foods.
“People with celiac disease absolutely have to be on a gluten-free diet,” Burnley said. “They cannot eat gluten again for the rest of their lives, not even a crumb. That means no bread, no crackers, no pasta, no cookies, nothing. If they do eat gluten, symptoms will return, which will lead to more serious health problems in the future.”
For people without celiac disease, however, following a gluten-free diet is not recommended. Foods with gluten are usually enriched with necessary vitamins and minerals, Burnley said, and avoiding gluten can result in vitamin deficiencies.
“Eating gluten is a specific problem for specific people,” Burnley said. “It’s a great experience to learn about gluten-free cooking because you never know when the knowledge could come in handy, but if you don’t have celiac disease, there’s absolutely no reason to be on a gluten-free diet.”
Although being diagnosed with celiac disease may seem disheartening, Burnley said it’s important to stay optimistic. For her sister-in-law, switching to a gluten-free diet meant she could reclaim her life.
“The changes in her health have been unbelievable. Before she was on the diet, she was sick all of the time and she never had any energy,” Burnley said. “But after she started on the diet, she is so much healthier and happier. She has a lot more energy and feels in control of her life again.”
