Gluten is a naturally occurring protein that is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and some oats. For some people gluten is difficult to tolerate or digest properly. This might be because of an allergy, a personal choice, or they may be diagnosed with celiac disease.

Celiac disease affects nearly 3 million Americans and is a lifelong disorder where the gluten in food damages the intestines and it can be very serious if left untended. There are hereditary markers that show if you have a first degree relative (father, sister, etc) who is a celiac, which means you have a much greater chance of contracting the disease. There is no cure. Today, treatment is possible only through a gluten free diet.

Medifast has certified gluten free products that are tested and inspected by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). This is the leading gluten free organization in the world and products that have their seal of approval have been independently tested to verify their purity, quality and integrity. To gain approval, each product must be certified, and each of their individual ingredients must also be certified. It is a difficult process to achieve certification.

While no testing method can guarantee gluten that is equal to ‘0’ the GFCO sets the bar at less than 10ppm. This is even stricter than the FDA guidelines, which insist on 20ppm or less. You can find a Gluten Free Fact Sheet on the Medifast web site. You also need to be careful with product labelling that states ‘gluten free,’ simply because it was not made with wheat, rye or barley. There may still be gluten containing derivatives in these products. This is why the very strict protocols of the GFCO and their accompanying labels are the preferred method for celiac sufferers.

That little “GF” on the packaging can bring a huge sigh of relief to over 3 million Americans.

Medifast currently has more than 25 meal replacements that are certified by the GFCO as being ‘gluten free.’ These include the following:

• Snack: Brownie with real chocolate chips
• Eggs: Scrambled, Original style and Southwest style
• Fruit Drinks: Cranberry mango, Tropical punch
• Hot Drinks: Cappuccino, Chai latte, Hot cocoa
• Iced Teas: Peach, Raspberry
• Pancakes: Original, Chocolate chip
• Puddings: Banana, Chocolate, Vanilla
• Shakes (Medifast 55): Banana Crème, Dutch Chocolate, French Vanilla, Orange Crème, Strawberry Crème, Swiss Mocha
• Shakes (Medifast 70): Banana Crème, Dutch Chocolate, French Vanilla, Orange Crème, Strawberry Crème, Swiss Mocha
• Ice cream: Chocolate Mint, Coffee, Mango, Peanut Butter
• Soups: Chicken & Wild Rice, Cream of Tomato, Maryland Crab
• Essential One Antioxidant Meals: Cherry Pomegranate Shake, Dark Chocolate Shake
• Essential One Calorie Burn Meals: Cappuccino

All of these items have been certified as being gluten free, however some of these products do not yet display the “GF” symbol. This is being slowly transitioned in as old packaging materials are consumed. Eventually, all of these approved foods will display the “GF” symbol.