BOOKS
“Dangerous Grains” by James Braly, M.D. and Ron Hoggan, M.A. This is an excellent book. The authors really understand the subject of gluten sensitivity and the seemingly unrelated diseases associated with gluten intolerance. This is an excellent book to give to your doctor if he is not aware of the new understanding of gluten intolerance.
“Can A Gluten-Free Diet Help?” by Lloyd Rosenvold, M.D. This is a truly insightful book. Dr. Rosenfeld understands the intricacies of the many effects of gluten sensitivity.
“The Gluten Syndrome” by Dr. Rodney Ford, the Gluten Doctor.
WEBSITES
Enterolab is considered by many to be the gold standard in testing for gluten sensitivity as well as yeast, cow’s milk, chicken egg, and soy. Since 70-80% of our immune system is in the intestines and the site of the battlefield where the rather dramatic conflict between gluten immunotoxic peptides and the immune system takes place, Enterolab uses a stool sample for analysis. They also do genetic screening. There is also a lot of very accurate information about gluten sensitivity on the site. The test is ordered online and is delivered to your home with full instructions. Go to the page “Which Test to Order” for guidance on the appropriate test for you.
Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO) is a good resource for certified gluten free foods. It is not a complete list, there are other foods that could qualify, so I will list my “tried and true” companies under the page labeled “Companies.” Ideally, in my view, any company that makes a claim that their product is gluten free, should batch test and accurately determine the PPM of gluten that found its way into the product via cross contamination. The results should be under 20 PPM. Some very exceptional companies don’t allow over 5 PPM. The labeling guidelines for gluten free foods is still not where it should be. Some manufacturers label a food “gluten free” if they didn’t add any gluten to the product without determining if the individual ingredients they used were previously contaminated. Others label “gluten free” when wheat is manufactured in the same facility. It takes some patience and wisdom to find your way through the hundred’s of gluten free labels. So, for now, in order to assure that your gluten free foods are pure, I recommend that you use only “Certified Gluten Free” foods and the ‘tried and true’ companies I have listed on the page titled “Resources.” There is one exception on the CFGO list. I recommend that you do not eat even certified gluten free oats right now in the beginning of your journey. Save that for much later, when you are completely well.
There is gluten in oats and some people cannot digest oat gluten. Millet and quinoa are sometimes a problem, too. Not to add confusion to this issue, there is also gluten in rice and corn, but not the glutenin/gliaden complex that is the culprit in gluten sensitivity. In my honest opinion, I think that a grain free diet is optimal for many reasons, but I will concede that an occasional gluten free birthday cake or pizza is a nice treat.
The Healing Codes Institute is a wonderful resource for addressing the damaging effects of stress. Stress causes our bodies to switch to the flight or fight mode and our cells to shut down their normal metabolic processes to preserve energy for defense. The problem is that we often are in a state of chronic stress. Not only is stress immediate and circumstantial, it is “preprogrammed” at conception. So the Healing Codes System addresses stress at the source, our hearts and beliefs, and provides tools and techniques to shift both forms of life destroying stress. Open the page under “Offerings The Healing Codes System.”
Karina’s Kitchen is a delicious site for some of the best gluten free recipes I have tasted. Remember to be your own food detective and be sure to check the safety of the ingredients you use.
The Gluten Doctor Project Dr. Rodney Ford is also known as Dr. Gluten. He is a pediatrician, author and an international speaker. He has studied food allergy and intolerance for 30 years. He has very good information on “gluten syndrome.”
Gluten Free Passport This site is dedicated to helping you implement the gluten free diet while dining out and traveling. If possible, I strongly suggest not “eating out” until you have stabilized and are on your path to being healed. It can really complicate a typically muddled experience. Thankfully, there is a lot of awareness growing in this area, but many times a chef’s definition of gluten free is that he/she did not use any gluten in the recipe. There could be “contamination” of gluten in the ingredients he/she is using. There are ways around it, though. A baked potato is safe, no sour cream and only pure butter, but more about this in a future blog…..
COMPANIES
The labeling process for “gluten free” foods is still not standardized. Just because a company prints “gluten free” on the label doesn’t mean that there is no gluten in the product. It can simply mean the processor did not add any gluten to the product. In my view, companies should be required to batch test their products to determine the ppm of incidental gluten before the product can be labeled “GF.” The safest foods are those that are “certified gluten free.”
There are some foods that are naturally gluten free, such as nuts, but are processed on the same line as gluten foods. Many companies are starting to label this.
Recently I have noticed that some companies that previously had a GF label no longer carry the label. I believe there is now more understanding of the need for batch testing for the presence of gluten before a product qualifies for a GF label. Ideally, I think the standard for a GF label should be less than 10 ppm detectable gluten. Some very good companies have set 5 ppm as their limit.
When in doubt, call the company and ask these questions:
1. Is your product produced in a facility that also processes gluten grains?
2. Are any of the ingredients in your product processed in a facility that also processes gluten grains?
3. Is there hidden gluten in your product? An example would be citric acid that is derived from wheat.
4. Do you batch test for incidental gluten?
WARNING: There are many published “lists” of supposedly gluten free foods. Some stores produce lists of gluten free foods that they carry. Do not trust lists blindly. I advise that you do your own due diligence and determine which companies you will use. Become your own food detective and an educated label reader.
CAUTION: If your store stocks GF flours next to gluten containing flour, chances are the gluten free packages have become contaminated on the outside. Handling these bags could possibly cause contamination. I have seen shelves covered with a dusting of white wheat flour and the GF flour stored very tightly on the same shelf. Tell your store about it and recommend they shelve gluten free products away from gluten containing products. Also, have the checkout clerk wipe down the conveyer belt since wheat flour in paper bags tends to leak out during handling.
Here are some current labels:
1. ” Certified Gluten Free.” This is the highest standard. Product is batch tested to determine ppm of incidental gluten and it must be under 20 ppm.
2. ”Gluten Free. Made in a dedicated facility.” Generally safe. It still is a good idea to call the company and ask if all the ingredients came from a gluten free source. If they don’t know, don’t use the product. Ask if they batch test the final product for incidental gluten.
3. “Gluten Free.” Call the company to see if they batch test. Ask if they produce gluten products in the same facility or on the same line. Ask if they are sure that all their sources of ingredients are gluten free. Be cautious here. The more ingredients that are on the label, the higher the risk of contamination.
4. ”Gluten Free that is produced in a facility that also produces gluten products using good manufacturing procedures to segregate products to prevent contamination.” This product would be somewhat risky.
5. “Gluten Free” that is produced in a facility that also produces wheat containing products.” Do not use these products.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are naturally gluten free, but I am not sure that the different waxes that are used to preserve freshness are always gluten free. Fresh meats are gluten free, but take notice of how they are stored in the display case. I have seen meat stored in trays next to and touching breaded or marinated products. Let your store know that these products should be separated because of contamination.
Here are some of my “tried and true” favorite companies.
Bob’s Red Mill. This is an excellent source for certified gluten free flours. Their oats are grown in dedicated fields away from gluten grains and are batch tested and certified. I would stay away from oats, however, until you are well and can introduce them slowly noting any reaction as some people do not do well on oats. Bob’s also carries excellent nut and bean flour as well.
Kinnikinnick. We love their baking mixes, especially their bread and roll mix and pancake and waffle mix.
Gluten Free Pantry. Excellent bread mix, angel food cake mix and pie crust mix.
Tinkyada. Very good brown rice pasta.
Against the Grain. Excellent frozen pizza crust and rolls and bagels. Exceptional cake mixes.
Glutino. Wonderful crackers and many other products.
1-2-3 Gluten Free. Certified GF.
Dr. Schar. Certified GF.
Lundberg organic brown rice.
This list will be ever expanding, but keep in mind that the fewer gluten free grains in your diet the better, and the less processed food you consume the best.
IS IT GLUTEN FREE?
Is the following statement true or false? Gluten free foods are “Foods made from grains (and grain-like plants) that do not contain harmful gluten, including: Corn in all forms (corn flour, corn meal, grits, etc.). Rice in all forms (white, brown, basmati and enriched rice). Also amaranth, buckwheat (kasha), Montina, millet, quinoa, tef, sorghum and soy.”
It is true if and only if there is no co-mingling of these grains with gluten grains ANYWHERE in the processing of the grains from the field to the grocery store to the table. The above statement is very misleading to the new gluten free traveller. Based on the above statement, the unwary shopper is now celebrating that the corn chips she loves is gluten free. She rushes out to get some only to be sick for a week. Some diligent detective work reveals that the corn is processed in a mill that also mills wheat and to make matters worse the chips are fried in oil also used to fry gluten containing foods. REMEMBER: A grain is absolutely gluten free if and only if the company has batch tested it for gluten. This strict rule I apply hard and fast to grains since the likelihood of cross contamination is so high with grains. It only takes a few parts per million to signal your immune system that gluten is present. So beware, be very aware. You could end up in the Jabberwocky den with Alice. Answer: true and false. It all depends.
Staying on the right path,
Margery
Some of My Favorite Flours
Today I am visiting Bob’s Red Mill store or rather Bob’s Red Mill virtual online store. I am very impressed with this company and use their products often. Their gluten free labeled products are baked in a dedicated facility and each batch is tested using the R5 Elisa Test to ensure gluten free status. They have a wide variety of flour and flour mixes. Their new GF Pizza crust mix is one of our family’s favorite. CAUTION: They do make gluten containing products too, so be sure to look for the gluten free label.
A mere fifteen years ago, the diagnosis of celiac disease (gluten sensitivity that affects the gastrointestinal tract) brought dread because of the austere and limited lifestyle that lay ahead. There was a lot of isolation and loneliness. “She is a celiac child, poor thing,” people would whisper.
Back in those early days, gluten free gave new meaning to the words, “blase gourmet.” Chinese cellophane noodles or spaghetti squash were for pasta dishes. Attempts to duplicate pizza or pretzels or dumplings brought angst and frustration. (I did bake a great potato flour sponge cake.) Breads were crumbly and dry, but decent when toasted. Rice cakes and peanut butter and jelly were sandwiches. Grits were the only hot cereal. But, the tragic thing was that cross contamination was not even in anyone’s awareness. We knew so little.
NO LONGER! As you will come to realize, there is absolutely no reason to be downcast at the prospects of a gluten free diet. In fact, our whole family loves sharing recipes and new foods with each other. We have a great time at our family dinners, too. All of our homes are gluten free safety zones.
Here are a few of my favorite flours:
Organic Coconut flour. This is a delicious and healthy alternative to gluten grains.
Almond Meal flour. Great in cookies and sweet breads.
Black Bean flour. Great for bean dip and Mexican recipes.
Organic Flax seed. So very nutritious and high in omega 3 fatty acids.
Organic Brown Rice flour.This is a staple in baking recipes.
Creamy Buckwheat and Buckwheat groats.This is not a grain at all, it is a fruit. Yum.
Fava Bean flour. Add a little extra protein to baked goods.
Garbanzo Bean flour. Great for recipes to boost protein and to make hummus.
Green Pea flour. Create green pea soup or use in recipes to add fiber and protein.
Hazelnut flour. Yummy in baked goods. I love this nutty taste in things.
Hemp Protein powder. A great source of protein for shakes and recipes. Just don’t try growing it and smoking it……..
Potato starch. Make a dreamy light cake or use as thickener.
Sorghum flour.This is another grain from antiquity high in protein and fiber.
Tapioca flour. This is a grain free root.
I did not include millet flour, because some very sensitive people also have problems with millet. Quinoa is also suspect, for reasons yet unknown, so I will err on the side of caution and not include it. Teff and amaranth are usually OK but I am quite leery of grains, period. Corn is highly allergic and moldy so don’t load up on corn. I also recommend not using oats in the early days of transition, if at all, because some people do not do well on oats. I guess you could label me “grain free.” But bravo to Bob’s Red Mill for growing their oats in gluten free dedicated fields and for batch testing to make sure there is no incidental gluten. Bob has been inducted into my “Food Hero Hall of Fame.”
I am not a fan of soy either, for other reasons too complicated to mention now.
There are recipes on Bob’s Red Mill site, too. Oh, I almost forgot. There are cake mixes, brownie mixes, pancake mixes and more………
Austere? Bleak? Lonely? Isolated? Poor thing? NOT!
Be sure to : Visit Bob
With gratitude for every nutritious blessing, and that we are not “poor things” but very healthy, wealthy and wise.
Margery
