Discover summer 2013

ISSUE 7 | SUMMER 2013 | www.dsglutenfree.co.uk

Discover

Freezable family favourites Cook when you have time, defrost when you don’t!

News & reviews All the latest gluten and wheat free updates

Looking good!

A new look for DS-gluten free

Truly tempting treats Our best recipes made with DS-gluten free biscuits

NEW

Look!

Expertly made for you

Contents 04-05 News & reviews

12-13

Truly tempting treats Delicious recipes made with DS-gluten free biscuits

All the latest gluten and wheat free updates

06-08 09

Freezable family favourites Cook when you have time, defrost when you don’t!

Looking good!

Holiday Season

We are attending the following events during summer 2013

South e From Show re F d an y g Aller 5:00pm

A new look for DS-gluten free

Tips for eating out on holiday

Dates for your diary!

10-11

ne 10:00am Friday 7th Ju - 5:00pm June 10:00am Saturday 8th 4:00pm ne 10:00am ad, Sunday 9th Ju mersmith Ro Olympia, Ham ll, Ha l na io Nat X ndon, W14 8U Kensington, Lo

14-15

Have you got a problem with gluten or wheat?

Our dietitian, Melissa, explains gluten related disorders

Fay re Lincoln Food :00am - 2:00pm

June 11 Saturday 15th t Street, orial Hall, Wes em Wellingore M 5 0JA ncolnshire, LN Wellingore, Li

d Fay re Salisbury Foo :30am - 3:00pm

June 10 , Saturday 29th Salisbury Road stock Market, Salisbury Live SP2 8RH on, Salisbury Netherhampt

e Food Fay re Gloucestershir :30am - 2:30pm

July 10 Saturday 13th am, ne, Cheltenh Hatherley La The Pavilion e, GL51 6PN Gloucestershir

02 Discover issue 7 summer

Discover issue 7 summer 03

News

News

& reviews

A new frozen classic from DS-gluten free!

Our speciality is putting your favourites back on your The DS-gluten free frozen range includes pizzas, plate, so we have introduced a delicious new Quiche Cornish Style Slices, Shortcrust Pastry, Chicken and Lorraine into Tesco and Asda stores!

Mushroom Pies, Sausage Rolls, Lasagne and Tortellini Ready Meals and Garlic Tear and Share Bread.

A gluten free first for the supermarkets, our shortcrust pastry quiches are filled with smokey bacon and Visit the DS-gluten free website Cheddar cheese and come packed in two single www.dsglutenfree.co.uk person portions. for more information and to search for your nearest stockist.

As well as the Quiche Lorraine, you can now also find our award winning Yorkshire Puddings (pack of 8) in Tesco stores.

TRUfree is now DS-gluten free!

Between April and August of this year, all TRUfree products will be replaced with equivalents from sister brand, DS-gluten free. Fans of TRUfree products do not need to worry though, as the DS-gluten free products use the same recipe with the same great taste as all of your TRUfree favourites, they simply have a new look! All of the products offered by TRUfree will still be available under DS-gluten free.

Love Food Turns 2!

Two years ago Glutafin set up a loyalty club called Love Food, a space where coeliacs and those following a gluten free diet can find a host of recipes, quizzes, competitions and receive early event tickets. Over the last year they have had 12,000 new registrations and now have over 100 recipes and over 26,000 members!

So whether you are looking for a Custard Cream to dunk in your tea, a Herb and Onion Cracker to top with your favourite cheese or some Pretzels to munch on at lunchtime, DS-gluten free has it covered.

For more information on when the changes will come into effect, visit our website www.dsglutenfree.co.uk/Trufree. Visit page 12 for some delicious recipes using the biscuits.

More places to buy Fresher for Longer Loaves

We’re delighted to announce that selected Waitrose stores are now stocking our Fresher for Longer Loaves (White and Fibre). Both loaves boast the quality of a fresh bread with the convenience of a longer life loaf. Neither loaves contain any preservatives, it is the state of the art packaging that keeps them fresher for longer! Both loaves are high in fibre and contain millet, quinoa and sourdough, giving the bread a high nutritional value. You can also buy them in Morrisons and The Co-operative.

Yorkshire Puddings pick up a Free From Award!

Congratulations to the DS-gluten free Yorkshire Puddings! On April 16th the puds were crowned highly commended in their category at the Free From Food Awards.

The gluten and wheat free Yorkshire Puddings come in a pack of eight and are available from Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrison’s and Waitrose. The Yokshire puddings can also be used to make superb Speedy Chocolate Profiteroles, visit www.dsglutenfree.co.uk for the recipe.

DS-gluten free products no longer available to order with your pharmacist In the upcoming months DS-gluten free products will no longer be available to order with your pharmacist. To help ease your transition we have listed alternative recipes and similar products available under our sister brand, Glutafin.

The following products will become unavailable to order in the very near future;

Love Food will be celebrating it’s 2nd Birthday throughout May and to get into the birthday spirit a competition will be released exclusively to their members, the lucky winner of this competition will be in for a very special treat!

DS-gluten free Pizza Base Similar recipe available under Glutafin Gluten Free Pizza base (2x 150g) 300g. Pip Code: 334-1112 DS-gluten free White Loaf, White Multigrain Loaf Similar recipe available under Glutafin Gluten Free Wheat Free White Loaf 400g. Pip Code: 090-4268 DS-gluten free Crackerbread (Crispbread) Similar recipe available under Glutafin Gluten Free Crackerbread 150g Pip Code: 338-4443

For more details stay tuned to the Glutafin website www.glutafin.co.uk or visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/glutafin

Throughout the transition we will label all DS-gluten free products with the nearest alternative product available under the Glutafin brand. Should you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact us via email info@dsglutenfree.co.uk or call our friendly Careline on 0800 954 1981.

04 Discover issue 7 summer

& reviews

Bite

Size

Celeb spotting!

Did you know...?

Ryan Phillippe has a wheat intolerance

Discover issue 7 summer 05

Freezable family favourites

If you’re short on time during the week, we’ve come up with some tasty recipes which you can make at the weekend or when you have a little more time to spare.

You can either freeze these recipes in portions just for you or as one dish and cook for the whole family to enjoy.

Nut roast Nutrition per portion Calories 472kcal Saturated Fat 1.67g

Fat 26.6g Salt 16.4g

A vegetarian alternative to a traditional roast using the DS-gluten free Brown Ciabatta Rolls.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 1 hour 15 min Oven: 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4 Serves 4

Ingredients 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped 85g Chestnut Mushrooms, chopped finely 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed 410g Tinned Butter Beans, drained, rinsed and mashed 115g Roasted Chopped Hazelnuts 2 x DS-gluten free Brown Ciabatta Rolls, made into breadcrumbs 1 tsp Thyme, dried 2tsp Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped 30ml Plain Yoghurt 150ml Vegetable Stock Black Pepper, freshly ground

Spinach, Pepper and Chicken Lasagne Nutrition per portion Calories 297kcal Saturated Fat 4.8g

Method 1. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion and mushrooms until soft, adding the garlic at the end of cooking.

2. Mash the drained butter beans in a large bowl, add the hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, herbs, yoghurt and stock.

3. Stir in the fried onion mixture and mix well. Season to taste.

4. Press the mixture into a greased 1lb loaf tin, cover with foil and bake at 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4 for 1 1/4 hours.

5. Allow to stand for 10-15 minutes. Turn out and garnish the top with fresh herbs. Ensure dish is piping hot before serving.

Cooks Tip: To save time chopped roasted hazelnuts can be purchased at the supermarket This dish can be kept frozen for two months. Can be frozen before or after cooking. Defrost for 8 hours in refrigerator or at room temperature for 3 hours and then follow step 4 for cooking instructions.

06 Discover issue 7 summer

Fat 16.3g Salt 1.1g

A delicious lasagne which uses left over chicken.

Frozen spinach is cheap to purchase and really easy to use as it is frozen in pellet form enabling you to defrost the quantity required.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 40-45 min Oven: 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5 Serves 6

Ingredients Filling 9 sheets DS-gluten free Lasagne 500g Frozen Leaf Spinach, defrosted 1 Large Orange Pepper, cut into chunks 300g Cooked Chicken 25g Pine Kernels For the sauce 650ml Milk 50g Olive Oil Spread 50g Cornflour Seasoning Grated Nutmeg 25g Grated Parmesan Cheese

Discover issue 7 summer 07

Method

Method

1. Cook the lasagne according to the instructions on the pack, but cook in three batches to avoid the sheets sticking together, stir constantly.

2. Make the sauce; place the spread and cornflour into a medium pan, blend in the milk and bring everything to the boil whisking all the time with a balloon whisk until the sauce thickens. Season and add a little grated nutmeg, turn the heat down and simmer for 30 seconds.

3. Preheat the oven 190°C/ 170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5 4. Dry pan fry the pine kernels in a non-stick frying pan until golden brown, remove from the pan, add the chunks of pepper and fry until tinged with brown.

5. To assemble; place a ¹/³ of the spinach on the base of an oven proof dish, top with 3 sheets of lasagne, ¹/³ of the spinach, ½ of the peppers, pine kernels and chicken, top with a little sauce and 3 more lasagne sheets, repeat. Pour over remaining sauce and top with the grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg.

6. Bake in the oven for 40 - 45 minutes until the top is brown and bubbling and the lasagne is cooked. Ensure dish is piping hot before serving.

1. Preheat the oven 190°C/170˚C Fan/Gas Mark 5 2. Place the haddock and trout skin side up in a large ovenproof dish or alternatively portion into smaller dishes. Pour over the fish stock and cover with greaseproof paper. Poach in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. Carefully remove the fish from the poaching liquid, BUT reserve the liquid for the sauce. Flake the fish into large pieces removing any skin and bones.

4. Make the sauce; place the milk, butter, cornflour and stock into a medium pan, bring everything to the boil whisking all the time with a balloon whisk until the sauce thickens. Add the chopped parsley and stir well.

5. Place the cooked fish and crayfish or prawns in a round ovenproof dish approximately 20cm diameter, dot around spoonfuls of the chopped spinach (drain off any excess water from the defrosted spinach). Pour over the sauce and gently stir through the fish and spinach.

6. Place the pastry onto a surface dusted with cornflour and knead for 1 minute.

7. Roll out to the shape of the pie dish, cut a border around the edge 1 - 2cm deep, place this pastry border on the edge of the pie dish.

Mould until the pastry border covers the edge of the dish, wet the top with milk or water. Then lightly roll the remaining pastry top so it fits the pie top and place over the pastry border. Pinch the edges with your forefinger to bring the pastry edges together, this also decorates the edge, cut a little + in the centre of the pie and fold back the edges, brush with milk and place in the preheated oven, cook for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown.

Ensure dish is piping hot before serving.

This dish can be kept frozen for one month. If freezing, do so after step 5. Defrost in refrigerator for 8 hours or at room temperature for 3 hours and then follow step 6 for cooking instructions.

Florentine Fish Pie Nutrition per portion Calories 713kcal Saturated Fat 14.4g

Fat 41.5g Salt 20g

Fish pie is a hearty dish for the family, to help the fish go further spinach provides both flavour and colour.

If freezing, freeze the filling on its own. The filling can be kept frozen for one month. Defrost filling for 8 hours in refrigerator or at room temperature for 2 hours before topping with pastry and then follow the cooking instructions detailed in the recipe.

Prep: 40 min Cook: 25-30 min Oven: 190°C/170˚C Fan/Gas Mark 5 Serves 4

Ingredients 200g DS-gluten free Shortcrust Pastry, defrosted Filling 300g Smoked Haddock Fillets, skin on 150g Trout Fillet or Salmon, skin on 150g Crayfish or Small Prawns 100g Chopped Spinach, defrosted For the sauce 200ml Milk 40g Butter 50g Cornflour 150ml Fish Stock reserved from poaching fish 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped Milk for brushing Cornflour for dusting

08 Discover issue 7 summer

A new look for DS-gluten free!

Here at DS-gluten free we’re always looking for fresh ways to make gluten free eating a pleasure. Well, now we’ve applied that thinking to our brand, and developed a whole new look.

You might have already spotted the changes on our packaging, and we’ll be rolling them out into our advertising, literature and online too. We think our new look is more modern, more appealing and truly reflects our mission to make gluten free taste deliciously normal. We hope you agree!

Look out for our new look advertising!

Experts in great gluten free DS-gluten free have been creating delicious gluten and wheat free foods for over 30 years. We were the first company to introduce them into supermarkets, and today our range includes everything from loaves and biscuits to pasta and frozen foods including pizzas, pastries and ready meals.

We only make gluten free foods and we apply all of our expertise and dedication to bringing you a fantastic choice of great tasting meal options. Our support team of dietitians and cookery experts are also on hand to provide helpful hints and tips - whether it’s a challenging recipe you’ve been working on, or advice for a balanced gluten free diet.

We care We’re committed to making your gluten free life easier. From our dedicated freephone Careline on hand from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday to our website where you’ll find information on our products, recipes and help and advice.

Call us on 0800 954 1981 Visit www.dsglutenfree.co.uk Visit our online shop www.dsglutenfree.co.uk/onlineshop Become a fan on Facebook www.facebook.com/DSglutenfree or follow us on Twitter @DSglutenfree DS-gluten free - Expertly made for you.

For more delicious recipes, please visit www.dsglutenfree.co.uk

or call our friendly Careline on

0800 954 1981

Discover issue 7 summer 09

Holiday season is upon us!

Glutenfree Roads has lots of venues in these areas, some of our favourites are below: Paris Bio Sphere Café, a patisserie in Paris which makes homemade macaroons, pastries and freshly baked gluten free bread.

Visit www.bio-sphere-cafe.blogspot.co.uk

Florence Pizza Man offer gluten free pizzas, made with DS-gluten free pizza dough! There are eight Pizza Man restaurants in Florence.

Visit www.pizzaman.it

Mallorca Iru in Puerto de Pollensa offers a range of meats, vegetables and fish.

Visit www.iru.com.es

We have translated two useful phrases into French, Spanish, German, Portuguese and Italian. We recommend you keep this in your suitcase so you always have it handy when you need it.

“I have coeliac disease and must maintain a strict gluten free diet” “Je souffre de la maladie coeliaque et doit suivre un plan de nutrition strict sans gluten” “Soy celíaco, por lo que sigo una dieta estricta basada en alimentos sin gluten” “Ich habe Zöliakie und muss eine strikte glutenfreie Ernährung einhalten” “Sofro de uma doença quem e obriga a manter uma alimentação estritamente isenta de glúten” “Io ho celiachia e devo seguire un’alimentazione completamente priva di glutene”

It’s time that time of year where everyone packs up their suncream, dusts off their flip flops and dons their best swimsuit for summer holidays. It’s an opportunity to relax and forget about the usual day to day stresses, however, if you’re travelling abroad gluten free, finding restaurants, hotels and groceries can be difficult.

Thankfully, www.glutenfreeroads.com can come to your rescue! This handy website, sponsored by DS-gluten free, allows you to search for restaurants, hotels and groceries worldwide, so when you’re planning your trip away, visit the website to locate your nearest venues.

According to a popular website*, the top 10 destinations for our holidays in 2013 are:

• • • • • • • • • •

Spain (Mallorca, Ibiza, Canary Islands) France (Corsica, Paris) Greece (Corfu, Crete) USA (New York, California) Great Britain Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice) Turkey Egypt Croatia Thailand

“Pouvez-vous désigner les mets indiqués sur votre carte de menus susceptibles de me convenir ou préparer mon plat sans gluten?”

“Me gustaría que me dijera qué platos de la carta puedo tomar o si sería posible que cocinara para mí un plato sin gluten?”

“Können Sie mir aus Ihrer Speisekarte für mich geeignete Gerichte nennen, oder mein Gericht glutenfrei zubereiten?”

“O senhor poderia indicar-me pratos de seu menu adequados para a minha situação, ou preparar os meus pratos sem a utilização de glúten?”

“Può citarmi dei piatti adatti a me presenti sul suo menù, oppure può prepararmi un piatto privo di glutene?”

WIN! An iPad Mini plus runners up win Amazon vouchers! * source: 101holidays.co.uk

10 Discover issue 7 summer

“Can you point out dishes suitable for me from your menu, or prepare my dish gluten free?”

Simply register on www.glutenfreeroads.com, and write a review of one of the restaurants or hotels from the website.

The competition starts at the end of May and finishes at the end of June. A winner will be chosen at the end of July.

Visit the website for full details and terms and conditions.

Discover issue 7 summer 11

Truly tempting treats

Custard Creams Ice Cream

Nutrition per portion Calories 347kcal Saturated Fat 12.6g

Millionaires Slice Nutrition per portion

Everyone needs a little indulgence now and then. And with our sister brand TRUfree joining the DS-gluten free family, we wanted to share some of the delicious recipes that use our gluten and wheat free biscuits.

So, forget the diet for just a moment and indulge in some divine desserts!

Chocolate Squidgy Cake Nutrition per portion Calories 401kcal Saturated Fat 16.6g

Fat 28g Salt 0.4g

A chocolate lover’s dream! The centre of the cake is mousse like and squidgy which just melts in the mouth, Method but the outer crust and biscuit base gives the variation in texture that makes this cake so delicious. Serve with a 1. Preheat the oven 180˚C/160˚C fan/Gas Mark 4 2. To make the base: Melt the butter in a pan. Whiz the bourbon dollop of Creme Fraiche or Greek yogurt.

Prep: 25 - 30 min Cook: 40 min Oven: 180°C/160°F/Gas Mark 4 Serves 10

3.

Ingredients

4.

Base 175g DS-gluten free Bourbon Biscuits 85g Unsalted Butter

5.

Cake topping 75g Unsalted Butter 225g Dark Chocolate (70-75%) 3 Medium Eggs, separated 85g Caster Sugar 75ml Double Cream 1 tbsp Barcardi Rum Icing Sugar to dust before serving

12 Discover issue 7 summer

Fat 20.7g Salt 0.41g

6.

7.

8.

9.

biscuits in a food processor to finely crush, add to the butter and mix together. Tip into a 20cm deep springform cake tin. Press down and level with the back of a spoon. Chill for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile make the topping: Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water (not boiling).Cool slightly.

Put the egg yolks and caster sugar in a large bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.

Stir the cream and Bacardi into the chocolate mixture and then Whisk into the whisked egg yolk mixture.

With a clean and dried whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a metal spoon.

Pour over the biscuit base and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until risen but still slightly wobbly.

Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes in the tin, the filling will sink a little and firm up as it cools. Remove the cake from tin onto a cooling rack.

Serve at room temperature dusted with icing sugar.

Calories 484kcal Saturated Fat 18g

Fat 31.4g Salt 0.27g

Whether in small squares or bars, this caramel biscuit is very popular. The different textures are the principal appeal - the crunch of the crushed biscuits, the stickiness of the caramel and the delicious creaminess of the chocolate - yummy!

Prep: 15 min

This is a fantastic ice-cream and possible to make Chill: 2 hours with or without an ice-cream machine, serve with Makes: 16 pieces DS-gluten free Chocolate Fingers and the fruits of your choice and you have a fabulous easy dessert. Ingredients If you wish, you could use broken Bourbon Base Biscuits instead of the Custard Creams 250g DS-gluten free Bourbon Biscuits 100g butter to give a two tone colour.

Prep: 10 min Chill: 1 hour 15 min Freeze: 5 - 6 hours * Serves 6 * Please note: hands on is required every 1½ to 2 hrs if no ice-cream maker

Ingredients 115g Granulated Sugar 150ml Water 300ml Double Cream, lightly whipped 500g Carton Vanilla Custard 100g DS-gluten free Custard Creams, broken into small pieces

Filling Can Condensed Milk (397g) 115g Butter or Hard Margarine 115g Soft Dark Brown Sugar Topping 150g Milk Chocolate 35g White Chocolate

Method

1. To make the base: melt the butter in a pan. Crush the biscuits in a bag with a rolling pin or whiz in a food processor. Add the biscuits to the butter and stir.

2. Tip the mixture into a greased tin 20cm x 20cm, spreading it Method level with the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. To make the caramel filling: place the butter and the soft brown 1. First make the sugar syrup: in a small pan, dissolve the sugar sugar into a medium non-stick pan and stir over a medium heat in the water and bring slowly to the boil, then simmer until the until the butter has melted. Add the condensed milk, stirring sugar has completely dissolved, approximately 3 minutes. continuously until it bubbles. Allow to boil for 2 minutes, but stir 2. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, and then chill occasionally to prevent it from burning. Remove from the heat. thoroughly preferably in the freezer for 1 - 1 ½ hours.

4. Spread the caramel over the biscuit base and chill for 45 minutes.

3. Mix the custard and lightly whipped cream together in a large 5. Melt the chocolate in two separate bowls over a pan of boiling bowl, then slowly whisk in the chilled sugar syrup. water. Pour the milk chocolate over the caramel, tip the tin 4. To hand freeze, pour the mixture into a freezer box (or a used slightly to level the chocolate. Then drizzle the white chocolate 2 litre ice-cream container) and freeze for 5 - 6 hours, removing over the top to form a pattern. (This is best done by pouring from the freezer and whisking every 1 ½ - 2 hrs with a balloon the warm chocolate into a small freezer bag, make a small cut whisk or hand electric mixer. in a corner of the bag at the bottom, then squeeze the chocolate 5. When the ice-cream is nearly set stir in the broken Custard diagonally across the milk chocolate topping).

Creams and return to the freezer until required.

6. If using an ice-cream maker, pour the mixture into the bowl of the 6. When the chocolate has hardened a little, cut into 4 vertically and 4 horizontally making 16 squares. Carefully remove the machine and churn until thick and almost frozen. Add the Custard squares from the tin and serve.

Creams and then transfer to the freezer until needed.

Discover issue 7 summer 13

Have you got a problem with gluten or wheat?

With a wider awareness of gluten and wheat as possible dietary triggers of symptoms in some people, there is a potential for confusion by both medical professionals and consumers who may be unsure about what is causing these symptoms. Our Dietitian, Melissa, explains the spectrum of gluten related disorders and examines the medical evidence related to each of them. Coeliac disease, wheat allergy, wheat intolerance and gluten sensitivity are put under the microscope.

Coeliac disease

Wheat intolerance

Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition caused by an

Wheat intolerance is a condition whose symptoms are similar to

intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

other conditions such as IBS. Symptoms include bloating and

Essentially, the gluten triggers an immune reaction in people with

abdominal pain. Diagnosis of wheat intolerance is difficult because

the condition which results in damage to the lining of the gut. In

there are no genetic markers or blood tests which doctors can

fact, other parts of the body may also be affected. The villi lining

perform to verify that wheat is the cause of the symptoms the

in the small intestine would normally help to absorb nutrients

patient is experiencing. Typically, wheat intolerance is diagnosed

from the food. However, in untreated coeliac disease, villi become

by excluding the suspected food for a period of time. If symptoms

inflamed and flatten meaning the body cannot absorb nutrients

improve then a challenge with the suspected food will take place

as effectively. Symptoms of coeliac disease include diarrhoea,

(i.e. the food is reintroduced). If symptoms return this would

constipation, stomach pain, bloating, anaemia and headaches.

indicate there is a problem with the particular food. This should be

Coeliac disease is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people in the UK

carried out under the supervision of a dietitian, particularly where

and can be diagnosed by a blood test followed by a biopsy of the

children are involved. A dietitian will ensure the diet remains well-

gut. Coeliac disease is managed by a strict lifelong gluten free diet.

balanced with an adequate nutrient intake throughout and in the

Wheat allergy

There is limited medical evidence for wheat intolerance and Wheat allergy is an adverse reaction to the proteins in wheat.

its causes, however, there are many patients who feel that their

There are different forms of wheat allergy and symptoms will

symptoms are alleviated by excluding wheat from their diet.

depend on how it presents, for example, whether it affects the

With so much information now available online, if consumers are unsatisfied with the information they receive from their GP, many are now consulting the internet and self diagnosing the suspected cause of their symptoms. With conditions such as coeliac disease, this could be to their detriment as in order to be formally diagnosed, patients need to remain on a gluten containing diet throughout the diagnosis process so what are the differences between the conditions?

ongoing management if wheat has to be excluded.

gut (classic food allergy) or respiratory system (respiratory allergy

Gluten sensitivity

or Baker‘s asthma) and can include hives, asthma, hay fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. Wheat allergy is a rare

Gluten sensitivity is a newly recognised condition. Symptoms such

condition, thought to affect less than 1% of the population. The

as bloating, abdominal pain, headaches, diarrhoea and exhaustion,

condition can be diagnosed by a skin prick test and a blood test.

could be due to gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity can be

Wheat allergy is managed by following a wheat free diet.

diagnosed by excluding coeliac disease, wheat allergy and any other possible conditions that could be causing these symptoms.

Coeliac disease and wheat allergy both have very clear criteria for

If symptoms are thought to be related to gluten, then a gluten free

diagnosis (e.g. with blood tests, biopsies) and a body of medical

diet could be trialled to see if symptoms improve. Expert opinion

evidence to support them. Wheat intolerance and gluten sensitivity

on gluten sensitivity indicates that it may affect many more people

are slightly more complicated to diagnose and explain.

than coeliac disease or wheat allergy, however there is no research as yet on how common the condition actually is. More research also needs to be conducted to establish how strict adherance to a gluten free diet needs to be for someone with gluten sensitivity and also whether the condition is temporary or lifelong (as with wheat allergy and coeliac disease).

Have you been formally diagnosed with your condition or have you diagnosed yourself? We would be interested to hear your comments, please email info@dsglutenfree.co.uk or call our friendly Careline on 0800 954 1981.

14 Discover issue 7 summer

Discover issue 7 summer 15