What is celiac disease and what does “celiac-safe” mean?
“Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications. Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems.” – Celiac Disease Foundation
What makes a product safe for someone with celiac disease to eat?
The protein found in wheat, rye, barely, kumut, spelt, and some other grains causes damage to the small intestine in people with celiac disease. The only known treatment to date, is to completely eliminate all of these grains as well as their derivatives. For example, even tiny amounts of foods like soy sauce is traditionally made with a small amount of wheat and needs to be avoided.
Being 100% compliant to a “celiac-safe” diet is recommended by health professionals to help heal the gut of those with celiac disease.
Everyone with celiac disease needs to be vigilant about not only avoiding gluten-containing grains, but also to the tiny amounts of derivatives in processed foods, by reading ingredients lists.
What makes a commercial kitchen or facility like Blissful Belly Whole Food Bake Shop a “celiac-safe” space?
We use a variety of gluten-free grains and flours, including – buckwheat, sorghum, brown rice, gluten-free certified oats and oat flour, millet, legume flours, seed and nut flours.
Our kitchen ONLY produces gluten-free products from non-gluten ingredients ensuring no gluten enters our space. We source ingredients from a number of suppliers, ensuring the ingredients we purchase are either GF certified and have been vetted to assure there has been no cross contamination. Certificate of analysis are gathered from providers, wherever possible.
While we avoid most allergens, please be aware that because we DO USE nuts and seeds in our kitchen our products, they may not be safe for those with severe nut allergies. We do not use dairy products or eggs, however we have a few ingredients that may have come into contact and therefore “MAY CONTAIN” trace amounts of dairy or eggs.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.