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Celiac.com 01/17/2025 - Maintaining a gluten-free diet is essential for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, but the cost of gluten-free foods can be daunting. Many people assume that a gluten-free lifestyle automatically comes with a hefty price tag, but with careful planning and smart shopping strategies, you can enjoy safe and nutritious meals without overspending. Let’s explore practical tips and affordable alternatives to help you save money on specialty foods while staying true to your gluten-free needs. Rethink Your Staples One of the easiest ways to cut costs is by focusing on naturally gluten-free, whole-food staples. While specialty gluten-free products like bread and snacks can be expensive, foods like rice, potatoes, beans, and vegetables are budget-friendly and versatile. These items can form the foundation of your meals, providing essential nutrients without breaking the bank. Affordable Gluten-Free Staples: Grains and starches: Brown rice, white rice, quinoa, cornmeal, and certified gluten-free oats. Proteins: Eggs, tofu, beans, lentils, and canned fish like tuna or salmon. Fresh produce: Seasonal fruits and vegetables offer variety and nutrition at lower prices. Dairy: Milk, yogurt, and cheese are naturally gluten-free (check for additives). Building your meals around these staples not only keeps costs down but also ensures a balanced diet. Cook from Scratch Pre-packaged gluten-free foods are convenient but often come with a premium price tag. Cooking from scratch allows you to control ingredients and save money. For example, making your own gluten-free baked goods, soups, or sauces can be significantly cheaper than buying pre-made versions. Easy DIY Alternatives: Gluten-free flour blends: Create your own mix using affordable ingredients like rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour. Homemade snacks: Bake gluten-free muffins, granola bars, or crackers to replace pricey packaged options. Simple sauces: Use cornstarch or arrowroot as thickeners for gravies and sauces instead of buying specialty mixes. Cooking in batches and freezing portions also saves time and ensures you always have affordable, gluten-free meals on hand. Shop Smart and Plan Ahead Strategic shopping can make a big difference when managing a gluten-free diet on a budget. By planning meals and shopping with intention, you can avoid overspending. Tips for Cost-Effective Shopping: Meal planning: Write out a weekly menu based on affordable, gluten-free staples and sales. Buy in bulk: Purchase gluten-free grains, flours, and snacks in bulk to reduce cost per unit. Many stores and online retailers offer discounts for larger quantities. Shop sales and use coupons: Watch for deals on gluten-free products and use manufacturer coupons whenever possible. Explore store brands: Many grocery stores now offer their own gluten-free lines, which are often cheaper than national brands. Farmer’s markets: Buying fresh produce directly from growers can be more economical, especially for seasonal items. By sticking to your list and avoiding impulse purchases, you’ll keep your grocery bill under control. Affordable Gluten-Free Alternatives Specialty gluten-free items, such as bread, pasta, and snacks, are among the most expensive parts of a gluten-free diet. Finding affordable alternatives can help reduce costs. Budget-Friendly Substitutes: Bread: Instead of expensive gluten-free bread, use rice cakes or corn tortillas for sandwiches. Pasta: Opt for rice noodles or spaghetti squash as a replacement for gluten-free pasta. Snacks: Swap out specialty chips for popcorn or roasted chickpeas, which are both gluten-free and inexpensive. Breakfast: Replace costly cereals with gluten-free oatmeal or homemade granola. These swaps not only save money but often provide healthier, less processed options. Use Technology and Resources Leveraging technology can help you find deals and connect with the gluten-free community for advice on saving money. Useful Tools and Resources: Apps for gluten-free shopping: Download apps like Gluten-Free Scanner to identify safe products and compare prices. Online shopping: Websites like Thrive Market and Amazon often offer discounted prices on gluten-free items. Community support: Join online forums or social media groups for tips on where to find affordable gluten-free products and recipes. Staying informed about sales, discounts, and budget-friendly brands makes managing your diet easier and less expensive. Enjoy Dining Out Without Overspending Dining out can be a challenge for those on a gluten-free diet, both in terms of safety and cost. However, there are ways to save while still enjoying the occasional meal out. Tips for Affordable Dining: Research menus: Look for restaurants that clearly label gluten-free options to avoid unnecessary costs from trial-and-error ordering. Choose simple dishes: Opt for naturally gluten-free meals like salads or grilled proteins with vegetables to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and extra charges. Bring your own sides: Some places allow you to bring gluten-free bread or crackers to accompany your meal. Limit dining out: Save restaurant visits for special occasions and focus on cooking at home most of the time. By being selective and informed, you can dine out confidently without overspending. Why Budget-Friendly Gluten-Free Living Matters For many in the gluten-free community, cost is a major concern. Eating gluten-free on a budget is not only achievable but can lead to a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. By focusing on whole foods, cooking from scratch, and shopping smartly, you can enjoy a delicious and safe diet without financial strain. Whether you’re managing celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, these strategies empower you to take control of your food choices and wallet. With a little planning and creativity, gluten-free living can be accessible for everyone. Watch the video version of this article:
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Celiac.com 08/21/2017 - Can a tiny Virginia start-up change the world with a cheap, reliable devise to test food for gluten on the fly? With their startup called Altede, Ed and Anna Champion, together with business partner Briana Petruzzi, hope to build quick, cheap tests for all sorts of food allergens. Their first target is gluten. Altede is looking to develop a test that is reliable, sensitive to FDA levels of 20ppm gluten, costs less than $5 and could be performed within a couple of minutes while sitting at a restaurant table. The Altede team doesn't expect anyone to test everything they eat. But those with severe gluten intolerance might find peace of mind in a pinch. "We really want to keep the cost low. We think that's going to be critical," says Ed Champion. "You know, $15 and you're not going to do it. It's going to be too painful. But $3 or $5…what's your afternoon worth?" Altede has developed an antibody that they grow inside of and later extract from mice, a technique also used by pregnancy test manufacturers. The antibody is specially engineered to latch onto protein molecules inside gluten. A user like Anna Champion would carry the kit, which is about the size of a pack of M&M's. When she comes across a food she wants to eat but suspects may make her sick, she puts a pea-sized sample into a liquid container that comes inside the pouch. She would shake it up and then dip the test strip. The liquid would creep along the paper, passing a stripe of the antibodies Altede designed. If gluten is present, the antibodies will latch on to the proteins, accumulate on the paper and produce a visible pink line. So far, their prototype device can detect small amounts of gluten. The prototype looks and operates just like a pregnancy test. But the test currently takes hours, instead of minutes. Ed Champion says that tweaks to the chemistry will provide quicker results, though there are still a number of technical challenges to overcome. But after two years of development, Champion says the team is getting close. To help the, prepare their portable gluten tester for a product launch, Altede recently enrolled in the first cohort of RAMP, Roanoke's business accelerator, and received a $50,000 grant from the state's Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund. Once the company can quickly and reliably test for gluten, it will use the same technology to build tests for a number of different food allergens. Champion has invested more than $30,000 in the venture to date. He supplies the business knowledge for the company, while Anna Champion, a Virginia Tech researcher, and Petruzzi, a Ph.D. student, are the scientific brains behind the operation. Stay tuned for updates on Altede and their efforts to build a better gluten test.
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Celiac.com 07/26/2012 - For people with celiac disease, the average delay from first symptoms to professional diagnosis is almost 12 years. Moreover, once those people seek medical attention, there is a high risk of misdiagnosis. In fact, researchers estimate that seven cases of celiac disease go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for every case that is correctly identified. Current tests for celiac disease require a doctor to conduct a biopsy, followed by a professional analysis of the biopsy results, usually at a specialized lab. Using this method, each test is invasive, often takes several days to produce results, and costs many hundreds of dollars. That is all set to change thanks to a pioneering new testing system that offers quick, accurate, cost-effective diagnosis and monitoring of celiac disease. The pioneering new test was developed with EU-funding, and will soon undergo clinical trials in Slovenia. If those trials are successful the test should be available in hospitals and clinics across Europe and elsewhere within a few years. The technology was developed in the celiac disease-Medics project by a consortium of 20 partners with funding from the European Commission. The system is the result of a confluence of innovative technologies from several scientific disciplines including microfluidics, nanotechnology and genetic testing. In addition to celiac disease, the technology can also be used to diagnose and monitor a wide variety of other diseases, including autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondylitis, thyroiditis, and even cancer - basically any disorder that can be detected by looking for DNA or protein markers. Before celiac disease-Medics, explains project coordinator Ciara O'Sullivan, a research professor in the Nanobiotechnology & Bioanalysis Group at Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Spain, "there was nothing like this available for celiac disease." Rather than costs of several hundred dollars for a normal biopsy and analysis for celiac disease, the new celiac disease-Medics test will cost less than twenty Euro, and the biomedical interface device a one-time clinic expense of about 6,000 Euro. Instead of an invasive biopsy, the new test requires only one drop of blood placed into a device that looks like a credit card, but incorporates several innovative components: a micro-structured fluid network for precise control reagents, a specially adapted surface for capturing the biological components being sought, and an electrically driven sensor system that provides fast detection. Once the sample is taken, the disposable device will be placed into a biomedical interface instrument and analysis of the blood sample is carried out in a matter of minutes. Results can then be immediately output to the hospital information system and added to the patient's electronic health record (EHR). Prof O'Sullivan says that the device provides both DNA testing - specifically for variants of the HLA gene associated with the disease - and testing for gluten antibodies. This is important, because testing either alone can return false positives. Testing for both means the results ensures accurate results. Because the device can detect gluten antibodies, it can be used to monitor the patient's response to gluten-free treatment Trials will be conducted over the summer on two to three hundred patients at University Medical Centre Maribor in Slovenia. Results will be compared to the results of celiac tests done with analyzed tissue samples from biopsies. 'We hope to have a product on the market within two years,' Prof O'Sullivan says. 'We are also looking to launch a follow-up project, probably with public funding, to adapt and extend the system to test for and monitor many other types of diseases.' Source: Cordis Europa
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