Gluten-free bakery a natural hit with hungry customers

Former bodybuilder Ivan Nikolov now spends most of his time in the kitchen baking cookies, muffins and bread.

But his goodies are a muscled-up, gluten-free version of what you'd find at most bakeries.

Nikolov and his wife, Silvia, own and operate Viitals, a gluten-free bakery and cafe in Tampa.

"My goal was to provide people with a healthy option, something that basically they recognize from their childhood, but it's actually good for them; it's not something they should feel guilty about," says Nikolov, 35.

The cafe, at 6605 N. Florida Ave., sells lunchtime favorites, such as panini, and bakery staples that include cookies, muffins and birthday cakes.

At 190 calories, Viitals' vegan double-chocolate cookies are packed with five grams of fiber and five grams of protein - and are Nikolov's favorite.

"They're not bad for you, unless if you have 10 of them at the same time, it'll be just too many calories, I guess," Nikolov says with a laugh.

In addition to being vegetarian and gluten-free, most of the foods at Viitals are "hypoallergenic." That means they're free of the eight foods - milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy - that comprise about 90 percent of all food allergies, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. The protein gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye.

Nikolov's quest to create "perfect foods" began during his natural bodybuilding career in Bulgaria, as he tried to find the optimal nutritional balance for his life. When he cut refined sugar and simple carbohydrates out of his diet, he noticed his energy became steadier.

As he kept researching, he wanted to cut out most food allergens. The biggest offender? Gluten.

"I decided to open a gluten-free bakery to accommodate a lot of people, and it turns out that we all do a lot better without gluten," Nikolov says. "I'm gluten-free by choice, and I feel a lot better - my thoughts are a lot clearer."

About one out of every 133 people in the United States has Celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disorder, according to the National Institutes of Health. If a person with the disorder eats gluten, the body starts destroying the lining of the small intestine.

But those with Celiac disease are only part of the spectrum of people living on a gluten-free diet, says Cynthia Kupper, executive director of the Gluten Intolerance Group.

She estimates that 25 million people in the United States have a condition that calls for a gluten-free diet, including autism and other autoimmune diseases.

"It's really a niche market that is growing very rapidly," Kupper says.

And business has been growing rapidly for Viitals in its 10-month existence. In September, Viitals won Baking Management Magazine's product innovation award for its packaged snacks. At the same time, it supplied pizza crust to Hyde Park's Gourmet Pizza Company and goodies to Cafe Hey in downtown Tampa and Kaleisia Tea near Temple Terrace.

Nikolov opened the Viitals cafe about five months ago and keeps expanding the menu. The food appeals even to those without gluten sensitivity.

Mike Hendrick, 39, says he has stopped by the shop at least once a week for nearly a month because he's been trying to find out if unknown food allergies contribute to his dandruff and skin conditions.

"I could be having allergic reactions to some foods that I have no idea I'm having a reaction to, or a chemical in the food," Hendrick says.

His latest obsession? A vegan chocolate mousse made with avocado.

"My biggest thing is dessert. I know I can come in and get something good for me, and that's not going to have an adverse effect."