Sugar for the Celiac!

Sweet news indeed. Sugars that are added to foods are often derived from wheat-based starch

hydrolysates, like dextrose, malto-dextrin and glucose syrups. Studies have shown that these substances are present in over 50% of European processed foods (not sure how prevalent in the U.S., but I’d bet at least as common, if not more so). So is this sugar safe for people with celiac disease (gluten sensitivity?). Here’s a great study looking at just that question – patients were given either placebo, glucose syrup or maltodextrins for 24 weeks (roughly six months) and then these volunteer-saints underwent a battery of tests, including endoscopy plus biopsy, as well as celiac serologies, to see if there was an effect. The answer?

Yeah! dextrose, maltodextrin and glucose syrups had no effect on these 90 patients with celiac disease. That’s great news for people with celiac disease, who are already struggling to avoid gluten products. Just a small amount of gluten can have a devastating effect (check out the recent Doc Gurley post How Much Is Too Much to see how little gluten it takes). Now whether any of us want these sugars added to our foods in another question altogether…