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Celiac.com 04/19/2024 - Living with celiac disease can be challenging, especially in circumstances where access to appropriate nutrition is limited. The plight of Muharrem Gelen, a victim of Turkey's political purges, highlights the additional struggles faced by people with this autoimmune condition. Celiac disease is characterized by an immune response triggered by consuming gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For those afflicted, consuming gluten can lead to damage in the small intestine, inhibiting nutrient absorption and causing a range of symptoms from digestive issues to weight loss. Gelen's story sheds light on the intersection of health and human rights. Despite his eligibility for parole and documented health condition, he has been denied release from prison. His battle with celiac disease has been exacerbated by his incarceration, resulting in a dramatic weight loss from 75 kilograms to a mere 35 kilograms. According to news reports, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been going after people who support the Gülen movement since 2013. This movement is led by a religious leader named Fethullah Gülen. Back then, there were investigations into corruption that involved Erdoğan and his close people. Erdoğan said these investigations were actually a plan by Gülen supporters to take over the government. Erdoğan has called the movement a terrorist group, and started targeting its followers. This crackdown got even worse after a failed attempt to overthrow the government in 2016, which Erdoğan blamed on Gülen. However, Gülen and his followers say they had nothing to do with it and reject any links to terrorism. The denial of parole to Gelen underscores broader concerns regarding the treatment of political prisoners in Turkey. The parole board's decision, citing Gelen's alleged failure to provide information on his affiliation with the Gülen movement, is a stark reminder of the arbitrary nature of such judgments. Muharrem Gelen - Image: stockholmcf.org This case also raises questions about the prioritization of humanitarian concerns within the Turkish prison system. While Gelen languishes behind bars, individuals convicted of more serious crimes are granted parole without hesitation. For people living with celiac disease, access to appropriate dietary resources is essential for managing their condition and maintaining their health. Gelen's struggle highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and advocacy for the rights and well-being of individuals with celiac disease, particularly in challenging circumstances such as incarceration. Read more at stockholmcf.org

Celiac.com 12/15/2022 - If you've shopped lately, then you know the cost of everything is going up. If you've bought a turkey recently, then you've definitely felt the pain of inflation. It's not uncommon to spend $80-100 bucks on a Thanksgiving bird, and Christmas prices don't seem to be getting any better. If you're looking for a tasty, flavorful turkey dinner for Christmas that's more in the twenty dollar range, then consider turkey necks. Yeah, you heard me, necks. Not just any turkey necks, but turkey necks slow-braised and served with gluten-free gravy over rice or mashed potatoes. Cheap and tasty, turkey necks are a way to eat cheaply, but well for Christmas. Turkey necks are also a great way to feed a small group, without having a hundred pounds of leftovers. Check with your local butcher, but it's not uncommon to pay about a buck a neck, so don't hold back! For a deeper read on slow-braised turkey necks there's a great article on braised turkey necks by Ashlie D. Stevens over at Salon.com. Cookbook Discovery In the article, Stevens relates the story of discovering recipes for braised turkey necks in a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook by Chris Shepherd and Kaitlyn Goalen, titled, "Cook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World." In the book, Shepherd tells the story of how he first learned about turkey necks at his fist cooking job from a sous chef named Antoine Ware, who would always ask for the chicken or duck necks left over from butchering whole birds for the menu. Ware would then braise the necks "into a brilliant stew with brown roux and Worcestershire sauce and serve it over rice for staff meal." According to ware, it was a version he learned from his mom in Louisiana. It wasn't until he discovered a similar version at a Vietnamese crawfish spot in Houston, called Crawfish & Noodles, that he made the connection to Ware's version of the dish. "I ordered it and couldn't believe how similar it was to Antoine's version. It was basically the same thing, plus fish sauce. The synergy of it was amazing; here I was sitting in a Vietnamese restaurant, eating boiled crawfish next to pho, next to turkey neck that reminded me of a Creole friend." Shepherd's version is a dish packed with "layers of flavor, built from smoked paprika, thyme, garlic, fresh-sliced onion, fish sauce, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and Crystal hot sauce." Ingredients for Braised Turkey Neck Recipe: Fresh Turkey Necks Bacon or olive oil Crystal Hot Sauce Onions Garlic Cloves Celery Bay Leaf Dried Thyme Dried Oregano Chicken Broth Fish Sauce Worcestershire sauce Gluten-Free Beer Gluten-Free Flour Butter Turkey Necks Cooking Instructions (step by step): Here's how to cook turkey necks so they're tender and full of flavor. Fry bacon in a large dutch oven pot or large oven-safe skillet. Remove bacon and set aside. Place turkey necks in the large skillet. Brown all side of the turkey necks in the bacon fat. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and sauté 3-5 minutes until onions are a bit translucent. Add the celery, garlic, and peppers and sauté for another minute. Season the vegetables with the creole spice mix plus the dried herbs. Add a ½ cup of gluten-free beer and deglaze the bottom of the pot scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the beer by about half, then add the stock and Worcestershire sauce. Add a bit more seasoning plus the fish sauce, and hot sauce, and the bay leaf and mix well. Add the turkey necks back to the pot. Bring everything to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover with lid. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pot into the oven and let braise about 2 hours. While the turkey necks cook, make your roux. Make a Gluten-Free Roux Roux is traditionally made by cooking flour in clarified butter in the oven, gently and for a long time, stirring frequently. Now, celiacs can't do a traditional roux, so you'll need to make a gluten-free brown roux substitute. For a gluten-free brown roux, try a gluten-free flour blend, arrowroot powder, or cornstarch. For the fast, Ghee or clarified butter are the ideal choices. Use about a 1:1 ratio of fat to gluten-free flour or starch. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, and start off in by cooking the flour and fat over medium heat until they form a smooth paste. Next, lower the heat and cook until the roux is a dark, chocolate brown. Stir very frequently and scrape the bottom of the pot to avoid burning. This should take an hour or more. You can do this in the oven by placing the ingredients in an oven safe pan and cooking them at 375 F. Stir occasionally. Once the roux is done, remove the turkey necks from the oven. Take the turkey necks out of the pot and set aside. Add the roux to the pot and mix well. Cook on the stovetop over medium heat to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve the turkey necks with rice, topped with the brown gravy. Braising is Key to Tender Turkey Necks Much like oxtails, turkey necks require a little coaxing to become tender, so braising, lightly frying the meat and then simmering it slowly in liquid for a long time, produces the best results. Turkey necks, like any cut that is cartilage rich, are great for making stock, because the collagen from the cartilage breaks down during the cooking process, and turns into gelatin, which makes a rich, tasty nutritious broth. Consider serving your holiday turkey necks with gravy over steamed white rice (or potatoes) and one or more of these gluten-free side dishes. Make great gluten-free side dishes Here are four of our favorite side dishes to serve with braised turkey necks. Gluten-Free Holiday Gravy Holiday Mashed Potatoes Baked Rice With Spinach and Parmesan Cheese Black-eyed Peas Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower Honey Glazed Baby Carrots Make Gluten-Free Christmas Pies and Desserts Scroll down and follow the Pumpkin Pie recipe below, or follow the links to some of our best loved gluten-free desserts and baked goods (Note: King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour will work well in place of regular wheat flour most of these recipes, so feel free to substitute as you like): Pumpkin Pie Molasses Spice Cookies (Gluten-Free) Frosted Pumpkin Bars (Gluten-Free) Pumpkin Cheesecake with Butter Pecan Crust (Gluten-Free) Pumpkin Cheesecake with Almond Meal Crust Pumpkin Cheesecake with Butter Pecan Crust Traditional Gluten-free Apple Pie Serve Gluten-Free Wine, Beer, Eggnog, Cocktails & Punch Wine is gluten-free. To serve gluten-free beer, consult our Oktoberfest Beer Guide! Gluten-free vs. Gluten-removed Beers. All distilled spirits are gluten-free, but some people prefer to buy booze made from gluten-free ingredients. Here's a list of Christmas cocktails, eggnog and punch recipes that are made from gluten-free ingredients, and sure to brighten your holidays.

Celiac.com 11/16/2022 - We know gyro meat is the delicious foundation of a great gyro, but is gyro meat gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease? We get a lot of questions about which food products and ingredients are gluten-free. Sometimes, we can solve the question with a quick referral to our Safe and Unsafe ingredient lists. Other times, the questions can be trickier. Lately we've seen a lot of questions about gyro meat. Specifically, is gyro meat gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease? Gyro meat, pronounced YEE – row, is delicious spiced cone-of-meat that is cooked traditionally on a vertical rotisserie, and then sliced to put in pita bread. Known as doner kebab in Turkey and gyros in Greece, gyro meat is the foundation of a delicious pita-based sandwich, that is popular worldwide. Putting aside the fact that gyro meat is usually served on a non-gluten-free pita, here's the lowdown. What makes it unique is the way it is traditionally prepared. Gyro meats are either done as thinly sliced fresh meats on a vertical rotisserie, or they are finely ground, mixed with spices, and then either baked as a meat loaf, or chilled before grilling on a vertical rotisserie. Gyro meat is usually a mix of lamb, and sometimes includes chicken and beef, along with herbs and spices. So, if you ditch the pita, is gyro meat gluten-free? The answer is that it depends. Sometimes yes, often no. Many home made gyro meat recipes, including this one from Alton Brown, are gluten-free. Many traditionally prepared gyro meats are also gluten-free. The real question is about the gyro meat you find in shops, restaurants, or the frozen section of your local store. Many pre-made commercial gyro meats are made with wheat ingredients, usually breadcrumbs, such as this version by Midmar, available at Amazon.com. Midmar Gyro Meat ingredients: Halal Beef, Halal Lamb, Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Breadcrumbs (Bleached Wheat Flour, Sugar, Salt, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Yeast) Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Dehydrated Onions, Spices and Flavorings. If gyro meat is made with wheat flour, or if the spices used should contain gluten, then it is not gluten-free and not safe for children or adults with celiac disease. So, the long answer is that if your gyros are traditionally made, they may very likely be gluten-free. It's always important to check ingredients and to verify that you are eating gluten-free gyro meat. Be sure to check ingredients, or ask your cook. If you're not sure, it's best to avoid gyro meat.

Celiac.com 11/17/2022 - Welcome to Celiac.com's biggest and most comprehensive gluten-free Thanksgiving holiday guide yet! This year, in addition to dozens of new recipes for great gluten-free desserts, and more than a dozen gluten-free holiday cocktails and eggnogs, our Gluten-Free Thanksgiving for 2022 also includes tips for planning and dining in a non-gluten-free home, along with: New Recipes for Gluten-free Appetizers A Dozen New Recipes for Great Gluten-Free Desserts New Recipes for Gluten-free Side Dishes New Recipes for Gluten-free Main Dishes New Tips on Dining at a Non-Gluten-Free Home A List of Nearly Sixty GFCO Certified Thanksgiving Foods Here are the seven steps to a perfect gluten-free Thanksgiving: Step One - Buy a Gluten-Free Holiday Turkey Step Two - Make Great Gluten-free Stuffing Step Three - Make Great Gluten-Free Appetizers Step Four - Make the Best Gluten-free Holiday Gravy Step Five - Make Great Gluten-Free Mashed Potatoes and Side Dishes Step Six - Serve Great Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie or Other Holiday Desserts Step Seven - Serve Great Gluten-Free Holiday Cocktails, Coffee Drinks, Eggnogs & More Step One - Know Which Holiday Turkey is Gluten-Free Always make sure you buy a 100% gluten-free turkey for your holiday dinner. Don't assume your turkey is gluten-free. Numerous brands use gluten when processing their turkeys, so be sure to read the label, and to make sure there is no hidden gluten in any of the ingredients. Be especially cautious of any seasoning or gravy packets that come with otherwise gluten-free turkeys. If you’re not sure, check the ingredients and use our Gluten-Free Ingredient Lists to help you shop. If you’re wondering which brands of turkey are gluten-free, here’s a helpful list of gluten-free turkey brands. There are probably many other gluten-free brands, but be sure to check with your local store and read labels to be sure. Step Two - Here are Nine of Our Best Recipes for Great Gluten-free Stuffing Brown and Wild Rice Savory Mushroom Stuffing Best Gluten-free Holiday Stuffing Recipe Gluten-free Bread Stuffing with Herbs Whole Foods Market Classic Gluten-free Stuffing Food Network Classic Gluten-free Stuffing Step Three - Serve Great Gluten-free Appetizers Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese Baked Brie with Cranberry Raspberry Sauce Baked Brie with Fig Jam Prosciutto Wrapped Pears with Manchego Roasted Red Pepper Dip Step Four - Serve Our Best Gluten-free Holiday Gravy This recipe makes a rich, savory gravy that will have all your holiday guests smiling! Makes enough gravy to serve about eight to ten people. Ingredients: 1 pound turkey giblets and neck 1½ quarts gluten-free chicken stock (low sodium is fine) 2 carrots, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 2 cups water 1½ cups pan drippings from roasted turkey 4 tablespoons of corn starch (approximate) Note: One tablespoon corn starch (¼-ounce) thickens one cup of liquid 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce Salt and ground black pepper to taste Directions: While the turkey is roasting, place the turkey giblets and neck into a large saucepan with the carrots, celery, water, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over medium heat, skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce heat to low, and simmer the stock for 3 hours. Skim off the fat, strain the stock, and set aside. There should be about 4 cups of stock. Take carrots and celery and press through a strainer. Spoon strained carrots and celery into the stock and stir. Skim off and discard all but ¼ cup of the fat from the drippings in the roasting pan, and place the roasting pan over medium heat. Whisk in the corn starch, then heat and stir the corn starch mixture until it becomes pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. To avoid lumps, mix the starch with an equal amount of cold liquid until it forms a paste, then whisk it into the liquid you're trying to thicken. Once the thickener is added, cook it briefly to remove any starchy flavor. Don't overcook. Whisk in the stock and tomato paste; bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, then whisk in the cranberry sauce. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Step Five - Make Great Gluten-Free Mashed Potatoes and Side Dishes Make these roasted garlic and chive mashed potatoes, and/or make easy, tasty gluten-free side dishes using Celiac.com's extensive listing of gluten-free recipes. Roasted Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes Ingredients: 5 large russet potatoes (about 4½ pounds), peeled and cut into chunks 1 head of garlic (8-10 cloves), roasted 1 cup fresh cream, warmed ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: Use a knife to cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place in oven at 400 degrees F, and roast for about 30 minutes, until cloves are soft. While garlic is roasting, wash and peel potatoes and cut into 6 chunks each. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a large pot of water, add potatoes and boil until the potatoes are soft (about 25-30 minutes). When garlic is soft, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cool, place garlic on a plate and use a wooden spoon to squeeze roasted garlic out of the clove. When potatoes are done, strain them into a colander and let stand for 5 minutes to allow them to steam dry over the pot they were cooked in. Mash the potatoes. Stir in the cream, butter, roasted garlic, thyme and chives, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. More Gluten-Free Side Dishes If you're looking for some tasteofhome.com has fifty recipes for great gluten-free side dishes for Thanksgiving. Here are five of our favorite gluten-free side dishes: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pears Ingredients: 1-½ pounds Brussels sprouts, halved 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 large pear, cut into ½-inch-thick slices ½ cup chopped walnuts 3/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed Directions: Heat oven to 400°. Place Brussels sprouts in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; toss with oil, salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add pear and walnuts to pan. Roast until Brussels sprouts are lightly charred and tender, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until syrupy, 8-10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine Brussels sprouts mixture, balsamic syrup and rosemary; toss to combine. Gluten-Free Biscuits Basic gluten-free biscuits are fantastic with brunch, dinner or even a bowl of soup for an easy lunch. This recipe is perfect for tweaking—stir in your favorite ingredients like shredded cheddar and garlic powder, Swiss and chives, or Parmesan and Italian seasoning. Ingredients: 2-¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour 2-½ teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup cold butter, cubed 1 cup buttermilk Directions: Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, whisk the first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add buttermilk; stir just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead gently 8-10 times. Pat or roll dough to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-½-in. biscuit cutter. Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. How do you make buttermilk? To make a cup of buttermilk, place 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice in a measuring cup and add enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir; let stand for 5 minutes. You can also use 1 cup of plain yogurt or 1-3/4 teaspoons cream of tartar plus 1 cup milk. Cider Baked Squash Ingredients: 2 medium acorn squash, cut into 1-inch slices, seeds removed ½ cup apple cider or juice ¼ cup packed brown sugar ½ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon ground mace Directions: Heat oven to 325° Arrange squash in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Pour cider over squash. Combine the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and mace; sprinkle over squash. Cover with foil. Bake until squash is tender, 40-45 minutes. Winter Fruit Salad Ingredients: ⅓ cup pomegranate juice ¼ cup sugar 1 teaspoon grated tangerine zest 4 tangerines, peeled and sectioned 2 medium kiwifruit, peeled, halved and sliced 1 medium apple, cut into ½-inch slices 1 large ripe banana, sliced 1 large pear, cut into ½-inch slices 1-½ cups cubed fresh pineapple ½ cup pomegranate seeds Directions: In a small saucepan, combine pomegranate juice and sugar. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in tangerine zest; cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drizzle pomegranate mixture over fruit. Serve immediately with a slotted spoon. Brown Sugar Apple Glazed Carrots Ingredients: 2 pounds medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces ½ cup unsweetened apple juice ½ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup butter, cubed ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted, optional Directions: In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine carrots and apple juice. Cook, covered, on high until carrots are tender, 3-4 hours. Remove carrots from slow cooker; discard juices. Return carrots to slow cooker. Stir in brown sugar, butter and salt. Cook, covered, on high until carrots are glazed, 15-20 minutes longer. If desired, sprinkle with pecans. Step Six - Serve One of Our Most Loved Gluten-free Holiday Dessert Recipes Scroll down and follow the Pumpkin Pie recipe below, or follow the links to some of our best loved gluten-free desserts and baked goods (Note: King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour will work well in place of regular wheat flour most of these recipes, so feel free to substitute as you like): Gluten-Free Dessert Breads Banana Nut Bread #3 Gingerbread Gingerbread #2 Holiday Pumpkin Bread Orange Walnut Bread Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies Decadent Gluten-Free Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies Frosted Pumpkin Bars Lebkuchen Molasses Spice Cookies Quick Cranberry Coconut Cookies Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Snickerdoodles Soft Sugar Cookies Sugar & Spice Madeleines Gluten-Free Pies, Pastries & Desserts Apple Crisp Apple Crisp #2 Danish Pumpkin Pie Tasty Apple Crisp Three Ingredient Gluten-Free Pie Crust Traditional Apple Pie Gluten-Free Cheesecakes Pumpkin Cheesecake with Almond Meal Crust Pumpkin Cheesecake with Butter Pecan Crust Gluten-Free Candy Candied Orange Peels Thanksgiving Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Prepare winning gluten-free desserts, such as Celiac.com’s Best Ever Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Adapted from Libby's Original Pumpkin Pie Recipe) Ingredients: ¾ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 can (15 oz.) Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin (Yes, it's gluten-free!) 1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell Whipped cream (optional) Directions: MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. POUR into gluten-free pie shell. BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. For more great gluten-free sides, desserts, and more, be sure to consult Celiac.com’s Gluten-free Recipes list. Step Seven - Serve Great Gluten-Free Booze, Wine and Beer Thanksgiving and Holiday Cocktails and Drinks News that the FDA has declared that all distilled alcohols are gluten-free has many people with celiac disease lifting a glass of their favorite tipple. To celebrate, we've added a number of new recipes to our list of gluten-free holiday drinks. Six Great Eggnog Recipes Rum, Brandy, and Bourbon, oh my! Here are six great gluten-free eggnog recipes to properly kick off the festivities. Holiday Cocktails with Bailey's Irish Cream Kahlúa Cocktails Six Great Rum Cocktails for the Holidays Serve booze freely, as all distilled spirits are now considered gluten-free but the FDA and the TTB, unless any gluten-ingredients are added afterward. To serve gluten-free beer, consult our Oktoberfest Beer Guide! Gluten-free vs. Gluten-removed Beers, and wine is gluten-free. Tips for Planning Ahead Plan your menu at least a couple weeks in advance. Shop early for shelf-stable ingredients, and any gluten-free options. Get your vegetables and other fresh items several days in advance. Simplify the cooking by doing prep work days in advance. Chop vegetables, cut up bread for stuffing, portion out ingredients into individual containers with labels. Make and prepare as much in advance as possible. Many things, such as cranberry sauces can be made days in advance. Pies and other desserts can be baked a a couple of days ahead. Feeling anxious about eating Thanksgiving or holiday dinner as a gluten-free guest at someone else’s home? Tips for Dining at a Non-Gluten-Free Home Remember, it's all about your safety, so assert yourself, and communicate clearly. Call your host well in advance to let them know about your dietary needs. Offer to help with the planning and the food prep work. Offer to bring gluten-free side dishes and desserts with plenty to share for other guests. Most dinner hosts are happy to accommodate guests with special food needs. Preparing early, and communicating with your hosts, will help ease any concerns about eating gluten-free. Bring Gluten-Free labels or table cards so safe food can be easily recognized. Bring or borrow separate serving utensils to prevent cross-contamination.

Celiac.com 10/28/2020 - Eating that Thanksgiving turkey and taking probiotics may promote gut healing and improve gluten-free diet response in people with celiac disease. A research team at Canada's McMaster University has found that tryptophan, an amino acid found in high concentrations in turkey meat, along with some probiotics, may help celiacs heal faster, and respond better to a gluten-free diet. The researchers included Bruno Lamas, Leticia Hernandez-Galan, Heather J. Galipeau, Marco Constante, Alexandra Clarizio, Jennifer Jury, Natalia M. Breyner, Alberto Caminero, Gaston Rueda, Christina L. Hayes, Justin L. McCarville, Miriam Bermudez Brito, Julien Planchais, Nathalie Rolhion, Joseph A. Murray, Philippe Langella, Linda M. P. Loonen, Jerry M. Wells, Premysl Bercik, Harry Sokol, and Elena F. Verdu. For their study, the team set out to see if the breakdown of tryptophan by gut bacteria was different in celiac disease, and whether this difference could be targeted as a potential therapy. The team studied three groups: patients with active celiac disease, patients two years after a gluten-free diet, and healthy people. Their findings suggest targeting tryptophan metabolism in the guts of people with celiac disease might help to control symptoms and accelerate intestinal healing. "The only treatment for celiac disease is a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet, which is difficult to follow, and doesn't always lead to complete recovery of the gut or symptom resolution," says Elena Verdu, lead researcher of the study and a professor of medicine at McMaster's Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute. She also holds the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition, Inflammation and Microbiota. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is necessary for numerous functions within the body, but which cannot be produced by the body, and instead must be consumed via foods like poultry, chocolate, bananas, and cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. Once consumed, tryptophan is broken down by gut bacteria to produce bioactive molecules (called "metabolites") that interact with receptors in the gut lining that control inflammation. One of these receptors is the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or AhR, and suboptimal activation of this receptor has been implicated in chronic intestinal inflammation, including inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Celiacs showed evidence of reduced bacterial metabolism of tryptophan, and their gut microbiota did not appropriately stimulate the AhR pathway, which controls inflammation and protects the gut barrier. These changes improved a bit in patients after two years of a gluten-free diet. Using mice that express the genes for celiac disease, the authors showed that two strains of lactobacilli, bacteria known to breakdown tryptophan, activated AhR and reduced gluten-triggered inflammation. The study findings highlight the potential therapeutic value of targeting tryptophan metabolism in the gut in celiac disease to better control symptoms. Hopefully, we will get studies that look into therapeutic strategies, such as tryptophan supplementation in combination with specific probiotics, that produce AhR ligands from the diet, in celiac patients who do not respond to the gluten-free diet. Read more in Science Translational Medicine The researchers are variously affiliated with the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; the Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas, France; the Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, CRSA, AP-HP, Hospital Saint Antoine, Service de Gastroenterologie, Paris, France; the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA; and the Host-Microbe Interactomics, Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands.

Celiac.com 11/18/2020 - We get more than a few questions about holiday turkeys. One question we get a lot this time of year is: Which turkey brands are gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease? The good news is that, except for gluten added after processing, turkey meat is naturally gluten-free, including turkey fed with wheat or gluten-containing grains. However, as with so many foods that start out gluten-free, the deeper answer lies in the extras. Unless you add wheat or gluten ingredients afterward, most turkeys and turkey meat is gluten-free. However, many of the commercial turkeys include seasoning packets or gravy packets that may contain wheat or gluten. These brands of whole turkeys and turkey products are labeled "Gluten Free." You can breath extra easy about serving them to people with celiac disease. Do you have a favorite brand of turkey that we might have missed? Share it below in the comments. Butterball Gluten-Free Turkey Butterball, does not label whole fresh or frozen turkeys as gluten-free. They do state "only two of our retail products currently contain gluten: Butterball Frozen Italian Style Meatballs and Butterball Frozen Stuffed Turkey." Double-check if you plan to use Butterball gravy, as most packets do contain gluten. Butterball turkeys can be found in many major grocery stores. Diestel Family Turkey Diestel Turkey Ranch, a fourth-generation family farm, provides tasty gluten-free whole turkeys from its sustainable ranch, including organic, all-natural, heirloom and pasture-raised varieties. Diestel turkeys are fed gluten-free grains without fillers and are raised under strict standards. Empire Kosher Brand Gluten-Free Turkey Products Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc., sells gluten-free whole turkeys in several sizes, along with half turkey breasts, turkey thighs, turkey drumsticks, and ground turkey. Empire brand turkey products can be found in most major grocery stores. Foster Farms Turkey Foster Farms Fresh Young Turkey and Fresh Young Turkey Breast are both gluten-free. Honeysuckle White Gluten-Free Turkey Honeysuckle White markets gluten-free turkeys. The company's website recommends that consumers "refer to product packaging for current and most accurate product information." Jennie-O Brand Gluten-Free Turkey Products Jennie-O brand sells a number of gluten-free turkey products including Jennie-O Prime Young Turkey, fresh or frozen, Jennie-O Turkey Store Oven-Ready Turkey Breast, and Jennie-O Frozen Turkey Breast. Jennie-O turkey products can be found in many major grocery stores. Be sure to avoid the gravy packet included with all of these turkeys, because it does contain gluten. Norbest Turkeys Norbest turkey products are "completely free of gluten from wheat, barley, rye, oats, or their derivatives." Look for Norbest turkey products in your grocery store or buy them online. Shelton's Brand Gluten-Free Turkey Products Shelton's Poultry products include organic, gluten-free turkeys, raised in “free-range conditions, without the use of antibiotics or artificial growth stimulants." Look for Shelton’s turkeys in your grocery store or buy them online.