Founded in 1979 via parents of celiac children at a time when little was known about celiac disease and it was erroneously thought to be a “pediatric condition”, its goals were to understand what celiac disease really was, including the long periods of misdiagnosis for patients, and to find safe and delicious gluten free products for celiacs to eat in Italy. This “institutional empathy” is very apparent in the breadth and advocacy of the Italian Celiac Association, the AIC (Associazione Italiana Celiachia). That resonance has translated to an institutional empathy that might shock Americans. For someone who can’t go out with their friends or to a work meeting at a restaurant, it’s a very big problem, psychologically and socially.” “Food in Italy is the center of social life and relationships with people. “It’s a tragedy for Italians,” said Susanna Neuhold, the AiC’s manager of food programs. In Italy, not being able to stomach wheat is more than an inconvenience or fad diet. Per a New York Times piece on celiacs in Italy: In addition, there is the fact that food is central to Italian life and community. I asked Letizia and she gave a thoughtful response: tha t Italians are very conscious of the connection between health and food. They embraced that this was an issue and moved around it to accommodate their meals, and did so with gusto. And that you can study for a masters in celiac disease, from diagnosis to management thereof.īut one thing still nagged: the country didn’t just know about celiac disease, they accepted it. As with some other countries, in Italy celiacs also receive a government subsidy to compensate them for the higher cost of gluten-free foods.įurthermore, Maria Ann Roglier, the author of The Gluten-Free Guide to Italy, notes that Italian law requires that gluten-free food be available in schools, hospitals, and public places. I spent many years sick to my stomach with no suggestions to screen for celiac. Children are routinely screened for celiac disease in Italy once they begin to show any symptoms that may be correlatable, something doctors missed for me when I was a child. The knowledge and care about gluten free dining goes much deeper than that. In a 2019 report entitled “ Direzione Generale per l’Igiene e la Sicurezza degli Alimenti e la Nutrizione“, the Italian government noted that celiac disease diagnoses in Italy increased by 57,899 from 2012 to 2017, with an average of 10,000 new cases diagnosed per year. In Perugia we even have a gluten free restaurant and we’ll have a Gluten-Free Festival at the beginning of June. According to the Italian celiac association, about 1% of Italians are celiac. As a consequence, is not surprising that you find lots of gluten free options in Italy. Wheat and modified starch are everywhere, so Italians are certainly more exposure than others as we are big pasta and bread eaters. Then there’s the problem of overexposure. I recall seeing a Dutch study time ago stating that modern wheat varieties have higher toxic gluten content than traditional varieties. I reached out to Letizia Mattiacci, who runs a B&B with a cooking school in Italy. Even tiny towns had knowledge of the disease, and had been exposed to it sufficiently that they made adjustments in what they offered. It was obvious that the dietary changes were not rooted in tourism. The first reaction from every single person was precisely the same: “oh Italy must be accommodating its tourists!” Upon my return from Italy, I waxed poetic about how much I could eat. Further reading for celiacs traveling to Italy.Gluten free shops and restaurants in Italy.The Perfect App for Celiacs in Italy, from the Italian Celiac Association.Eating gluten free in Italy: dishes and snacks.Why is this gluten free card different?.A detailed gluten free restaurant card for Italy.Overview of eating gluten free in Italy.Italy is a feast for the eyes and stomach if you’re celiac, and shouldn’t be missed. There’s so much knowledge, training of restaurant and hotel staff, and understanding of what cross-contact is. As I explain below, Italy was one of the easiest places in the world to enjoy safe and delicious food as a celiac.įor newly diagnosed celiacs or gluten free diners, I often recommend it as the first international trip after they’ve adjusted to dietary changes. And nowhere is that more the case than in Italy. While many celiacs feel the same way upon hearing their diagnosis, the reality is that the world is a safer place for our stomachs than it ever has been. “Jodi”, he said, “this is a fate worse than death.” When I explained my disease to her parents, her father looked appalled. She is Italian, and her lovely family were used to feeding me pasta since I was 16 years old. When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, I went to my best friend’s place in Montreal for dinner.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |