A small study on grain contamination is making it look like just because something shouldn't have gluten in it doesn't mean that is always the case. The follow-up piece just posted offers some advice, but its grim. Its clear that cross-contaminants are not being properly listed and the phrase "gluten free" or "not made with any gluten containing products" really doesn't cut it. I am not saying that I am going to start growing and milling my own grains but it makes me want to move to Italy or Ireland where gluten-free replacement products are subsidized, rather than putting the financial and information gathering burden on the consumers.
Found by way of The Essential Gluten Free Blog
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If eating gluten free is medically necessary and you are spending more doing it than a "normal" person would on "normal foods" you can deduct the difference from your taxes.
ReplyDeleteI realize you probably were talking about financial burden in illness terms etc, but it came to mind.
You are totally right!
ReplyDeleteAnd you can find out how here: http://noglutenrequired.blogspot.com/2010/02/gluten-free-tax-deductions.html
What is tricky about it is 1. keeping all receipts and 2. proving you exceed the minimum financial burden, which unless you buy a LOT of gf items is sometimes hard or not worth it.
Again, it puts the burden on the person with the medical need, which has been proven that people who must avoid gluten have to do double or triple work just to gain access to gluten free foods, medicines and products and to have to go back and do that work again (calling to see if the rice flour from the Asian market really is gluten free - or buying the gluten free labeled version for 6x the price)
That's worrying!
ReplyDeleteYou can get subsidies here in New Zealand too. It's on prescription, like any medication, so you order your basic foods [flour, cereal etc] from a 'food pharmacy' thing. But you can only access it if you're officially coeliac - which is an issue for me!
Theresa - that is a bother. I hope you are able to get the diagnosis you need to save money!
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