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From:	Jeff Novick, MS, RD, LD, LN (novick.vegsource.com)
Subject:	Re: Cous Cous
Date:	December 30, 2008 at 9:14 pm PST

In Reply to: Re: Cous Cous posted by carl on December 30, 2008 at 6:21 pm:

most couscous is made from wheat and so it is not gluten free.

In regard to gluten...

Many people do suffer a variety of symptoms (i.e. allergies, Abdominal cramping/bloating, constipation, irritability, depression, fatigue, headaches, etc.) from a gluten intolerance to some grains. Often times, these people can reduce or eliminate many, if not all, of their problematic symptoms when they eliminate the gluten containing grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, and barley from their diet. I am one who finds that, for me personally, the less of these grains I consume, the better. And I am not alone.

According to results that came out not to long ago from Dr. Alessio Fasano's Celiac Disease Center at the University of Maryland, the incidence of formal gluten intolerance is estimated to be about 1 in 133 in America. Gluten intolerance though is estimated to be significantly under-diagnosed and the incidence is likely to be much higher. The 1 in 133 rate is for the formally diagnosed disease; there may be many others who have a milder form of intolerance and/or sensitivity, who have yet to be and may never be diagnosed.

As for me, I still do include some non-gluten containing "intact" whole grains in my diet on occasion, such as rice, corn, buckwheat (kasha), millet, and quinoa.

In Health
Jeff

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