With gluten being tarnished with the same brush as the devil these days, it's becoming more and more commonplace to see gluten-free options on menus and in supermarkets, but has this one café gone a step too far in defiance of this ingredient backlash?
Gluten is surely the hottest topic of the decade when it comes to food intolerances. However, so many people suffer genuine intolerances to particular foods – including bloating or digestive problems after eating gluten-rich foods (grains wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a wheat-rye cross)) while others actually suffer from a disease called
Coeliac disease. Then there are some who adopt a healthy-cum-faddish approach (without an actual diagnosis) to eliminating certain foods from their diets in a bid to help their digestion, general health, and manage their weight.
However, many doctors and dietitians have said in recent times that there's
little reason to be on a gluten-free diet if you are not an actual coeliac.
But, it's your body, and if you are in tune with how it works, you might be aware of how certain foods make you feel after you eat them. Some people attest that gluten slows down or interferes with their digestion, some claim it contributes to weight gain as it digests slowly, gives sugar spikes after digestion, and increases their appetite not long after digestion. If this sounds like you, then who are we to judge if you don't like eating it.
However, The White Moose Café in Phibsborough in Dublin, decided they have had enough of people asking for gluten-free options, despite their health requirements or interests, and have adopted a pretty controversial rule: from now on, they will only provide gluten-free food to those who can prove that they are an actual coeliac, with a doctor's note.
The post explained that a girl asked for gluten-free pancakes despite never having heard of coeliac disease. Some people found it amusing; some offensive and discriminatory.
The café doesn't seem to be budging on their decision, or concerned about losing clientele or gaining any new customers anytime soon as people take to Facebook to complain. Or maybe it's just a really dumb publicity stunt and they are adopting that 'all publicity is good publicity' mantra!
One poster was particularly concerned, claiming he wouldn't be bringing his gluten-intolerant kids there, the café spokesperson was loud and clear that children with any intolerances are not welcome at the establishment.
What are your thoughts on this? Has the world gone gluten-free mad, or is it discrimination, or a really bad publicity stunt that would turn people off the place instead? Let us know in the comments below, or email us editorial@HerFamily.ie.
