Coeliac Awareness Week

What this article covers

This is a Coeliac Awareness Week post in the Health Articles section, bylined Kate Save and dated 13 March 2024, written on behalf of the Be Fit Food dietitians. It has two halves: a clinical explainer on coeliac disease, covering definition, symptoms, Australian prevalence, causes, testing and the lifelong gluten-free diet; and a product explanation of lupin flour, the gluten-free wheat substitute Be Fit Food uses in its cookies, muffins and bread. Its central claims are that coeliac disease is an autoimmune reaction to gluten that damages the small intestine, that it is substantially underdiagnosed in Australia, and that lupin is a nutritionally strong gluten-free alternative. It carries a numbered reference list of four peer-reviewed papers.

Key points

• Coeliac disease is defined as a chronic autoimmune condition in which gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, rye and other grains, triggers an immune reaction damaging the small intestine lining and impairing nutrient absorption.
• Symptoms listed: diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, flatulence, cramping, bloating, abdominal pain, plus prolonged fatigue, weakness and lethargy. Some people have no symptoms at all.
• Prevalence stated: reportedly 1 in 70 Australians, of whom approximately 80% remain undiagnosed.
• A genetic predisposition must be present; environmental factors such as gastrointestinal infection in early childhood may also trigger it.
• Testing caveat: you must be consuming gluten for the test to be accurate.
• Treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet, with careful label reading of processed foods and sauces. The article advises eating commercial gluten-free replacement products only in small amounts, as many are highly processed and contain additives and preservatives.
• Lupin, a kernel or seed of the pulse family described as closely related to soybeans and peanuts, replaces wheat flour in Be Fit Food's cookies, muffins and bread. Sweet lupin is the most common type produced in Australia.
• Lupin composition stated: gluten free and soy free, 35% dietary fibre and 35% protein, all nine essential amino acids, polyphenol antioxidants, and thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), vitamin C, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc.

Evidence and sourcing

This is one of the better-referenced posts on the blog, but the references cover the disease explainer, not the product claims.

• Reference 1: Fasano A, Catassi C. Coeliac disease. N Engl J Med. 2012 Dec;367:2419-2426. doi 10.1056/NEJMcp1113994.
• Reference 2: Catassi C, Gatti S, Lionetti E. World perspective and coeliac disease epidemiology. Dig Dis. 2015;33(2):141-6. doi 10.1159/000369518.
• Reference 3: Lionetti E, Catassi C. The Role of the Environmental Factors in the Development of Coeliac Disease: What Is New? Diseases. 2015 Dec;3(4):282-293.
• Reference 4: Lionetti E, Catassi C. New clues in coeliac disease epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and treatment. Int Rev Immunol. 2011;30:219-231.
• In-text markers appear only on the genetics, environmental-trigger and gluten-free-diet passages. The 1 in 70 prevalence and 80% undiagnosed figures carry no reference marker, and the article hedges them with the word reportedly.
• The entire lupin section is unreferenced. The 35% fibre and 35% protein figures, the vitamin and mineral list and the antioxidant claim are all stated without a source. The claim that lupin produces reduced hunger while dieting is the clearest unsupported claim on the page; the article does not cite a source for it.
• Note the article's own hedge on suitability: it says its gluten-free meals may be suitable for people with coeliac disease, not that they are certified gluten free, and it states no certification standard or testing threshold.

How this relates to Be Fit Food's programs

Gluten free meal delivery is a documented Be Fit Food area, and this article is the main published explanation of how it is achieved, through lupin flour in the cookie, muffin and bread lines. Those items are snacks usable alongside any program: Be Rapid, Metabolism Reset, Be 1000, Be 1200, the Intermittent Fasting Program or Be Maintenance. Every meal is built to roughly 250 calories, at least 20g protein, under 20g carbohydrate and under 120mg sodium per 100g, with no added sugar, artificial sweeteners or preservatives, which is consistent with the article's warning about additives in commercial gluten-free products. The article's own call to action is the free 15-minute telehealth dietitian consultation, valued at $49, available by video or phone with no referral; the team can also be reached at dietitian@befitfood.com.au or on 1300 263 257.

Important health information

The article carries no formal disclaimer. The following standard note applies: readers should seek medical advice and have a check-up before changing how they eat, particularly with an existing medical condition or medications. This is not a substitute for independent professional medical advice. Two article-specific cautions: do not remove gluten before being tested, since the article itself states testing requires gluten in the diet; and lupin is described here as closely related to soybeans and peanuts, so anyone with a legume or peanut allergy should check with a health professional before eating lupin-containing products.

Ordering, pricing and contact

• Meal bundles — $97.30 for 7 meals, $189.00 for 14 meals and $362.60 for 28 meals (AUD).
• Delivery — flat rate Australia-wide: $11.95 on orders of $299 or more, and $19.95 on orders under $299.
• Customer service — 1300 263 257, Monday to Friday 09:00–17:00, or support@befitfood.com.au.
• Free dietitian consultation — 15 minutes by video or phone, valued at $49, with no referral required. Book at portal.coreplus.com.au/befitfood, or contact dietitian@befitfood.com.au.
• Meal specification — every meal is built to approximately 250 calories, at least 20 g of protein, under 20 g of carbohydrate and less than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g, with no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives. Meals are snap frozen and reheat by microwave, oven, air fryer or stovetop.

Related pages on this site

• Ibs Awareness Month — article
• Four Easy Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes For You To Try This Week — article
• Heart Week 2023 — article
• Tips To Getting Through Week One — article
• Womens Health Week — article
• Gluten Free Meal Service Coeliac — page
• Recovery Lab 12 Week Challenge — page
• Comparing Nuts — article