Gluten Free Christmas Candy

One of everyone's favorite things to do during the Christmas season is to eat all the delicious seasonal foods and sweets. Unfortunately, not everyone can. For those that have celiac disease, enjoying many foods and sweets is impossible.

This disease damages the small intestine and prevents the absorption of nutrients from food. People who have Celiac disease can't eat gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Besides food, gluten can also be found in products such as vitamins, medicines and lip balms. When these products are used or food containing gluten is eaten, the person's immune system damages or destroys villi, tiny protrusions lining the small intestine that allows nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine. Without villi, a person becomes malnourished.

More than 2 million people in the US have the disease. The only way to treat celiac disease is with a gluten free diet. People with celiac disease need to read food ingredient lists carefully, and must avoid wheat, barley, rye and triticale, which is a cross between wheat and rye. Many candies contain one of these ingredients. You can imagine how hard this can be during the holidays, especially for children. Here are some candy suggestions for a gluten-free diet.

Some of the more common candies found in most stores are: Spangler candy canes, Spangler DumDum pops, all Tootsie Rolls and Pops, all LifeSavers, Jolly Rancher hard candy and Lollipops, Topps Ring Pops, Pez, Smarties, SweeTarts, Jellybelly jellybeans, Skittles and Starburst Fruit Chews. There are also several chocolates that are gluten-free, including, Hershey's Kisses & Hugs, Hershey's milk chocolate bars, Hershey's Nuggets, M&M's, Nestle Butterfinger BB's, Reese's Peanut Butter cups, 3 Musketteer's, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Snickers, Clark Bars, Dove and York Peppermint Patties. For a complete list, click here. Many of these chocolates and candies come in special Christmas packaging.

The Gluten-Free Mall features gluten free foods and products including candy. You can choose from different flavored licorice, lollipops, chocolate and gums. You can also take a look at Candy.com. They have approximately 70 candy items that are gluten free. They offer popular and harder to find items that include chocolate, hard candy, soft candy, fruit chews and much more.

Finally, you can always make your own gluten-free candy. Here are several websites with yummy recipes.

Gluten Free Cooking - includes 10 Gluten-Free Holiday Candy Recipes. Gingerbread Truffles, Fruit Nut Medallions, Spiced Meringues, Reindeer Noses, Glazed Cranberries, Candy Cane Truffles, Chocolate Caramel Corn, Fruit and Nut Balls, Eggnog Truffle Cups and Spiced Nuts.

Gluten.net - offers many gluten-free recipes. It also includes several candy recipes, such as Easy Frying Pan Fudge and Fast Peanut Butter Fudge.

Book of Yum - features a yummy Almond Praline recipe.

Sources:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

www.celiaccentral.org

http://celiacnet.com/candy.html