Nutritional Inquiry of Foods onboard Ships, Rigs and Platforms
Calling gluten-free a fad might be an understatement. It’s a cultural phenomenon that pulls in billions of dollars a year. In Canada alone, gluten-free products represent $90 million. Studies predict the worldwide market value will surpass $15 billion by 2016, yet still the diet baffles nutritionists. After all, gluten is one of the largest sources of protein, found in most wheat-based products; roughly 20% of the world’s calories come from gluten.
For ships, rigs and platforms, wheat is cheap to buy and easy to store. Many dishes require the ingredient, making it a staple in most kitchens: pastas, breads, muffins, cereals, pastries, beers and more. In fact, nearly 33% of foods sold in America contain wheat, either in gluten or starch form. Now, however, more stores stock gluten-free products to meet the rising demand. Should catering companies do the same and carry gluten-free foods onboard ships, rigs and platforms. The answer: probably not.
Individuals with celiac disease—a condition characterized by a severe wheat intolerance—represent only 1% of the world’s population. This equals 35,000 Canadians, a population too small to yield $90 million in annual sales. In addition to those afflicted, another 300,000 Canadians report to be negatively affected by gluten. In America, this number sits at 20 million. This group of people suffers from “non-celiac gluten sensitivity.”
While some truly experience a poor reaction to gluten, many individuals see it as something worth cutting from their diets unnecessarily. However, going gluten-free can result in malnutrition because wheat products contain a bevy of essential vitamins, minerals and fibres. For this reason, catering companies should refrain from engaging this trend unless documented cases of celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity exist among the crew.
Nutritionists recommend several servings of whole grain products a day. In fact, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans states that grains should account for half of all carbs. Listening to this advice can lower the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and some cancers. Understandably, unless medically advised, avoiding an entire food group makes for a poor lifestyle. Moreover, it complicates other food groups by limiting meal choices. Catering staff would have to revise their menus and victualing plans: gluten makes its way into unexpected food and cosmetic products. Thus, gluten-free becomes an expensive change.
Gluten-free diets support good habits; seafarers should watch what they eat anyway. Cutting empty calories from junk food, for instance, is healthy, though there are alternative food groups to fall back on. Typically, gluten-free products just make poor substitutes. With that said, more research is going into the field and selections are improving. Nevertheless, product prices range from two to three times more than ordinary foods, yet provide fewer nutritional benefits. For this reason alone, catering companies should resist the urge to go gluten-free unless absolutely necessary.
