by: Ali Brown, RD, LD
I like to think of the staff at Vitality Consultants like a small family. And when someone in your family has a problem, we all band together for a solution. Our problem? We like to enjoy the occasional cocktail (or two… or three), but VC founder, Ashley Nanney, does not eat gluten. Unfortunately, most types of beer and some spirits are out of the question for her because they are made from ingredients that contain gluten. We simply couldn’t let that stop us, so we did some research and began a hunt for the best gluten free alcohol (beer and cocktails) we could find. We learned a lot of great information that make company parties much more fun! See the results below.
Spirits. Most liquor goes through a distillation process that dilutes any gluten that was originally in the product to amounts so small that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it safe for those with celiac disease! Unfortunately, some people with celiac disease may still experience a reaction when drinking vodka, whiskey or scotch. Luckily for us, Ashley is not a part of those unlucky few. There are also some liquors that do not originate from wheat, and therefore are safe. Tequila, rum and potato vodka are all gluten free alcohol.
Wine. Wine is made from grapes (duh), which are gluten free. Thankfully, wine is safe for all involved. Red wine even has antioxidant properties, which can protect against inflammation (bonus!).
Beer. Heineken is a brand of beer that is available at most bars. Unfortunately, not everyone is the biggest fan of Heineken. For those who prefer a more “classic” beer taste, we have a brand called Omission. They have breweries in Oregon and New Hampshire, but distribute throughout the United States. Omission brews an IPA, Pale Ale and Lager that are all free of gluten.
“Omission beers are brewed just like other great craft beers, with malted barley, hops, water, and yeast. Once the beers are ready for the fermentation tanks, we add a brewing enzyme called Brewers Clarex™ which breaks apart and detoxifies the gluten protein chains. The beers are then packaged in a closed environment to eliminate any cross contamination risk.”
As always, if you have celiac disease check the food label to make sure that there is no gluten in any of the alcoholic beverages and/or mixers you choose to drink. And of course, remember to drink responsibly!
If you’re interested in an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and more information (and recipes) like this, check out The Official Anti-Inflammatory Diet Masterclass. Or email us at info@VitalityConsultantsLLC.com for more details.
#cheerstoglutenfreebeers, #liftyourspirits, #glutenfree, #makegoodchoices