I recently found an article printed in a
Triumph Dining blog that announces some good news for those of you who are gluten-free with a chocolate addiction! For the original article, click
here. However, here is the story:
For all you gluten-free individuals out there who might be
chocolate-covered bakers, sweet-tooth suckers and/or dessert devotees,
you’re probably going to enjoy this long-awaited bit of news from
Hershey’s. Indefinitely, Hershey’s has recited their “Check the Label”
mantra to gluten-sensitive consumers, but, as of a few days ago, they
have virtually been able to put that bulletin to rest. Though, for an
ultra-safe measure, they still recommend a quick checking.
Finally, feast your eyes on the
list of Hershey’s gluten-free products
that they nicely assembled for the gluten-free community. MmmMmmMmmm!
Butterscotch baking chips, Almond Joys, York Peppermint Patties, dark
chocolate syrups…. the whole nine yards! Please do keep in mind, not all
of Hershey’s candies are gluten-free and an assortment of their seasonal
sweets contain gluten ingredients – like their seasonal-shaped Reese’s
peanut butter cups.
Here’s to a more feasible indulgence of gluten-free sweets!
Also, Hershey’s recently went on the record to issue a press release
to clear up the water about the relationship between their index of
products and the gluten-free standards defined by the FDA. Below is the
printed disclosure that you can find on their website regarding which
Hershey’s products are qualified, by FDA standards, to be labeled
gluten-free.
“Hershey is committed to providing products that meet your dietary
needs, and many people today are interested in gluten-free foods.
A food bearing a gluten-free claim does not contain the protein from
wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, triticole, farina, vital gluten
semolina, malt vinegar or protein derivatives of these foods.
For
your convenience, the current products listed below have been fully
evaluated and qualify as gluten free using standards proposed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Please note this list is not all inclusive as we have other
gluten-free confections. The best way to determine if our products
contain a gluten ingredient is to read our product label. This label
includes an accurate, current listing of the ingredients in our
products. Because, on occasion, the list of ingredients can change,
we strongly encourage you to check the ingredient label on the package each time before you make a purchase.”
This issue was particularly exciting because I made the front cover and page 3! The newsletter began with some highlights of the education conference. If you were not able to make it this year, try to make it for the next one - I will post the info on it as soon as it is available. It was extremely educational, well-organized, and had lots of vendors with new products for all the visitors.
This newsletter was also extremely helpful to me because I have recently been very ill and struggling with pain immediately after I eat. I had blood tests run and the only thing that was off was my eosinophil count. My physician had no clue what it meant other than I must have had an allergy to something I eat. I was told to avoid the trigger but my only guess as to what the trigger is would be refined sugar which is an inflammatory food. Then I got my issue of CDF Insights and while I was flipping through it saw that it featured a new research article that found a link between Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis. It occurs more often in the Celiac population than the general population and should be kept in mind when persistent esophageal pain is persistent. Even as a nurse practitioner, I still find that it is difficult to get medical professionals who are unfamiliar with Celiac Disease to understand. That's why its important to educate yourself and advocate for yourself in the physician's office. CDF Insights helps me do just that!
Each bar has a nut butter base—peanut, almond or cashew—with added
protein, fiber, agave nectar and either fruit or organic fair-trade dark
chocolate. The ingredients were chosen to provide the same complete
nutrition that is recommend for all meals: Heart healthy fats, high fiber, high quality lean protein, and low glycemic carbs. To learn more about the bars, check out About the Bars on their website. The photo to the right is of my favorite flavor, Peanut butter and Chocolate chip!
