What is gluten and why is gluten-free important?
Gluten is a protein found in these grains: barley, rye,
oats and wheat.
Why Gluten-free Is Important:
Celiac Disease is a rare disorder caused by an intolerance to
gluten, a protein found only in these grains: barley, rye, oats and
wheat. Symptoms of Celiac Disease include diarrhea, nausea, weight
loss, skin rash, joint or bone pain, abdominal bloating and
anemia.
It is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome or spastic
colon and for this reason may be more prevalent than currently
diagnosed. FDA estimates that between 40,000 to 60,000 people are
diagnosed with this disorder, although 1.5 to 3 million people (0.4
- 1% of the American population) may not be aware they are
intolerant to gluten.
While tea is a naturally gluten-free beverage, sometimes a tea
or an herbal tea may contain a small amount of gluten-containing
grain as an ingredient. All current Bigelow Teas are
formulated to be gluten-free - we do not use any of these
grains in our products.
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