Gluten Free Wilmington: Asian fusion

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Mama Fu's

I’d like to share with you some other restaurants that I have eaten at safely and deliciously. My all time favorite restaurant since becoming GF is P.F. Changs. They have an extensive GF menu and knowledgeable well-trained wait staff. Unfortunately, there isn’t one in Wilmington (the closest is in Myrtle Beach, SC, if you’re up for the drive, and another in Raleigh, NC). However, Mama Fu’s in Mayfair has similar menu items (though not as extensive of a GF Menu). My favorite dish to get there is the steam bowl with chicken and either white or brown rice. They have a red chili sauce that is GF and delicious that you can order on the side. If I remember, I’ll bring my own GF soy sauce. The meal is healthy, affordable, and delicious. I’ve also had the veggie spring rolls (they use rice paper) which were good as well. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable and I always have a positive experience there. The corporate website offers a larger gluten free menu although I think this is new and not yet implemented in all of their restaurant branches.

For more information:

Mama Fu’s Wilmington

941 International Drive

Wilmington, NC 28405

910. 256.2620

www.mamafus.com

Happy eating,

Nina

Celiac Disease by the Numbers

1 out of every 133 Americans (about 3 million people) has CD.
97% of Americans estimated to have CD are not diagnosed.
CD has over 300 known symptoms although some people experience none.
Age of diagnosis is key: If you are diagnosed between age 2-4, your chance of getting an additional autoimmune disorder is 10.5%. Over the age of 20, that rockets up to 34%.
30% of the US population is estimated to have the genes necessary for CD.
2.5 babies are born every minute in the USA with the genetic makeup to have CD.
There are 15 states in the US with populations less than the total number of Celiacs in the US.
CD affects more people in the US than Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease combined.
500,000 new Celiac diagnoses are expected to occur in the US by 2012 -- thanks to efforts to raise public awareness of the disease.
People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a 'very good' or 'good' understanding of GF diets.
It takes an average of 11 years for patients to be properly diagnosed with CD even though a simple blood test exists.
The average cost of misdiagnosis is $5,000 - $12,000 per person per year. Improving the time to diagnosis could save the health care system millions of dollars annually in unnecessary medical care.
A recent study by Packaged Facts projects that the sales of GF food will reach $2.63 Billion by 2012.
GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive then their non-GF counterparts.
The smallest amount of gluten which has been shown by a biopsy to cause damage to a Celiac is 0.1 gram per day - or 1/48th of a slice of bread.
The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act became law in 2006 allowing for easier reading of food labels for those with CD. What took so long?
12% of people in the US who have Down Syndrome also have CD.
6% of people in the US who have Type 1 Diabetes also have CD.
Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with celiac, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
There are currently 0 drugs available to treat CD.