Gluten-Free – Part 2
So last week we reviewed what Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity are. Take a moment to pull out your scrapbook of my columns and review (just kidding….you can review later). Today I want to talk about how to plan meals and what to consider when planning meals. Also, what to consider when you are eating out or at a friends home.
When meal planning (you’ll be surprised to read this….) READ THE LABEL!!! As mentioned last week, there are many ingredients that could be made from starch, such as caramel color, dextrin, glucose syrup, maltodextrin and modified food starch. Also, natural flavoring agents may be made from rye or barley, but barley is often listed as malt. In the US, if the source is wheat, FDA labled products must say so. When purchasing US products such as meat, poultry and eggs products (generally pre-packaged items) make sure you check the labels for hidden sources of wheat. There are no gluten-free labeling laws as of yet, the consideration is that the limit should be 20 parts per million. So, when the laws are passed, some foods may have to change their labeling. Another thing to consider is that other countries may have different levels.
The tricky part of gluten-free (GF) meal planning is that the traditional GF diets were highly processed, low nutrient dense starches and processed refined grains. GF often are high in fat and sodium – the reason being that manufacturers are trying to give the similar texture and flavor of wheat based products. Prior to recent years there has not been a lot of choices, it was the same old thing over and over again. Even today, the fiber content of GF foods can be low as most breads are made from starches and rice flours that are low in fiber. The good news is that you can increase your fiber intake by increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts and by choosing GF whole grains. Another set of nutrients that is often missing from a GF diet are the B vitamins. When consuming the typical wheat based foods, you often get the B vitamins from the enrichment or fortification of the foods. However, GF foods are not usually fortified or enriched so the intake of the B vitamins is often lower. Again, the good news is that you can get your B vitamins by consuming beans, nuts, whole grains, shellfish and some fruits and vegetables. Very cool!
When you are told that you have celiac disease or are gluten sensitive, you will feel that all of your favorite foods are stolen away from you. Which may make you a little cranky, overwhelmed and upset. Understandably so! Take this opportunity to bring out your creative side. Remember that there are still a whole bunch of grains available for consumption, you just need to think outside of the box! Some of the grains that you can have are: amaranth, buckwheat, bean flours, corn, kasha, millet, nut flours, potato, quinoa, rice, sorghum, tapiaoca and teff. Take some time and research these grains to see how you can incorporate these new grains into your diet. Remember that when working with GF grains, they should be combine to achieve a balance and texture and incorporating starches and leavening agents to keep them light. High protein additions will help with the stability of the product. Here is a blend that you can make yourself:
1 1/2 c. sorghum flour
1 1/2 c. potato or corn starch
1 c. tapioca flour
1/2 c. chick pea, almond or quinoa flour
Mix together. May be used in place of flour in recipes.
Some companies offer GF flour blends: Bob’s Red Mills, Pamela’s Mixes and Authentic Foods. Add www & .com and you will reach their websites.
When adapting recipes:
• work with recipes that don’t use many gluten containing ingredients
• make small, simple changes at first
• use homemade stoks or GF brands (Swiss Chalet, Pacific and Kitchen Basics)
• use GF soy sauce (La Choy, San-J and Eden Foods)
• use fresh herbs/spices
• use GF BBQ sauces and flavoring agents
Go to www.glutenfreeasy.com and get more hints and tips from chefs, safe food lists and links to more info about GF cooking.
Another thing that I want to mention, is that for people who have Celiac disease and are gluten sensitive, cross contamination can be as serious as for those who have peanut allergies. It can be as simple as using the same toaster or cutting board. Make sure that when you are buttering your regular toast that you don’t double dip into the butter. Gluten can be transferred that way. Other culprits may be grills (think of the marinades that my contain gluten), colanders, serving spoons/spatulas, baking sheets, slicing machines, buffets and shared drinks.
Ok, running out of room and I haven’t even gotten to dining out and resources. I guess we’ll continue next week! See you all at the parade this evening!!!! Hhhmm, speaking of St. Patrick’s day, guess I should talk about alcoholic beverages and gluten sensitivity too!
