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There are lots of ways to pack a healthy gluten-free school lunch. Start by including your gluten-free child in the weekly menu planning process- this will increase the odds that he or she will actually eat what you pack for them!

In  Part 1 of this article about nutrient deficiencies in the gluten-free population, I posed four critiques and questions that I promised to answer in today’s part 2. Without further ado, here we go…

Critique #1 questioned the small sample size of the research. I can’t do anything about that, and there’s not much to be said about it, so let’s move on.

Next, I think it’s easiest to address critique #3: How did nutrient deficiencies in the gluten-free population compare to Americans as a whole? To answer that question, I pulled data regarding nationwide averages from the USDA’s Community Nutrition Mapping Project. If I amend yesterday’s table that showed the percent of the gluten-free population who are deficient in given nutrients, and add to it a column for the national averages, this is what you find:

These numbers change the perspective a bit, I think. It’s not simply that the gluten-free population is nutrient deficient. When you compare us to the national averages, it gets slightly more complex. In some cases, such as folate, riboflavin, thiamin, and iron, we’re two or more times as deficient (as a group) than the nation. However, in other cases, such as B12, B6, and calcium, we still have greater rates Read More »

I was recently reading a press release from Nature’s Path Organic about two of their new cereals. The press release made a familiar argument: the cereals “provide gluten avoiders with whole grains… unlike many gluten-free cereals which forfeit nutritional benefits…” The implication is that many gluten-free cereals (and other gluten-free processed foods, by extension) are more highly processed in order to improve taste and texture. But they do so by sacrificing nutritional quality.

There is some truth to this logic. Foods made from whole grains are inherently healthier than heavily processed foods, and I’ll use our good old enemy – wheat – to demonstrate. I compared whole grain wheat flour (less processed) with white, unenriched wheat flour (more processed) across a range of nutrient measures. Not surprisingly, the wheat underwent a profound loss in Read More »

This week’s Friday’s Find makes this Smoothie Queen very happy.  Not only is it made by a company that I already love, but it opens up flavor options without added sugar.  I love So Delicious Coconut Milk, but I usually purchase the unsweetened version to avoid sugar.  I have to admit that I do look longingly at the Vanilla, because it is truly sooooo delicious.  In coffee, over cereal, in smoothies, it’s just wonderful. But since I’ve cut out sugar, the vanilla sweetness has been but a lovely memory.

Until now.

This week I happened to see a carton of So Delicious Sugar-Free Vanilla Coconut Milk at Whole Foods.  While I was thrilled to see that it didn’t have cane sugar, I took a good hard look at the ingredients hoping that I wouldn’t find artificial sweeteners instead.  I was glad to see that it is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.  Sweet!  Tempted to fill my cart, I decided to take just one box and see how I liked it first.

I should have filled the cart.

This vanilla coconut milk helped Read More »

It has finally happened…the gluten-free answer to the vanilla wafer has been discovered and it is the vanilla cookies made by Gefen.  Now for the bad news…they are only available during Passover and they are made in Israel.

While strolling the aisles at a local Super Target we discovered Gefen’s vanilla cookies on clearance for $3.90 per box. What really caught my attention was the Celiac Disease Foundation logo on the box.  The cookies are made from: potato starch, sugar, whole eggs, palm oil and vanilla.  Somehow we just knew they were going to taste amazing and they do.

These cookies remind me of a vanilla wafer crossed with Read More »

It’s always great when people proactively celebrate and educate others about the gluten free life, and that’s exactly what Penn State’s Celiac Support Group is doing with its 2011 Food Faire.  It’s sure to be a good time with lots of food – if you’re going to be around central Pennsylvania, check it out and tell us about all the fun!  Below is some information on the Food Faire from Heidi Watson, president of the Celiac Support Group.

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Information for Attendees:

This year, for the first time ever, local Celiacs and residents of central PA will be able to attend the Centre Area Gluten Free Food Faire to learn about products and services for individuals with celiac disease/gluten intolerance and we anticipate a great turnout! The State College Celiac Support Group is sponsoring a food expo, so it will also be a terrific chance to try new Read More »

This is often how things work with me. I decide at some point that I want something. Pizza, cookies, a madeleine…and since I’m eating a gluten-free diet, I can’t always go to the store to buy it. Or, maybe I can but it’s not always good.

So it was, that day, when I really wanted a good biscotti. Believe it or not, I’ve never even made them, even with gluten! The next part of the journey began with finding the right recipe.

I wasn’t in the mood for lemon pecan or orange walnut. I didn’t want chocolate either. Cinnamon almond was coming to mind so that’s what I decided to Read More »

On August 3, Smart Balance, Inc. announced it purchased Glutino Food Group for $66.3 million cash.  With this purchase, Smart Balance picks up arguably the #1 most recognized gluten-free brand in the United States.

PARAMUS, N.J., Aug. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Smart Balance, Inc. (NasdaqGM: SMBL) announced it acquired 100% of the equity interest of Importations DE-RO-MA, which owns Glutino Food Group (“Glutino”), for $66.3 million, from Claridge, aMontreal-based investment firm.  Based in Laval, Quebec, Glutino is a leading manufacturer and marketer of innovative, premium-priced, gluten-free foods sold under the Glutino and Gluten Free Pantry brands.  Glutino offers a wide range of shelf-stable and frozen gluten-free products, including snack foods, frozen baked goods, frozen entrees and baking mixes throughout North America and on its website www.glutenfree.com.  Glutino had annual sales of $53.9 million during its fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.

Commenting on the announcement, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Hughes stated,

Read More »

Finally it seems that athletes have become savvy to the benefits of a gluten free diet.  As the general population has started to become more aware of the prevalence of gluten sensitivities and Celiac Disease, there has been a noted increase in the number of athletes turning to the gluten free lifestyle in an attempt to maximize their training and find greater success in their respective sports.

Among the most notable athletes making the gluten free switch are Raul Ibanez of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals, and tennis player Novak Djokovic, the 2011 winner of Wimbledon who went on an unprecedented 43-match win streak.  Most significant about their decision to go gluten free is the marked improvement in all three athletes after the switch. Read More »

Mary Klinnert, PhD at National Jewish Health

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mary Klinnert, PhD at National Jewish Health. Mary is an expert in child psychology and has numerous previous research studies on the effects of asthma on mental health.  She started her career mostly focusing on asthma, but in recent years, has turned much of her attention to the psychological aspects of living with life threatening food allergies.

While meeting with Mary, she briefed me on a study she is conducting on the psychological aspects of food allergies and how this study differs from the majority of previous studies that mostly focus on quality of life issues related to living with food allergies.  The hope of Mary and the rest of the team is to get to the root of what is happening to families that sometimes contributes to deeper Read More »