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I was looking for a map but only found one for grain consumption. Not surprisingly, the Mediterranean, Balkan, North African and Middle Eastern regions consume the most wheat and grains. Central Europe consumes less due to many dishes with potatoes I presume.
In Bulgaria there are lots of GF stuff sold at stores now, more than in 2011 when I first quit it due to being intolerant. They even run TV ads for rice cookies now. Back then they were not as cool.
However, the understanding of being allergic or intolerant to wheat is low as most ppl eat bread with everything. It's a traditional staple. But even in Central Europe I had to explain a lot why I couldn't eat sth. They bought me a welcome pizza there without asking. In the Netherlands before events my uni asked for intolerances. Unfortunately I'm also intolerant to corn, so it's just potatoes, veggies and rice as staples.
Anyway, do you know who are the most and least aware countries and societies about wheat/gluten in Europe?
I was looking for a map but only found one for grain consumption. Not surprisingly, the Mediterranean, Balkan, North African and Middle Eastern regions consume the most wheat and grains. Central Europe consumes less due to many dishes with potatoes I presume.
In Bulgaria there are lots of GF stuff sold at stores now, more than in 2011 when I first quit it due to being intolerant. They even run TV ads for rice cookies now. Back then they were not as cool.
However, the understanding of being allergic or intolerant to wheat is low as most ppl eat bread with everything. It's a traditional staple. But even in Central Europe I had to explain a lot why I couldn't eat sth. They bought me a welcome pizza there without asking. In the Netherlands before events my uni asked for intolerances. Unfortunately I'm also intolerant to corn, so it's just potatoes, veggies and rice as staples.
Anyway, do you know who are the most and least aware countries and societies about wheat/gluten in Europe?
The UK is quite aware, there are gluten free options at many restaurants, and major supermarkets gave glutten free ranges.
Most European countries are starting to take gluten free seriously, and I am not sure which country would be the worst in terms of lack of glutten free options.
My friend is a celiac and lives in the UK, he finds the restaurants are getting better at providing gluten free options and take it seriously there, the supermarkets aren’t so good apparently, with small areas for gluten free products.
When he visits me in Spain he says the supermarkets are excellent, most things have a gluten logo on them saying if it is, or isn’t gluten free, I never noticed this until he pointed it out.
When he’s in the US it’s very hit and miss and often the waiting staff have little or no knowledge of what a celiac is or even what is or isn’t gluten free, and often just say no problem then continue to suggest burgers or pasta
I suppose it’s the same all over, some places are well up on the subject whilst others haven’t a clue.
Considering the amount of celiac people living there, and the increasing demand for GF food, I would be surprised if Italy was not one of the most GF-friendly Countries in the world (I am Italian but I live abroad).
Every restaurant/shop is aware of the problem, so I believe that celiac/intollerant people would find Italy very GF-friendly.
Those that really are allergic to gluten will find gluten-free food everywhere in Europe.
But really, gluten-free has become a kind of fashion, where people who are not allergic to gluten at all eat gluten-free food, anyway, which makes no sense at all as there is nothing wrong about gluten as such.
The Irish actually have very high rates of coeliac disease. One of the first things I noticed in Irish supermarkets when I first visited way back in the 90’s, was the gluten free section.
Those that really are allergic to gluten will find gluten-free food everywhere in Europe.
But really, gluten-free has become a kind of fashion, where people who are not allergic to gluten at all eat gluten-free food, anyway, which makes no sense at all as there is nothing wrong about gluten as such.
Yes, unfortunately. It's a trend like (the bs) organic food.
Yes, unfortunately. It's a trend like (the bs) organic food.
What's wrong with organic foods? That's pesticide and herbicide-free stuff, right?
Another trend in my view is omega acids in everything. I wonder how we survived without them in the past...
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