Hello Reader,

Last week, I soaked up the salty air and coastal sunshine while exploring the quaint streets of Portland, Maine, and the breathtaking beauty of Acadia National Park.

Traveling is always about seeking out delicious food wherever I go.

I enjoyed gluten-free fish & chips from Ri Ra, gourmet potato donuts from Holy Donuts, craft beer from Orange Bike Brewing, and the most magical cinnamon roll from Sweets & Co. Cafe.

Sweets and Co., founded by Lorraine Fagela, who also founded Hand + Heart Gluten-Free Baking Mixes, says she bakes everything fresh daily and advised me to "come in early" because she sells out fast.

I arrived at 9 am, and by 11 am, the cinnamon rolls and rustic breads were sold out.

Lorraine's gluten-free journey started with debilitating skin and stomach issues, but she's since channeled that experience into an obsession with creating gluten-free baked goods with perfect taste and texture. She is a true master of her craft.

If you missed last week's episode of Gluten Free Unwrapped, you can hear Lorraine's inspiring story. I guarantee it will be worth your time to listen, and it just may prompt you to book a ticket to Maine soon!

🎧 Meet the CEO Disrupting the Bread Category

I drop a new episode of Gluten Free Unwrapped every Wednesday, and this week, I chat with BFree's CEO, Alex Murphy.

If you've been following me here for a while, you know I'm a big BFree fan, so this interview automatically became one of my favs.

Alex discusses the challenges of crafting high-quality, gluten-free bread, the steps required to create a gluten-free brand from scratch, and why Ireland might offer some of the best gluten-free eats around!

She also talks about bread in a can - what?!?

🎧 Listen to this week's episode -- and leave a review -- it really helps!

Let's Talk Gluten-Free Beer🍺

While in Maine, I visited Orange Bike Brewing, a dedicated gluten-free brewery with a cool, hipster vibe. I tried a flight, met the owner, and got a behind-the-scenes tour. If you're ever in the Portland area, this brewery is worth a visit!

As I left, I was struck by how lucky we are to be gluten-free in a time like this, with access to more than two dozen gluten-free craft breweries in the U.S.

As summer temperatures climb and that cold beer starts calling your name, here are three essential things to know about beer and gluten:

🚫 Traditional Beer is a No-Go

Traditional beer is brewed and fermented using gluten-containing grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye. It is off-limits for those with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

This can be confusing because alcohol, like whiskey and scotch, is also made from gluten-containing grains, but is safe for people with celiac disease.

The key difference? Alcohol is distilled, and during this process, the gluten protein is removed. Beer is fermented, and fermentation does not remove the gluten protein.

✅ Safe Beer

Beer brewed from naturally gluten-free grains like millet, buckwheat, sorghum, or rice is your safest bet. These breweries use dedicated facilities and equipment, eliminating the risk of cross-contamination.

BTW, I recently discovered Meli Quinoa Beer, which is made from, you guessed it, quinoa! It was pretty good - perhaps a bit bitter for my taste, but I'm not a beer drinker, so I'm not one to speak on this matter.

⚠️ The Risky “Gluten-Removed” Beer

You’ll also see beer labeled “gluten-reduced” or “crafted to remove gluten.” This means the brewer has added an enzyme that breaks down the gluten protein in traditionally brewed beer.

While it sounds promising, there’s no reliable way to test whether this process was completely successful. For those of us who are serious about staying gluten-free, these beers are too much of a gamble.

S’mores, Anyone? 🍫🔥

I’m keeping the summer vibes going with a fun mini gluten-free s’mores recipe featuring Schar's NEW Mini Honeygrams and Dandies Vegan Marshmallows. Both were found in the July Love Me Gluten Free box.

👉 Schar is offering our community 20% off everything at schaer.com with the code LOVEMESCHAR. 🙌

Ethel’s Has New Cookies! 🍪

Ethel’s continues to knock it out of the park with flavor and texture—and they recently sent me three cookie flavors to try (and I'm now deciding which to include in a future box).

If you spot these cookies at your local Sprouts or Walmart, grab ’em while you can. (I was storing them in my freezer, hence the foggy photo.)

👉 Use the code LMGF20 for 20% off at ethels.com - be sure to enter the coupon BEFORE checking out.

News from Gluten-Free Land

Get the August Box:

The August Love Me Gluten Free box is available ... and it ships soon (August 4th). This beautiful box is packed with products created by women-founded and/or women-led businesses, so you will be supporting hard-working women when you get this box. Reserve your box at lovemeglutenfree.com and use the code WOMENPOWER20 for 20% off your first box, subscriptions only.

Find Me Gluten - New Feature Alert:

Find Me Gluten Free has launched a new feature for US travelers that allows you to leave reviews for airlines and cruise lines using FMGF's new Travel tab.

New Study Suggests Nocebo Effect in Patients with IBS:

A small study published in The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that 26 of 28 IBS patients reported worse symptoms after eating cereal bars – even when the bars contained no gluten or wheat. In other words, the participants had similar reactions whether they ate gluten-free bars, gluten-containing bars, or wheat-containing bars.

Researchers suggest this could be the “nocebo effect,” where negative expectations alone trigger real physical symptoms.

This research focused specifically on people with IBS who believed gluten was triggering their symptoms. It doesn’t apply to celiac disease, where gluten causes real autoimmune damage, or to people with actual gluten intolerance.

While this research is fascinating, it shouldn’t make anyone second-guess legitimate health concerns. If avoiding gluten genuinely improves your quality of life, that’s what matters most.

Plus, the study involved just 28 people, so we need much larger research before drawing broad conclusions. Trust your body, work with healthcare providers, and don’t let headlines shake your confidence in your own experience.

Have a great weekend - enjoy the sunshine! ☀️

Sincerely,

Jenny

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