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It is likely that some of the gluten-free dishes you order at the restaurant are not.
When a restaurant with portable gluten-sensing devices was checking gluten-free foods on restaurant menus across the country, about one-third of the dishes – 32% – contained the substance, a new study presented Monday at the restaurant. American College of America Annual Scientific Meeting of Gastroenterology found.
Pizza and pasta were the main culprits, with about half of the "gluten-free" versions of these dishes in restaurants still containing gluten. The time of day also made a difference: Gluten contamination was higher at dinner than at breakfast.
With a heightened awareness of celiac disease and gluten-free diets in recent years, gluten-free options are more numerous than ever, but based on the findings, extended menus could give people a false sense of security, said the principal author. Dr. Benjamin Lerner, resident in internal medicine at the New York-Presbyterian Medical Center / Columbia University.
"It's a big problem," said Lerner TODAY's HUI. "About 1% of the American population has celiac disease. For these patients, exposure to gluten in their diet can cause various symptoms – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain. But it can also damage their intestines. "
Even eating a meal containing the substance – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley – can affect people with this disease, Lerner said.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that damages the lining of the small intestine when patients consume foods containing gluten. It affects about 3 million Americans, although some people spend years there before getting a diagnosis.
"Eating just made me sicker," said TODAY's Rachel Carlson, a Pittsburgh woman who was finally diagnosed with the disease last year.
The only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet, but although the US Food and Drug Administration has rules for products labeled "gluten-free," it only applies to packaged foods. A radio show in St. Louis recently sparked heated reactions when an anonymous caller said that she was working in a bakery that was lying about her gluten-free foods.
Why have so many restaurants dropped the ball?
The study is based on more than 5,600 dishes tested in restaurants across the country for more than 18 months by 804 people using portable gluten-sensing devices.
Lerner and his colleagues believe that restaurants are making good faith efforts to offer gluten-free options, but may lack education to help them.
"We think it's really a problem of contamination and not deliberate abuse," he said. "Having gluten-free ingredients is not enough to guarantee that gluten does not enter the food."
If a restaurant cooks ordinary pizzas and the gluten-free version in the same oven, for example, they could come into contact with each other, with flour that can transfer gluten in this way, noted Lerner.
When it's pasta, a restaurant can prepare both versions in the same workspace or use the same pots.
"Cumulative contamination" during the day may explain why gluten contamination rates were higher during dinner. At the beginning of the day at a restaurant, the surfaces and dishes are clean and it is easy to separate the ingredients; but over time, a work area may spread into the next if the kitchen is not very neat, said Lerner.
The popularity of "gluten free"
Some people have sensitivity to non-celiac gluten and have symptoms even though they do not suffer from celiac disease. It makes sense for them to avoid gluten if it helps them feel better, said Lerner.
Other non-sentients believe that a gluten-free diet has health benefits, although there is no valid evidence to support this, he added.
"Gluten is often present in foods rich in carbohydrates. Therefore, if a person is on a gluten-free diet, they may also be on a lower carbohydrate diet. So, in this sense, a person could lose weight, she could feel better. Is it gluten? It's really not clear, "Lerner said.
In addition to reducing carbohydrates, a gluten-free diet can also reduce your fiber intake. It is therefore important to make sure you maintain a balanced diet, he noted.
Tips for eating out:
"First of all, it's important for people who avoid gluten for whatever reason to understand that a gluten-free label in a restaurant should not be taken for cash. There may be gluten in these foods, "Lerner said.
If you want to order pizzas or pasta without gluten, know that these dishes can still contain gluten in many restaurants. Do not hesitate to ask questions about their preparation.
Remember: it's not easy for a restaurant to offer real gluten-free options, but that's quite realistic, as 68% of the dishes in the study complied with advertised advertising, Lerner said. .
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