Yesterday, in Part I of this post, I introduced the question–what’s the gluten-free food buzz all about? Here’s the rest of what Gluten Free Dee taught me.

The Rise of Gluten Sensitivity

“It’s becoming increasingly more difficult to digest the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye,” Dee said, and she suspects that genetic modifications in our wheat supply have caused the increasing gluten sensitivity.

by  jayneandd

“I would definitely say it’s because of genetic engineering. The quantity of gluten that is in a bushel of wheat now is different than it was for our parents and very different than it was for our grandparents,” Dee said.

This is because famers were asked to genetically engineer wheat to include more gluten because it makes a better baking product. Today, gluten levels are much higher than they would be naturally.

So for many people who are sensitive to the high levels of gluten that can be found in wheat products, a gluten-free diet is their ticket to better digestion.

The good news is that gluten-free products are tasting better and better. Dee insists that gluten-free products must taste good. Otherwise, people will never be able to stick to a gluten-free diet. Here’s a selection of gluten-free products that Fooducopia has to offer:

• WOW Baking Company‘s Chocolate Brownies
• Mac-n-Mo’s selection of gluten free cookies, better known as Morselicious Treats
• Raging Raw Organics‘ Banana Raisin Currant Flax Seed gluten free cracker
• 479 Popcorn‘s selection of organic popcorn (a naturally gluten free snack!)

Dee Valdez is a  gluten-free product ambassador and consultant and founder of the nation’s first gluten-free food bank. Learn more about the gluten-free food bank movement and Dee’s mission at her website, glutenfreedee.com. For information about the gluten-free diet and Celiac disease, visit celiac.org.

Unless you never go to the grocery store or spend time shopping on Fooducopia (we really hope you do both!), you’ve likely noticed the increasing number of products with “Gluten-Free!” and “Wheat-Free!” on their packaging.

Dee Valdez, a.k.a. Gluten Free Dee

You may be wondering, what’s the gluten-free buzz all about? Well, in hopes of finding out, I interviewed Dee Valdez, a.k.a. Gluten Free Dee. She’s a gluten-free consultant and product ambassador based in Colorado who also founded the nation’s first gluten-free food bank in 2009. Here’s what Dee taught me:

Gluten-Free Food 101

First of all, gluten is a protein naturally found in wheat, barley, and rye. It gives breads that nice elastic, sticky texture. Think pizza dough.

Gluten-free food products are those that leave out all traces of wheat, barley, and rye. Although oats do not contain gluten, farmers often grow them on the same land as wheat, and they become cross-contaminated. So gluten-free products are usually picky about their oats, too.

People with Celiac disease, an auto-immune disorder that makes digesting gluten impossible, are the primary consumers of gluten-free foods, and so these products have been around for a while. Dee has Celiac disease and has been eating a gluten-free diet for 18 years. Until recently, her options were scarce.

Simple Economics

More gluten-free products are popping up in the market because more people are demanding gluten-free options. My college economics professor would love this example.

Until this fresh demand hit the market, a few obscure gluten-free options did the trick. Now, the demand is giving new companies the opportunity to add to the short supply. In 2008, there were 9,000 new gluten-free products added to the market with another 4,000 added by April of 2009. In addition, Dee says gluten-free dining is one of the fastest-growing segments in the restaurant industry.

So who are all these people going after gluten-free products? Tomorrow, I’ll give you Dee’s next lesson.

If you want to learn more about Dee’s mission and the gluten-free food bank movement, check out her website and blog at glutenfreedee.com. For information about Celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, visit celiac.org.