It’s Halloween! Costumes, Trick or Treat, and parties. As with most holidays there are natural anxieties that surround eating felt by anybody who deals with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or food allergies. Wanting to participate in the festivities without worry is a very understandable feeling that most of my patients struggle with.
As a gastroenterologist it is very hard for me to endorse the excessive consumption of candy. (Yes, stealing my kids’ dark chocolate even gives me reflux). However during celabratory times of the year being able to enjoy some candy in moderation is not the worst health habit. My father is a dentist. Growing up on Halloween, if we gave out candy people would accuse him of “drumming up business”. Dad therefore would typically handout chips or pencils. He always made note that as long as you did not chew on Jolly ranchers and brush your teeth, your dental health would be okay on Halloween.
I wonder if I should be handing out Metamucil instead of candy for trick or treat. Maybe not the best call as this may be an invitation for Halloween “tricks” on the house. We will stick to candy.
Fortunately, the Celiac Disease Foundation has a guide on gluten free candy options. A few take home points after my review:
– Here is the link to the Gluten Free Candy List
– They make note of the importance of reading food labels. Fortunately most major manufactures are following food label guidelines.
-During busy times of the year such as Halloween, Christmas, and Easter, candy manufactures often need to increase their production. Due to this, they may use additional factories. Some of these factories result in some candies that typically are being gluten free not being gluten-free due to cross-contamination on the assembly line. For example, regular York Peppermint Patties and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups are gluten free; however the “shapes” and “minis” made around Halloween are not. This is outlined on the labels. Thus illustrating the importance of the food labeling.
Hope you all enjoy the festivities and Trick or Treat.