The Gluten Gouge, Part Two

Last week, we discussed how restaurants take advantage of us food challenged folks. This occurs by overcharging, having very scant knowledge about gluten, having a paltry GF menu or 2-3 options.

Another way we are gouged, is by the myriad of GF products that are available. Many taste  like cardboard or have a gritty texture boasting an exorbitant price tag. The other thing that is torturing me is the use of agave. If you don't know that it isn't good for you please read my article on agave. Most GF/CF products are using agave as a sweetener making them GF junk foods. Most of these products do not want you to evaluate the label. The carbohydrate content is extremely high which contributes to inflammation especially for those who are new to GF diet. This high content also contributes to weight gain as well as expanding the budget.You can find out more on why you should avoid processed, GF food items in a previous blog post.

Favorite GF Restaurants, continued:
Boa, a fab place that fuses Mexican and Asian cuisines beautifully
Namaste, staff is knowledgeable about GF offerings, lunch buffet is affordable and offers many GF/CF options
Beau Joe"s,  uses soy cheese on pizza, some items seem over priced
Mad greens, has GF soups, salad dressing and is very helpful in making sure your lunch doesn't bite you later!
Tokyo Joe's, always check on what is GF
Chipotle, also uses organic meats, watch the calories, a burrito bowl with toppings can easily exceed 1000 calories
Ras Kassas, a great Ethiopian restaurant with many naturally GF options and staff is knowledgeable, lunch buffet is a well spent $10 and get the naturally sweetened spiced ice tea
Tasty Harmony, a Ft Collins vegetarian restaurant also has raw food options! The cashew cheese nachos are fabulous! Several GF/DF shakes and desserts are available.
http://watercoursefoods.com/Watercourse, a vegetarian Denver restaurant that offers GF desserts sans dairy and eggs, but soy may be prevalent, always check! Their sister location, City O City, offers coffee/tea and bar with GF desserts and pastries as well as  entrees items.
Cafe de Paris, a quaint coffee shop that offers many GF items including soup, paninis, salads and desserts. It is located n Louisville, CO. There are a few other restaurants in this small town that offer GF items. 
The Twisted Cork Cafe, located in Salida, CO, is a favorite when we travel to Pagosa Springs. There is GF menu, wine tasting in the wine room and a wonderful patio with the river running right next to it. The tranquil sounds of running water with a good meal, ahhhhhhhh. This is a pricey restaurant so be prepared.


A few places to avoid.

Panera, consistently puts gluten or other items that I requested not to be on my food, I have been told a certain soup is GF and other times I am told it isn't. They are frequently "put out" in any requests that take more time than they are used to. Their staff doesn't understand gluten and they will not take the time to ensure your meal won't bite you later.

Noodles, a place I used to eat since they had a GF menu, but now I am told certain items I was eating were never gluten free. Not a safe place to eat.
Pei Wei, is owned by PF Chang's, it has marginal service and only a few GF items. Since they do not use GF soy sauce, many items are not on the menu for us. If you do eat there, tell them you need GF so they use separate cook ware.
Black Eyed  Pea, this is one of those places that over the phone says they have GF, but really don't.

If you hit Boulder, it is quite easy to eat almost any where since so many GF options area available.

Here is a picture of one of my favorite salads, lettuce doesn't always have to be the base of a salad.
This salad is mango, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions tossed with salt and pepper. Sometimes I have just mango, avocado and cucumber, all these combos are delicious and so easy to whip together.

Raw Chocolate Pudding

Creaminess and dairy substitute comes in the form of a green fruit, avocado.

1 ripe avocado
2 Tbsp soaked raisins, save soak water
2 Tbsp cocoa (raw if you are keeping raw)
1 Tbsp honey
nut milk as needed to blend

Blend all ingredients in a blender using soak liquid and or nut milk to keep blades moving, do not add too much or it will be runny. Don't over blend.

Use some soaked dates to achieve a caramel flavor.

Serves 1

Real Resolutions for 2011

I posted this on this blog last year January 2010 and it is worth reposting.
Happy New Year!


Happy New Year! Being a new year, we all make resolutions to do things differently than we did last year. I would encourage you to avoid putting the following foods/non-foods in your mouth and your body this year. By being diligent and making your own food, not only will your health benefit, but so will your pocket book.

Maintaining or regaining your health is priceless. And really we should have started yesterday, next time, don't wait until the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, start right away. Successful people don't wait to start.

Also, if you indulge, don't beat yourself up, make sure your next meal is a healthy one, it will help make up for a bad meal.

1. Cancer sticks, also known as french fries. I must confess I love french fries! I haven't always, but lately they seemed to call my name. Smash Burger has Smash Fries, greasy and dotted with yummy rosemary seasoning. This is a food drenched in inflammatory, usually hydrogenated or trans fatty oils (usually rancid oils), stripped of its nutrients and unfortunately turns to sugar when it is consumed by our bodies. The only "benefit" is some satiation of emotional discomfort. The feeling of I need my fries is temporarily relieved when consumed, but I tend to suffer later because I ate them. So I and you should avoid these, occasional consumption is not the end of the world. Avoid all fried items, drop the doughnut!

2. MSG also known as: monosodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, so called natural flavorings, sodium caseinate, plant protein, glutamate, glutamic acid and many other disguised names. MSG is an excitotoxin. It works by exciting your taste buds making food taste qualities more distinct. There is a food chain that has a tortilla soup that I find myself craving. They will not disclose all of the ingredients making me think that MSG is the culprit that intensifies the taste and makes me want the product more. In exciting our taste buds, Dr Russell Blaylock, a neurologist has written a book that discusses the neurotoxicity of MSG and aspartame. The neurons in our brain are our nervous system's building blocks. MSG and its twisted cousin, aspartame/Nutrasweet are excitotoxins which lead to weight gain and neuron death. They are excited to death, literally.

Nutrasweet, aspartame are in the same boat here. If you have a choice between white sugar and aspartame, choose the white sugar. People tend to crave carbohydrates more while taking these substances, leading to more weight. Drop the Flaming Hot Cheetos!

3. Cold cereals are glorified junk food. I know they tout lots of fiber, but even organic ones are loaded with sugars. Taking bleached or unbleached refined grains or whole grains and heating them to high temperatures so they can be extruded into shapes like nuggets, rings, whatever does not make a health food. Here is a great article on this subject as well as grains in general.

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) or Agave, fructose syrup, should be avoided at all costs. Again, the occasional pop or Gatorade is not the end of the world, but like gluten, this product is in almost every processed food. Last year studies confirmed that mercury was found in some HFCS samples. That is disturbing as we are exposed to many environmental and food toxins as is. These fructose syrups are metabolized by the liver, not the digestive tract and can cause non-alcoholic liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis. It also causes diabetes, obesity and high triglycerides (blood fats). You don't need this. If you are hooked on soda, quit.

5. Unfermented soy 'food' products. Tofu is fine in moderation, but is not a health food. Soy milk is a highly processed food. Soy oil and lecithin is found in many foods and as typical American fashion we tend to over do anything that we think is good for us. Over 2/3rds of soy crops grown in US are genetically modified (GMO). The Japanese do consume tofu but mainly fermented soy products such as miso, fermented soy beans and soy sauce (keep yours gluten free). They also use soy to round out their meal, not as a replacement, similar to a condiments.

6. Sugar, is the white Satan and yes, you should avoid sugar. What is considered sugar? Many of the wonderful gluten free bloggers suggest their recipes are sugar free because they are using agave nectar or honey. But these are sugars, different types, but have the effects of sugar even if it is supposedly low glycemic. In the case of agave, it is worrisome because it has the same effects on health as HFCS. Honey has some beneficial properties that are medicinal as well as containing nutrients and minerals. It is also a sugar though and should be used sparingly.

Ultimately, we as a nation need to deal with our extreme addiction to sugar. Don't forget about natural sugars. Fruits are (contain levulose) good, juice should be avoided. Blending a whole fruit is preferable as the fiber and nutrients stay with the fruit as opposed to separation that occurs with juicing. People with difficulty regulating their blood sugar should avoid juicing fruit. Dried fruits are very concentrated in natural sugar and should also be avoided. Carbohydrates do add up over the course of day. This means absolutely no pop!! Special message to my wonderful, Mountain Dew loving husband! The Dew is green, but not made by God.

Special note: Splenda shouldn't be consumed by anyone. Long term effects remain to be seen and it isn't wise to eat something that your body supposedly doesn't recognize. Sweet N Low, aspartame, Equal are all bad for you. Stevia is a good choice for liquids that need sweetening such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate or salad dressing. Sugar alcohol substitutes like Xylitol are highly processed but can be used for baking.

6. Since this is a GF blog, we all avoid white flour. But what about GF white substitutes? Tapioca, arrowroot, corn and potato starches, rice flours, and sorghum have their fair share of carbs. So be mindful of your consumption or your pants may get quite tight! And, you can continue to increase inflammation.

7. Microwave popcorn (microwaving in general is not wise as it destroys the nutrients in your meal) is a chemically laden food and shouldn't be produced must less consumed by anyone. If you want popcorn get a kettle popper hand cranked or electric, use organic, not GMO corn and coconut oil.

8. Canned foods tend to have liners made from plastic, Bisphenol A, a toxic compound. This chemical is known to be a xenoestrogen. It has implications for cancer, miscarriage and immune dysfunction.

9. Liquid meals in cans/cartons such as weight loss shakes, Ensure, etc. Read the label. Not only is there dairy products but a lot of sugar and synthetic vitamins. If you require liquid nutrition due to health concern or would like a liquid breakfast, stay tuned for next week, we will discuss a healthy, easy option to meet this need. Liquid meals tend to also be processed, lacking any fresh foods with live enzymes.

10. Protein bars are glorified candy bars. Protein bars are made by soy and whey waste products obtained from manufactures and are again loaded with HFCS or other sugars. Hydrogenated fats are also prevalent in these bars. If you can find raw food bars, they can be a good stand in, but may contain agave. If you want a bar to eat, try looking up recipes online and making your own. You can always make them in bulk and freeze them. Here is a yummy recipe from Dr Ben Kim. He has some wonderful GFCF and raw recipes.

Resources
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.ewg.org/node/20938
www.drbenkim.com



This list should give you incentive to really think about what you put in your mouth and to make your own food. It will be kind to your body, your mind, your family, your pocketbook and your waist line.

The 10 Absolute Worst Things to Put into Your Mouth!

Happy New Year! Being a new year, we all make resolutions to do things differently than we did last year. I would encourage you to avoid putting the following foods/non-foods in your mouth and your body this year. By being diligent and making your own food, not only will your health benefit, but so will your pocket book.

Maintaining or regaining your health is priceless. And really we should have started yesterday, next time, don't wait until the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, start right away. Successful people don't wait to start.

Also, if you indulge, don't beat yourself up, make sure your next meal is a healthy one, it will help make up for a bad meal.

1. Cancer sticks, also known as french fries. I must confess I love french fries! I haven't always, but lately they seemed to call my name. Smash Burger has Smash Fries, greasy and dotted with yummy rosemary seasoning. This is a food drenched in inflammatory, usually hydrogenated or trans fatty oils (usually rancid oils), stripped of its nutrients and unfortunately turns to sugar when it is consumed by our bodies. The only "benefit" is some satiation of emotional discomfort. The feeling of I need my fries is temporarily relieved when consumed, but I tend to suffer later because I ate them. So I and you should avoid these, occasional consumption is not the end of the world. Avoid all fried items, drop the doughnut!

2. MSG also known as: monosodium glutamate, autolyzed yeast extract, so called natural flavorings, sodium caseinate, plant protein, glutamate, glutamic acid and many other disguised names. MSG is an excitotoxin. It works by exciting your taste buds making food taste qualities more distinct. There is a food chain that has a tortilla soup that I find myself craving. They will not disclose all of the ingredients making me think that MSG is the culprit that intensifies the taste and makes me want the product more. In exciting our taste buds, Dr Russell Blaylock, a neurologist has written a book that discusses the neurotoxicity of MSG and aspartame. The neurons in our brain are our nervous system's building blocks. MSG and its twisted cousin, aspartame/Nutrasweet are excitotoxins which lead to weight gain and neuron death. They are excited to death, literally.

Nutrasweet, aspartame are in the same boat here. If you have a choice between white sugar and aspartame, choose the white sugar. People tend to crave carbohydrates more while taking these substances, leading to more weight. Drop the Flaming Hot Cheetos!

3. Cold cereals are glorified junk food. I know they tout lots of fiber, but even organic ones are loaded with sugars. Taking bleached or unbleached refined grains or whole grains and heating them to high temperatures so they can be extruded into shapes like nuggets, rings, whatever does not make a health food. Here is a great article on this subject as well as grains in general.

4. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) or Agave, fructose syrup, should be avoided at all costs. Again, the occasional pop or Gatorade is not the end of the world, but like gluten, this product is in almost every processed food. Last year studies confirmed that mercury was found in some HFCS samples. That is disturbing as we are exposed to many environmental and food toxins as is. These fructose syrups are metabolized by the liver, not the digestive tract and can cause non-alcoholic liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis. It also causes diabetes, obesity and high triglycerides (blood fats). You don't need this. If you are hooked on soda, quit.

5. Unfermented soy 'food' products. Tofu is fine in moderation, but is not a health food. Soy milk is a highly processed food. Soy oil and lecithin is found in many foods and as typical American fashion we tend to over do anything that we think is good for us. Over 2/3rds of soy crops grown in US are genetically modified (GMO). The Japanese do consume tofu but mainly fermented soy products such as miso, fermented soy beans and soy sauce (keep yours gluten free). They also use soy to round out their meal, not as a replacement, similar to a condiments.

6. Sugar, is the white Satan and yes, you should avoid sugar. What is considered sugar? Many of the wonderful gluten free bloggers suggest their recipes are sugar free because they are using agave nectar or honey. But these are sugars, different types, but have the effects of sugar even if it is supposedly low glycemic. In the case of agave, it is worrisome because it has the same effects on health as HFCS. Honey has some beneficial properties that are medicinal as well as containing nutrients and minerals. It is also a sugar though and should be used sparingly.

Ultimately, we as a nation need to deal with our extreme addiction to sugar. Don't forget about natural sugars. Fruits are (contain levulose) good, juice should be avoided. Blending a whole fruit is preferable as the fiber and nutrients stay with the fruit as opposed to separation that occurs with juicing. People with difficulty regulating their blood sugar should avoid juicing fruit. Dried fruits are very concentrated in natural sugar and should also be avoided. Carbohydrates do add up over the course of day. This means absolutely no pop!! Special message to my wonderful, Mountain Dew loving husband! The Dew is green, but not made by God.

Special note: Splenda shouldn't be consumed by anyone. Long term effects remain to be seen and it isn't wise to eat something that your body supposedly doesn't recognize. Sweet N Low, aspartame, Equal are all bad for you. Stevia is a good choice for liquids that need sweetening such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate or salad dressing. Sugar alcohol substitutes like Xylitol are highly processed but can be used for baking.

6. Since this is a GF blog, we all avoid white flour. But what about GF white substitutes? Tapioca, arrowroot, corn and potato starches, rice flours, and sorghum have their fair share of carbs. So be mindful of your consumption or your pants may get quite tight! And, you can continue to increase inflammation.

7. Microwave popcorn (microwaving in general is not wise as it destroys the nutrients in your meal) is a chemically laden food and shouldn't be produced must less consumed by anyone. If you want popcorn get a kettle popper hand cranked or electric, use organic, not GMO corn and coconut oil.

8. Canned foods tend to have liners made from plastic, Bisphenol A, a toxic compound. This chemical is known to be a xenoestrogen. It has implications for cancer, miscarriage and immune dysfunction.

9. Liquid meals in cans/cartons such as weight loss shakes, Ensure, etc. Read the label. Not only is there dairy products but a lot of sugar and synthetic vitamins. If you require liquid nutrition due to health concern or would like a liquid breakfast, stay tuned for next week, we will discuss a healthy, easy option to meet this need. Liquid meals tend to also be processed, lacking any fresh foods with live enzymes.

10. Protein bars are glorified candy bars. Protein bars are made by soy and whey waste products obtained from manufactures and are again loaded with HFCS or other sugars. Hydrogenated fats are also prevalent in these bars. If you can find raw food bars, they can be a good stand in, but may contain agave. If you want a bar to eat, try looking up recipes online and making your own. You can always make them in bulk and freeze them. Here is a yummy recipe from Dr Ben Kim. He has some wonderful GFCF and raw recipes.

Resources
http://www.mercola.com/article/soy/index.htm
http://www.ewg.org/node/20938
www.drbenkim.com



This list should give you incentive to really think about what you put in your mouth and to make your own food. It will be kind to your body, your mind, your family, your pocketbook and your waist line.

Is Agave Healthy?

I have written the article below that will appear on ezinearticles.com this week. I have used agave in baking, cooking and in my tea. Since I avoid high fructose corn syrup like the plague, I am thinking that I may do the same with agave or use it only on rare occasions. As with anything, it is best to stick to the real deal in its entirety.
Updated information on agave.

Here it is:
d be a better alternative to white sugar. A recent study trial using diabetic participants who consumed agave nectar suffered severe side effects and the trial was stopped. The site fails to report what these issues were and how much agave was ingested by participants. In speaking with a representative of an agave manufacturing company there are questions about whether or not sucrose in the form of maple syrup was used in addition to the agave.

I have been quietly reviewing information on agave and have become increasingly concerned that it may not be the sugar alternative panacea that people believe it to be. It is primarily a fructose syrup that is made from agave not corn. Most of us are familiar with high fructose corn syrup which is a processed sugar as well. It takes a lot of processing to make any syrup from a plant that is a cactus or from corn for that matter.

The syrup contains not only fructose (purported to be 55% to 92% with some glucose), but inulin (not insulin), which is a chemically manufactured fiber combined with fructose that can increase the concentration of sugar in the agave.

You might be wondering why fructose syrup is bad, because fruit contains fructose and fruit is good for us. This is true, but the natural form of fructose found in fruit is levulose. It is replete with enzymes, fiber, pectin, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Individuals with blood sugar stability issues will have difficulty with homemade fruit juices because the sugar becomes separated from the fiber resulting in blood sugar elevations. High fructose corn syrup is consumed by many Americans in mass quantities as this substance is found not only in beverages but the majority of processed foods. It is a cheap sweetener making it attractive to food manufacturers. It also tends to be genetically modified (GM) and it is questionable what the long term (20 years or more) outcome of continual use of GM foods will be.

Fructose syrup ends up being processed by the liver and is one of the leading reasons there is a rise in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The liver has to process the constant stream of corn syrup leading to fatty liver deposits and over time these will cause liver cell death and organ failure. Fructose syrup also gets turned into excess body fat, causes inflammation in the body and vessels and turns into blood fats called triglycerides. An all around bad thing to ingest, and it lacks nutrients. This is considered wasted calories so if you are trying to lose weight dump the sugary drinks. If agave is also a fructose syrup there is no reason to expect it won't cause the same detrimental effects that have been observed by corn syrup.

Americans are extremely dependent upon and addicted to sugar. For people who are dependent on sugary foods, it is vital that you come to terms with this addiction. Find a way to replace those foods with better choices. An apple is a better choice than a soda pop in the afternoon, especially if a protein and/or a fat is added, like nut butter. You will get a little sweet taste and energy as well. Fat in the nut butter will provide energy as well as slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your system. It is wise to avoid the elevations in blood sugar levels, and this simple food combining technique is one way to do this.

If you are diabetic you must end all sugar consumption. Eat lean proteins, vegetables and no fruits except berries, a scant ½ c. a day, or a green apple, until blood sugar control is achieved with minimal medication. If good control is obtained through this method, then work with your health care practitioner to evaluate if you can tolerate more carbohydrates like tomatoes and fruits. Counting carbohydrates will continue to make your pancreas work over time until it can no longer make any insulin. Lastly, consuming diet soft drinks has been found in a study to increase the likelihood of developing diabetes with elevated blood sugar elevations and weight gain. It was speculated that these individuals overindulged on sugar laden foods, but I suspect it has to do with the increased concentration of sweetness from these chemical additives. Aspartame is an excitotoxin, meaning it excites the taste buds, stimulating a stronger taste. This may tell the body via the taste buds that something sugary is coming into the digestive tract. The body responds and may be releasing insulin in response to the stimulus even though the sugar is not actually there. There are many other reasons to avoid these artificial chemical additives.

Agave is preferable to high fructose corn syrup any day. Be judicial in your use of agave. Since it is sweeter, you should use less. Honey is also fructose and glucose. It can be used as well but again very small amounts and not on a constant, high amount basis.

An alternative sweetener that you can use daily is Stevia. Xylitol, erythritol and Malitol are sugar alcohols. Be aware that these (sugar alcohols) sweeteners are also processed. These will allow you to have the occasional cake or cookie, use it cup for cup for granulated sugar in recipes. Be wary of using large amounts as it can cause gas and bloating. Stevia can be used in beverages, dressings and some desserts quite well. If you use higher doses than a few drops, a few times a day, or if you use several packets, then Stevia can lower blood sugar or blood pressure to uncomfortably low levels. If you are on medication you may need to monitor or reduce your use. Stevia is a concentrated natural sweetener so, a little goes a long way. It has a long history of use, over 200 years without ill effects on humans.