Wednesday, July 28, 2010

GLUTEN-FREEks

Everyone has problems. Apparently, some people’s problem is gluten. I was talking to a friend that was SUPER excited to tell me about this SUPER HEALTHY cereal they had eaten and I just HAD to try it.

“OMG CAROLYN, it is SO healthy. It’s vegan and it has nuts and no trans fat and no soy AND it’s gluten-free!” (We’ll get to the demonization of soy in a future post).


I am use to hearing stuff like this now, but at the time, I wasn’t sure how to process what I was hearing. Gluten-free; I had started to see it more often, but I still wasn’t 100% sure why gluten was “bad.”

Shouldn’t people only avoid gluten if they’re allergic? I thought to myself. So I asked, “What’s wrong with gluten?”

“…I don’t know… It’s just not good for you.”

Looking back on this situation annoys me, not because of my friend, but because people just need to stop and think about why they do the things they do. Problems stem from people being incapable of thinking for themselves... Which leads to bad decision making. This is really unfortunate, but the norm for today’s society.

Gluten, found in its natural sources, is not bad for you, unless you have Celiac’s disease.

What is Celiac’s disease? It is an inherited condition that damages the lining of the small intestine. This damage is due to a reaction from eating gluten. It causes malabsorption of vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fats and other important nutrients. Your body can't function properly without these. (Who knew your body couldn’t function properly without carbs?!).

Gluten is a plant protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

Gluten is found in a wide variety of food. It is used as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners. If you see any of the following in the ingredients list: flour, self-rising flour, enriched flour, graham flour, durum flour, gluten four, food starch or modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), or malt or malt flavorings, there is most likely gluten in those products, and depending on your sensitivity to gluten, you may have a reaction… IF YOU HAVE CELIAC’S DISEASE.

I met a young man who had Celiac’s disease, and I had a great time talking to him about what he eats. Gluten is found in a lot of things, and it takes a lot of hard work to avoid it. Having Celiac’s Disease is not easy.

On the other hand, I’ve met a couple of people who have not been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease, but claim to “feel better” when they avoid gluten. Okay, first of all, there is nothing wrong with this. If avoiding gluten makes you “feel better” go for it. The last thing I want is someone in agony because they had a wheat flake in their cereal. But let me say this, sugar pills make people feel better all the time.

Anyway, what I take issue with is when people say gluten is legitimately bad for you. Here’s why:

Gluten is found in whole grains, and it is going to take an infinite amount of research to prove to me that something found in a natural whole grain is bad for you. Have we not learned anything from history? First, there was the prohibition of fat, but now there are HEALTHY fats. Then there was the carb crusade, but oops, only the simple carbs from processed foods are bad for you. Not to mention for the longest time, people thought being a vegetarian was unhealthy… and surprise, surprise, they were wrong.

Perhaps we should take a look at commonly eaten foods that contain gluten:

Breaded foods, breads, bagels, croissants, buns, cakes, donuts, and pies, most cereals, cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, sausage, crackers and many snacks bought at the store, such as potato chips and tortilla chips, gravy, pancakes, waffles, pasta and pizza, most soups, stuffing, beer, some candies, communion breads, croutons, marinades, sauces, soy and teriyaki sauces, some salad dressings, self-basting turkey, and many more…

Is it just me… or did I just list off a BUNCH of junk food. That’s crazy how when people avoid eating gluten… they feel better.

What does a gluten-free diet look like?

You’re gonna be eating a lot of grains like rice, corn, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat; as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Any processed foods you’re going to be eating are going to be made from whole grains, and when you go out to eat, you’ll be limited to only the healthiest foods.

Hmm… I wonder what it is about avoiding gluten that makes people feel good… Could it perchance be the fact that they CANNOT eat processed fatty foods, but instead eat “special” WHOLE grains like quinoa and amaranth as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts?

No, no, no! It’s not that at all! It’s definitely because they are avoiding Satan reincarnated in gluten form.

As I’ve stated before, gluten is found in a lot of food. I highly doubt that it is optimal for anyone to eat that much gluten. I always say getting a variety is the key to optimal health. If wheat is your ONLY source of grain, switch it up with some rice, buckwheat, corn, or quinoa.

Moral of the story? Americans probably do get too much gluten and from the worst sources. Lower your processed food intake and everyone will feel better. That is all for today.

If you’re concerned that you may have Celiac’s Disease, check out these websites:

www.celiac.org

www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/index.htm

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Fat Kids

When I was in elementary school, my teacher would delegate two captains to select teams for whatever sport we were playing during PE. Our class would line up and the two captains would choose players one at a time, each trying to obtain the ‘best’ athletes first. Looking back on this makes me laugh. Every day we would line up and let people decide who was the most valuable and who was the least. When it would come down to the last two choices, the team captains would roll their eyes in disappointment, as if it was a detriment rather than an asset to have either player on their side.

It seems as if it would be somewhat devastating to consistently be the last kid chosen for a team at recess. Sure these kids weren’t the most athletic, but perhaps they had some other talent… like art or science.

The point of the story is that everyone and everything has some type of value to it, which brings me to today’s post: Light colored vegetables have been labeled the fat kids of the playground.

They too are often overlooked and unappreciated. They are tossed aside while ‘better’ foods such as Romaine lettuce, spinach, or carrots are chosen.
“But there’s nothing in there. It’s just cellulose and water.”
I cannot count how many times people have said nonsense like this to me. I know someone who actually picks iceberg lettuce out of their salad!

Who thinks this way? It is completely logical to me: Celery, iceberg lettuce, and other light green vegetables would not exist if they had no purpose.

Let me start off with saying that celery is a good source of fiber and a great low calorie snack. In addition to that, it has trace amounts of quite a few nutrients and contains a high amount of vitamin K.
Celery has shown to have antiviral and antimicrobial benefits. This is especially beneficial because there have been several bacterial infections associated with the risk of certain cancers, and viruses are now recognized as one of the leading causes of cancer.
Celery also contains lutein, which is a caratenoid. Studies show that high amounts of dietary lutein is correlated with reduced risk of colon cancer. Other foods that contain lutein include spinach, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges, carrots, and greens. Lutein is also necessary for optimal eye sight.

Flavones; yet another wonderful thing found in celery. “The only important edible sources of flavones identified to date are parsley and celery.” Flavones show beneficial effects against atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus and certain cancers.
So the next time someone nay says you for eating celery, you can just smile because you know you’re going to live longer than them.



Now onto iceberg lettuce. Iceberg lettuce is another good source of vitamin K. In fact, women who consumed lettuce (iceberg or Romaine) one or more times per day had a 45% lower risk of hip fracture than women who consumed lettuce one or fewer times per week.
Interestingly enough, iceberg lettuce has a higher antioxidant content than green leaf Romaine lettuce! Iceberg lettuce is also a good source of polyphenols.
Furthermore, iceberg lettuce is incredibly high in choline. Choline is a micronutrient that helps with cell structure and function. It is a dietary source of methyl groups, which is important for cell replication. Choline is also needed for neural function as well as lipid transport and metabolism.
Spinach and Romaine lettuce may have a higher amount of nutrients that iceberg lettuce, but it doesn’t necessarily make them better, they’re just different. The point is getting a variety. Eating mostly spinach and romaine is great, but it certainly isn’t going to hurt you to throw some iceberg lettuce in there, in fact, it might even help.


So next time you get a sandwich with iceberg lettuce, instead of disdainfully saying, “Psh, there’s nothing even in this,” you should say, “I’m lucky that there’s lettuce in this sandwich! It’s good for me and it’s definitely better than no lettuce!”






References
Alan Crozier, Michael E. J. Lean,, Morag S. McDonald, and, Christine Black Quantitative Analysis of the Flavonoid Content of Commercial Tomatoes, Onions, Lettuce, and Celery. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1997 45 (3), 590-595
Feskanich,, Diane, and Peter Weber. "Vitamin K intake and hip fractures in women: a prospective study." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 69.1 (1999): 74-79. Web. 13 Jul 2010. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/69/1/74?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=iceberg+lettuce&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT.
Halvorsen, Bente, and Monica Carlsen. "Content of redox-active compounds (ie, antioxidants) in foods consumed in the United States." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 84.1 (2006): 95-135. Web. 13 Jul 2010. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/84/1/95?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=iceberg+lettuce+antioxidants&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT.
Lampe, Johanna . "Spicing up a vegetarian diet: chemopreventive effects of phytochemicals." American Society for Clinical Nutrition 78.3 (2003): 579S-583S. Web. 12 Jul 2010. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/78/3/579S?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=celery+benefits&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&resourcetype=HWCIT.
Llorach, Rafael, and Francisco Tomás-Barberán. "Lettuce and Chicory Byproducts as a Source of Antioxidant Phenolic Extracts." J. Agric. Food Chem 52.16 (2004): 5109–5116. Web. 13 Jul 2010. http://0-pubs.acs.org.catalog.llu.edu/doi/full/10.1021/jf040055a.
Manach,, Claudine. "Polyphenols: food sources and bioavailability." American Society for Clinical Nutrition 79.5 (2004): 727-747. Web. 12 Jul 2010. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/79/5/727?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=celery+benefits&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&resourcetype=HWCIT.
Slattery, Martha, and Joan Bensen. "Carotenoids and colon cancer." American Society for Clinical Nutrition 71 (2000): 575–82. Web. 12 Jul 2010. http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/reprint/71/2/575?maxtoshow=&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=celery+benefits&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&resourcetype=HWCIT.
Wikipedia Pages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flavone#cite_note-1

Friday, July 9, 2010

My Fight with Fiber

Fiber. Fiber. Fiber. By now you’ve got the message. Eat more fiber.
“Fiber helps to lower cholesterol.”
“Fiber will reduce your risk of diabetes.”
“Fiber is associated with weight loss.”
Apparently fiber does more than just make you go to the bathroom. A high fiber diet has shown to have greater health benefits than any other diet. Fiber appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, and constipation. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol as well as stabilize blood glucose levels. And yes, it has shown to induce weight loss.
Oh precious weight loss. If I could just eat enough fiber… I could finally be thin… This is the thought of many misguided Americans.
So it’s time for us to start using our brains and figure out that a single component from food is not going to make us thin or healthy. Fiber is found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Eating fiber from whole foods (meaning unprocessed food) will provide you with essential vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants and phytochemicals. These fiber-containing super foods do not have processed sugars, enriched flour, artificial sweeteners, trans fat, preservatives, or hidden agendas.
Now that fiber is being publicized as the savior of food, people can’t get enough of it. People are buying products crammed with fiber. Fiber One offers cereal, granola bars, yogurt, and even cottage cheese, packed full of fiber. You can get 35% of your fiber in one granola bar! If you ate a serving of Fiber One cereal, a granola bar, and a yogurt, you would exceed 100% of your daily fiber requirement!
Kellogg’s offers a Special K fiber-filled drink mix. Not only does it contain 5 grams of fiber, but it also contains 5 grams of protein! So if you are not getting enough protein on your low-carb fiber-enhanced fad diet, go ahead and guzzle one of these!
The people buying these products are missing the point. It’s not just about fiber! It’s about the whole food. One of the reasons fiber is so good for you is because of the package it comes in, and I’m not talking about a cardboard box or a pill bottle. For example, apples are a great source of fiber, but they’re also a good source of vitamin C and tannins!
Most processed foods contain ingredients you don’t really want. Let’s take a look at all the extra goodies we’re getting in our fiber.
Strawberry Kiwi Protein Water Mix
Ingredients
POLYDEXTROSE, WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF SOY LECITHIN, SUCRALOSE, ETHOXYLATED MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, TRICALCIUM PHOSPHATE, ACESULFAME POTASSIUM, RED #40, NIACINAMIDE, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), VITAMIN B12. SWEETENED WITH NONNU TRITIVE SWEETENERS.


Hopefully when you read through that long list of ingredients, you saw high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, artificial flavoring, and preservatives. Are these really things you want to be putting in your body?
If you’re looking for ways to be “healthy” this is not the best way to go, but it is also not the worst. Given the choice between Fruit Loops and Fiber One, I’d choose Fiber One every time. But as far as optimal health goes, you should stick with oatmeal, shredded wheat, Grape Nuts, or even Cheerios.
Following the “better out than in” motto is not going to work with essential nutrients such as zinc, iron, and copper. Eating a diet that is too high in fiber could actually cause vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Think about it. If you are eating predominantly fiber and pushing everything out, you aren’t giving your body enough time to absorb essential nutrients. Now, this is not going to happen when you’re eating fiber that is packaged in delicious fruits and vegetables. This can happen when you’re supplementing fiber.
Curious about how much fiber you should be getting? The average woman should be getting about 20-25 grams a day and the average man should be getting about 30-35 grams a day.
Let me put it in perspective:
Breakfast: Oatmeal, apple, soy milk
Lunch: Avocado sandwich (on whole wheat bread) and carrots and hummus
Dinner: Brown rice, kidney beans, and broccoli
That’s 42 grams of fiber. It is not difficult to get enough fiber in your diet.
You don’t need to pop fiber tablets like candy or buy fiber enriched foods. All you need to do is eat whole grains like whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, or brown rice, start incorporating more vegetables in your diet, substitute beans and legumes for meat, and start snacking on nuts or fruit instead of chips. Meat, candy, potato chips, crackers, cookies, ice cream, milk, eggs, or anything that is not a plant, will not give you fiber.
Understand that I absolutely love fiber, but from the right source. I think food is only worth eating if it contains fiber.
If there is a day where you’re feeling a little congested, I suggest you sprinkle psyllium on your cereal and drink lots of water. That’ll clear you right up :)

Calculate how much fiber you ate today!
http://www.fullplatediet.org/fiber-calculator/