Gluten is a substance found in most wheat- and cereal-based foods and is composed of two proteins: gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is responsible for the doughy texture of baked wheat products.
Gluten is one of the top eight food allergies and causes illness in people with Celiac disease. People with Celiac disease need to be very mindful of what they consume because consuming gluten can cause damage to the small intestines and can lead to malnutrition. Being gluten-free is manageable with the variety of products there are that do not contain any gluten, especially offered on campus by Sodexo.
Upon entering the dining hall, there is a section to the right known as Simple Servings and My Zone. Simple Servings and My Zone provide a variety of meal options for students with food allergies. This area often has at least two hot meals, a fridge and multiple cabinets with an array of breads, snacks, yogurts and other foods that are gluten-free. If you are a student that has a gluten-free allergy and there is something supplemental that you would like that Sodexo does not currently offer, do not be afraid to ask. Sodexo employees are more than willing to order food that caters to your allergy.
Most people do not have a complete understanding of the gluten-free allergy and believe it to be a diet fad. Some people try a gluten-free diet because they think that it will help them be healthier. In this case, the exact opposite is true. It is not proven that going gluten-free will help you lose weight, which is a common misconception.
Actually, if you do not have this food allergy, then you should not be going gluten-free, as it can be very harmful to your body. If you are avoiding consuming grains on a gluten-free diet, you are depriving your body of natural important nutrients and can become deficient in nutrients such as iron and calcium. Also, following a gluten-free diet decreases the amount of beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal system which can greatly affect proper digestion. Gluten-free products are sometimes high in sugar, which is not necessary if you do not have this allergy.
With that being said, if you do not have a gluten-free allergy, we ask that you be mindful of the students that do. Students that are gluten-free sometimes have trouble finding meal options because there is not much left after other students that do not have an allergy take from their choices. Therefore, if you do not have a gluten-free allergy, please do not take from the items marked gluten-free in the dining hall. If you are a gluten-free student and have any other questions or recommendations regarding your meal options with Sodexo, please feel free to contact me or any Sodexo employee.
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