Gluten Free Apple Cider - You’re kidding me!
Last weekend, after working all one afternoon gardening, I took a much needed break and happily sipped on one of Central Ontario’s fine apple ciders. Printed on the outside of the bottle were the words Gluten free.
Maybe it was the effects of the cider, but I had to chuckle, thinking that it was pretty evident that something made from apples could not possibly have gluten in it. After all, gluten is a protein found in grains, and while beer and ale might be likely suspects to carry it, the chance that apple cider would have gluten, really seemed remote.
Gardening in the sun sure does make you thirsty. I took a few more sips. Clarity ensued. Obviously there are a lot of products out there without gluten free labels that don’t have any gluten in them. Many ciders would fall into this category, but things are not always so cut and dry.
Labelling a product as gluten free carries a certain guarantee. Health Canada has specific guidelines for this claim. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn- an/securit/allerg/cel-coe/gluten-position-eng.php#a2
Initially I thought that all the ingredients in apple cider would be problem free, but then I considered the yeast. There are several different types of yeast that can be used to make cider. It can be champagne yeast, brewer’s yeast, or some other type.
Brewer’s yeast is often extracted from the brewing process and nourished from the simple sugars of malted grains. Yup, you’re right. It could have gluten in it. It’s listed as a gluten containing food on The Canadian Celiac Association website. Just to confuse the issue, there are some brewer’s yeast brands that are grown on other mediums like sugar beets so these particular ones may actually be gluten free.
The ingredients are only part of it. There is still the possibility that the product could be contaminated with gluten during production. Labelling a product as gluten free assures those for whom gluten may be a problem, that the ingredients, the production facility and the production process have all been carefully scrutinized. No wheat flour or beer at these faciilities. Hmm, there’s a lot more to this gluten-free stuff than meets the eye.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale and barley. For the majority of the population this protein poses no problem, but it is estimated that 1 in 133 people in Canada are affected by Celiac Disease. This is a medical condition in which the absortive surface of the small intestine is damaged by gluten. The only treatment at this time is to follow a gluten free diet. For more information go to http://www.celiac.ca/.
I know what your thinking. If celiac disease only affects 1 in 133 people why all the fuss about gluten? That’s a very good question. It has been suggested that some people have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. We’ll talk about that next time.
