Making Sense of the Gluten-Free Food Frenzy
[Overheard at dinner parties, buffet tables, and salad bars across America]
“Keen-what?”
“Keen-wah. I don’t really know what it is either, but it’s supposed to be healthy, and it’s gluten-free. Here, try it.”
“Oh, cool. My sister-in-law is gluten-free. I’m thinking maybe I should do that—you know, to help with my IBS.”
For a substance largely unheard of until recent years, gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and other products—seems to be on everyone’s lips these days. And why wouldn’t it be? A gluten-free diet has been touted as a cure for everything from obesity and rashes to autism and migraines. Gluten-free products now command their own keys on menus and sections in grocery stores. Previously exotic grains that lack gluten, like quinoa and amarinth, have become more mainstream. And manufacturers are promoting their gluten-free products. glutenfreely.com, a “community and e-commerce site” owned by General Mills, provides tools for gluten-free living such as recipes and products, including its own Chex cereal, now in five gluten-free versions. Just last week, Frito-Lay entered the fray, announcing it would begin putting the gluten-free label on many of its already gluten-free products, including varieties of Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, and Lay’s.