What is gluten free? of 自家栽培米粉と平飼い地鶏の農園菓子工房ホトトギスオンライン

We make gluten-free baked goods - savory cakes, savory scones, savory cookies, biscuits and the occassional sweet treat - using our superfine flour milled locally from our home grown rice. No wheat, barley or rye, or any processed foods which might contains trace of gluten are used (or allowed in the bakery). Most of our products are also "savory"(so, not sweet) and can be eaten as a snack or a part of a meal. Our savory goodies are made without sugar and all of our products rely on quality - local or homegrown when possible - ingredients and good balance of fats and proteins for their honest goodness.

Savory Scones: A rich treat that comes in a variety of savory flavors, all made without any sweeteners at all. Some of our favorites: Gruyere cheese and potato, black sesame, and toasted nuts.
Subtly Sweet Scones: Just a hint of natural sweetness (from dried fruit and honey) make these a sweet to satisfy without overdoing the sugar. Some classic varieties: cocoa and dates, walnut current, and coconut raisin.
Savory Cookies: A little richer than a cracker, with lots of flavors to choose from. Made without sweeteners, they rely on quality ingredients for bold flavor. They are great on their own or with a topping - cheese or ham make an easy light meal.
Savory Cakes: Cakes salés in French, these savory quick breads are a perfect match for the garden-fresh veggies that flood our kitchen. Varieties vary with the garden abundance - fava beans and turnips pair up with cheese for a taste of spring, while zucchini and shiitake mushrooms with cream cheese remind us summer is on it’s way, and we look forward to the summer veggies to bring even more tasty combinations.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a confusing misnomer - the term “gluten” in “gluten-free” refers to the proteins found in wheat, barley and rye (whereas strictly speaking, gluten is actually one specific type of protein found in wheat). People with a gluten intolerance experience a reaction when they ingest a protein fragment common to the proteins of these grains (a specific poly-peptide chain, to be precise).

There are two kinds of gluten intolerance defined in the medical litereature: celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance. Both are poorly understood, though research is increasing as the incidence of both conditions increases.

What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmunce disorder that causes the bodies immune system to attack the small intestines, leading to a wide variety of symptoms including digestive difficulties, neurological conditions (such as migraines or vertigo), and malnutrition. Untreated celiac disease leads to increased overall mortality and a higher incidence of certain cancers.

Celiac disease has an identified genetic component and an unidentified environmental trigger; in other words, celiac disease only develops in people with the celiac gene, but not all people with the gene will develop celiac disease. Researches suggest that an environmental trigger causes the disease to awaken, but no research has yet identified that trigger. Celiac disease can awaken at any time in a persons life, and people who have a family member with celiac disease are at a higher risk for developong the disease themselves.

A gluten free diet is the only treatment option for celiac disease. Presently it is estimated that 1% of Americans have celiac disease; most of these people are undiagnosed. Celiac disease is diagnosed by a blood anitbody test followed by an endoscopy to look for damage to the small intestines. Diagnosis in only possible while a person is on a diet containing gluten: testing while on a gluten-free diet is not effective (in other words, going on a gluten free diet before testing is not recommended). Testing for celiac disease is becoming more widely available as both the incidence of the disease and awareness among the medical community and public at large are increasing.

What is Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance?

Non-celiac gluten intolerance is a newly-recognized condition, and conseqently, little research has been done on the subject. Like celiac disease, the incidence of non-celiac gluten intolerance is on the rise, but noone knows why. Non-celiac gluten intolerance does not have an identified genetic component (meaning it could affect anyone) and is not an autoimmune condition.