With more and more children being diagnosed with celiac disease and gluten intolerance, the need for gluten-free alternatives to gluten containing arts & crafts is a must!

But which toys contain gluten? Well, Play-Doh for one. Play-Doh is made using wheat flour and since kids are known for putting everything in their mouths, it’s something you probably don’t want your gluten-free kids playing with.

Last year we reviewed a gluten-free clay from Mama K and there are a growing number of companies like this, realizing the fast increasing market for gluten-free versions of modeling clay. Soy-Yer Dough sold 50,000 containers of their product last year, more than 25 times the amount sold when the company began five years ago. Click to continue reading »

One of my biggest challenges leading a gluten-free life is packing food on the go. Finding a good, reliable “granola” bar is a huge obstacle in this gluten-filled food world. There have been a number of times I’ve enjoyed what I thought was a gluten-free bar, only to find out later that there were trace elements of wheat or processed oats that contaminated my delicious snack.

As many of you are aware of SOYJOY bars and their continually gluten-free bars, Celiacs can now sleep even easier in light of recent news. SOYJOY has just received a literal stamp of gluten-free approval – the official gluten-free certification from the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). Though the brand has always maintained its natural product made with real fruit and ground soybeans, this recognition via third-party examination assures that there is no risk of cross contamination and the manufacturing of these delicious snack bars. Click to continue reading »

By Laura (The Gluten-Free Traveller)

The prevalence of celiac disease is not evenly spread throughout the world. It is more prevalent in some populations than others. We know from previous research that North Indian, Pakistan and Bangladesh populations are some of those with higher numbers of celiac disease than average. This region consumes a lot of wheat (gluten) and much of the population carries the genes necessary for developing celiac disease. But exactly how high are these numbers?

There are many adults from North India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in the UK who are affected by celiac disease so an audit was conducted in an area of southern Derbyshire to find out just how common celiac disease is within this population.

Click to continue reading »

If you’re a fan of chewing gum after a meal or simply for the flavor, but you worry about the aspartame and who knows what else, Glee Gum could be something new for you to try.

Most gums on the market are filled with all sorts of artificial ingredients but Glee Gum is different. Glee Gum is made using all-natural coloring, flavoring and sweeteners. There is no aspartame, preservatives or GMOs. Aspartame gets a lot of bad press and it’s rare to find a gum free from aspartame so this is pretty great news. Click to continue reading »

This month by Dr. Susan Blum released her new book, The Immune System Recovery Plan. Dr. Blum is certainly a credible advocate for the gluten-free community. She is both being a medical doctor, as well as holds a master’s degree in public health. Her research focuses on autoimmune disease that plagues people all over the world, from thyroid disease to Crohn’s disease to Celiac disease.

While I’m sure most of you are aware when it comes to doctors and illness, they often retroactively treat symptoms (take X to relieve GI distress), rather than treat the root of the problem. Dr. Blum focuses her practice on preventative treatment, seeking to explore what is causing disease or gastrointestinal distress.

Her book systematically explores how the immune system is affected by what we eat. She delves into the issues on a deeper level, offering practical solutions to healing damaged guts and rebuilding our systems’ natural protective abilities. As most Celiacs have discovered through their own trial and error, it is oftentimes the processed foods that cause us the most problems. Moreover, if Click to continue reading »

When I first heard about I Heart Keenwah, I loved their company name! On first hearing about the mysterious quinoa, the gluten-free grain which isn’t actually a grain at all, did you try searching for it by typing in “keenwah” or was that just me?

Now that I’ve had the pleasure of trying I Heart Keenwah’s quinoa bites, I can now say that I’m also a fan of their delicious gluten-free treats as well as their fun name.

Quinoa is the only grain which is a complete source of protein, meaning that it contains all 9 essential amino acids. As well as being a great source of protein, it’s also gluten-free, low-glycemic, high in fiber and packed with a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals. Sounds pretty great to me! Click to continue reading »

Who is ready for Part Two of the Best of Gluten-Free Awards Winners?

Best Gluten-Free Multi/All-Purpose Baking Mix:

Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

Best Gluten-Free Cereal:

Honey Nut Chex

Best Gluten-Free Hot Cereal:

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal

Best Gluten-Free Frozen Waffles:

Vans All Natural Frozen Waffles

Best Gluten-Free Crackers:

Blue Diamond Nut Thins

Best Gluten-Free Pretzels and Snacks:

Glutino Pretzel Twists

Best Gluten-Free Granola or Snack Bar:

Kind Bars

Best Gluten-Free Soy Sauce:

San-J Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce

Best Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs:

Glutino

Best Gluten-Free Beer:

Anheuser Busch Redbridge Beer

Best Gluten-Free Hard Cider:

Woodchuck Amber Cider

Best Gluten-Free Menu:

P F Chang’s

Best Gluten-Free Pizza Restaurant:

UNO Chicago Grill

Best Gluten-Free Prepared or Microwave Meal:

Amy’s Kitchen Gluten-Free Meals

Best Gluten-Free Lunch Meat or Frozen Meat:

Boar’s Head

Best Gluten-Free Veggie Burger or Vegetarian Meat Option:

Amy’s Kitchen

Best Gluten-Free Mail Order Bakery:

Katz Gluten-Free

Best Gluten-Free Shopping:

Whole Foods

Best Gluten-Free Cookbook:

The Gluten-Free Gourmet: Living Well Without Wheat by Bette Hagman

Best Gluten-Free Magazine:

Living Without

Best Gluten-Free Blog: TIE!

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef  AND  Gluten-Free on a Shoestring

Best Gluten-Free Online Product Discovery Resources:

www.glutenfreessaver.com

Triumph Dining is very excited to be appearing at the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo this weekend in beautiful Chicago! Join us on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st April at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center Hotel in Schaumburg, Illinois for lots of gluten free fun.

As with all of these fantastic Gluten Free & Allergen Free Expo events, attendees can expect over 150 vendors selling and sampling gluten & allergen-free products. As well as food, there will also be personal care products, vitamins and supplements and green household cleaning alternatives. There will also be a dedicated peanut/nut-free area and a special area for gluten-free kids. Click to continue reading »

To follow up on a previous post, the cosmetics industry is one that overlooks its effects on the gluten sensitive. As I mentioned before, not all Celiac’s have topical reactions to gluten, but for many, skin rashes are a painful reminder of their disease.

Recently a Missouri legislator has been advocating for a bill that would require manufacturers and wholesalers of ALL hygiene products (i.e. shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, etc.) to clearly state on their label whether or not they are gluten-free. This would be a huge step in the gluten-free awareness and labeling, as even food products do not have to advertise “gluten-free” (they do have to clearly list if they contain wheat in the ingredients, but a “gluten-free” stamp is not currently the required label). Click to continue reading »