September 13, 2015

Secret Croutons and Croissants--Happy Celiac Awareness Day!

If you can eat a croissant without fear of extreme gastrointestinal distress, please take the time to do so today. And when you do, think of your celiac friends who will never. eat. one. again

By Kalliopi Monoyios

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Happy celiac awareness day, people! If you have not been lucky enough to sit down with a gluten-free friend at a restaurant and seen the panic in their eyes when their salad shows up with croutons that were most definitely NOT mentioned on the menu, well, let me try to shed some light on what's going on in their minds. You see, no one likes to take ten minutes to order, but it's necessary if you have celiac disease. Because as much as you appreciate restaurants' attempts to accommodate different dietary needs by indicating gluten-free, dairy-free and vegetarian items on their menus, as a celiac, you pretty much have to assume that you'll get "glutened" unless you engage in a full-on When-Harry-Met-Sally-ordering session to get your order just right. And you still discover things like secret croutons.

So why the panic? Because it only takes 1-10 small crumbs of bread to make someone with celiac have a reaction. Most people are quite surprised to find out that crumbs from double dipping in condiment jars at home are enough to make celiacs sick. So croutons discreetly flicked off a salad back in the kitchen still ruin the salad for a person with celiac (I'm not saying this happens, just sayin' that's the fear). Worse, because celiac is an autoimmune disorder, these incidents put celiacs in pain in the short-term, but they increase their risk of cancer and additional autoimmune diseases over the course of their lives. Doesn't that sound fun!? Why, no. No it doesn't.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

Excited to feature a comic by Symbiartic's very own Katie McKissick! © Katie McKissick; Beatrice the Biologist

I look forward to the day when scientists figure out how to reprogram the misguided immune systems of celiac patients to prevent them from attacking normal healthy cells when exposed to gluten. In the meantime, I'd settle for a convincing gluten-free croissant and a crouton-free salad.

Every September we here at Symbiartic take the opportunity to dish up a daily dose of sciart featuring all the incredible artists we haven’t been able to get to during the year. Curious to see the inspiring artists we’ve featured in the September SciArt Blitz over the years? Check out previous years’ galleries:2014 | 2013 | 2012

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American