Conservatives Just As Likely to Avoid Gluten as Liberals: Study

Does someone’s diet predict their political leanings? Hard to say for sure, but at least one study asked that question and found that conservatives are just as likely to avoid gluten in their diets as others on the political spectrum.

Published this June in the academic journal Agricultural and Human Values, the study, called ‘Gluten Aversion is Not Limited to the Political Left,” notes that while collecting data on the number of people who avoid gluten as well as political affiliation is simple, identifying exactly why the two intersect is difficult. Mainly because there are many reasons why a specific correlation between diet and politics could exist.

The authors describe four potential scenarios that could cause a person’s eating habits to become linked to political leanings. In one example, the authors say, health problems could hypothetically lead someone to “both conclude that gluten is harming one’s health and that government should provide universal health care.”

If that sounds like a liberal stance, you’re correct, and the authors note that: “These specific examples are contrived to show how someone could become more liberal and begin avoiding gluten. Of course, the opposite examples might show how someone could become more conservative and begin consuming gluten.”

Conducted in September 2017, the study surveyed 1,000 people in the United States. Researchers found that 29 percent of people surveyed believed avoiding gluten would improve their health.

According to the study, people who described themselves as leaning liberal and people who identified as conservative reported the same degree of gluten-avoidance.

Of the 1,000 respondents, 41 have celiac disease. Researchers noted that the sample size was too small to draw meaningful conclusions. They did note that more research may be needed on the relationship between disease and political ideology.

Whatever your political opinions, according to this study, there’s a chance they relate to your opinions on food products.

And anyone who’s ever gotten into a debate about the gluten-free diet knows that – sometimes – it can be just as polarizing as talking politics.

Justin Bieber ‘Officially Allergic’ to Gluten

Justin Bieber took to Instagram to say he’s searching for a new brew after a discouraging diagnosis.

“Worst news ever I’m officially allergic to gluten,” the pop star said on his Instagram story Saturday night. He went on to say: “No more Coronas unless they make gluten free beer like this!”

Justin Bieber Gluten Allergy

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Bieber was referring to a pale ale from Omission Brewing. Launched in 2012 by Terry Michaelson and Joe Casey, the company has made it its mission to develop traditional beers for people on a gluten-free diet. Like other craft beers, Omission is brewed with malted barley, hops, water and yeast. An enzyme called Brewers Clarex breaks apart the gluten protein chains, and the beers are packaged in a closed environment to eliminate any cross-contamination risk. It’s important to note that Omission Beer and other “gluten-removed” beers are brewed with barley (which contains gluten). While Omission Beer does undergo a process that breaks down the gluten to less than 20ppm, researchers have found that those and similar “gluten-removed” beers may not be truly gluten-free, and may be unsafe for people with celiac disease. 

What is a wheat allergy?

On his Instagram story Bieber praised the brew, saying it’s “actually fire.”

Bieber didn’t elaborate on his condition and it’s unclear when he received the diagnosis. A wheat allergy can cause several symptoms in those affected. Exposure to wheat can lead to breathing difficulties, nausea, hives, bloating, and inability to focus. In some cases, a life-threatening allergic reaction can occur.

Looking for the basic ground rules of the gluten-free diet? Click here for everything you need to know to get started.

FDA Recalls Batch of Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration is recalling 2,200 cases of Udi’s Classic Gluten Free Hamburger buns, and customers are being asked to throw away the product or return it to the store where it was purchased.

The reason for the recall is not gluten related. According to the FDA, the affected products may contain small pieces of plastic. The problem, the FDA reports, was likely a dough scraper that was accidently incorporated into the buns during the manufacturing process. The FDA noted that the problem only affected a small amount of product.

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If you recently purchased Udi’s Classic Gluten Free Hamburger buns, check the bag for the following codes:

Case UPC: 10-6-98997-80913-2 

Item UPC: 00-6-98997-80913-5 

Bag Closure Code: 191971U 

Any bag with the above codes should either be thrown away or returned. Since the announcement the product has been pulled from store shelves.