Gluten-Free Diet Creates Challenges For College Students
Pullman, Wash is located in the heart of the rolling hills of the Palouse, surrounded by wheat fields and bountiful harvests. One might find it hard to forget that they are located in one of the highest wheat-producing regions in the world.
However, Ashley M. Rockwell and Kevin C. Rinker received news right after their freshman year at Washington State University that would change their lifestyles forever. They can not consume products made from wheat.
When it comes to fluffy rolls, pastas and cakes, these two students pass. Instead they enjoy tasty foods such as polenta and quinoa, and beverages such as hemp or rice milk.
Rockwell said that she and Rinker are highly allergic to gluten, a protein found in wheat. This means that they are unable to consume a lot of the foods that are common to many Americans. They do not eat cookies, pizza or bread made from wheat and even certain medications and vitamins. Rockwell said that although they have not been tested, there is a strong chance that she and Rinker have Celiac Disease.
Celiac Disease is a digestive disease in which people cannot consume gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse’s website, http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/index.htm#what. In the United States alone, 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease. Some symptoms include vomiting, abdominal bloating and constipation. The only known cure for Celiac Disease is a gluten-free diet.
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Avoiding foods with gluten presents unique challenges for these two college students. Yet, their diet is even further restricted, which adds to these challenges.
In addition to their intolerance to gluten, both Rockwell and Rinker are also allergic to dairy and eggs. They made the decision to adopt a vegan diet after they stopped eating meat at the dining centers. Many lunch meats are made with wheat fillers and to avoid getting sick it just made sense to stop eating meat, said Rockwell.
Dining at the dining centers on campus was extremely difficult, said Rockwell. There were three different food items at the dining centers that they could eat. These included hash browns, vegetables and rice noodles. The foods all had to be made in separate pans, to avoid contact with the grill, which serves omelets and eggs. “Some of the student workers were frustrated; they didn’t understand that we weren’t being picky,” Rockwell said.
This year, Rinker and Rockwell live off campus. They are able to shop for themselves, but shopping for gluten-free foods takes a lot of time. They can not just call for a pizza or grab a frozen dinner.
Making meals takes a lot of planning and can be frustrating, said Rockwell. “Everyday it’s like, what are we eating for dinner?” There are no quick foods. Even for a sandwich the gluten-free bread is so dense that it has to be toasted. Many students might order a pizza on a week day night but to make a pizza with no dairy, wheat or meat takes some planning. A homemade gluten-free pizza crust calls for four different flours, said Rockwell.
Gluten-free foods, which are often found in specialty stores, cost more. It takes a large amount of a college student’s budget.
The Moscow Food Co-op (Co-op) is a store which sells gluten-free products. “The Co-op
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is really special, we’re so lucky,” Rockwell said. The store has a large selection of gluten-free foods. However, shopping is not cheap, said Rinker. A loaf of gluten-free bread is barely less than $5.00, while at WinCo Foods a loaf sells for $.80. The Co-op also sells gluten-free pretzels for $6.85. A regular bag of pretzels costs $2.50 at WinCo Foods.
But the diet does not just affect food products and budgets, it also affects activities many might take for granted.
Eating out is not possible without a considerable amount of forethought. Mexican restaurants offer a lot of vegetables, beans and rice. But it is necessary to double check that dairy products, lard and even enchilada sauce are not used in the preparation of the food. Rinker said that he believes a lot of restaurants are becoming more aware. They are working to provide people with food allergies and Celiac Disease with options.
Rockwell said that she feels fortunate to be living in today’s world because Celiac Disease and wheat allergies are gaining awareness and there are more products than in the past.
Both Rockwell and Rinker are surprised at the amount of people who know a family member or friend who have the same intolerance to gluten. It actually is really surprising at the amount of people who understand, Rockwell said.