I kept hearing numerous accolades about Udi’s Bakery in Denver, CO and their gluten-free foods. I would hear of people placing large orders with them and claiming their bread was the best of the gluten-free breads. So, I had to try this myself to see if the bread lived up to the hype.

Thankfully, I recently discovered they carry Udi’s at Woodman’s, who have an extremely large gluten-free section, and decided to try a loaf. Udi’s bread is handcrafted in their dedicated gluten-free facility in Denver, CO, their gluten-free foods are also dairy-, soy-, and nut-free. Read More »

As common at they are, gluten allergies and elimination diets are still, many times, viewed as fringe alternative health practices and often don’t receive the mainstream validation they deserve. When some estimates show that nearly 1 in 30 people suffer at the hands of gluten, one would think the intolerance to this protein would finally gain more acceptance in mainstream medicine and media. One man, doctor and author Mark Hyman, is working to do just that.

Hyman, an M.D. in the field of functional medicine, pioneers techniques that aide the chronically-ill in improving their health and quality of life by determining the underlying causes of illness and treating according to those causes, as opposed to much mainstream medicine that focuses on treatments that champion subsistence and reliance on a medication. Doctor Hyman is a blogger for The Huffington Post and in a recent article, cites gluten allergies and Celiac Disease (even latent Celiac) as the cause for many ailments and conditions never previously associated with the grain protein. Read More »

The debate about autism and the effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free diet continues – this time due to irresponsible reporting of the mainstream news media who seem to have chosen sensationalism over objective journalism when covering an important medical paper on gastrointestinal disorders in autism.

This week, a panel of medical experts led by Timothy Buie, MD at Harvard Medical School published a consensus statement on the Evaluation, Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders in Individuals with ASDs (Autism Spectrum Disorders) in the medical journal Pediatrics. You can find the full paper here.

The panel covered 23 topics in a document that is 20 pages in length, dealing with the diagnosis and care of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and gastrointestinal issues. The panel based its conclusions on available information which they agreed was limited and incomplete.

The Key Topic

“Individuals with autism spectrum disorders who present with gastrointestinal symptoms warrant a thorough evaluation, as would be undertaken for individuals without autism spectrum disorders who have the same symptoms or signs. Evidence based algorithms for the assessment of abdominal pain, constipation, chronic diarrhea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) should be developed.”

Some of the other topics include recommendations for the banking of DNA samples, the complexity of diagnostic evaluation when ASD and gastrointestinal disorders present, the need for studies to determine the prevalence of intestinal permeability in neuropsychiatric manifestions of ASD, and the need for large studies to determine the effectiveness of the gluten-free, casein-free diet. Read More »

Harry London Candies, Inc voluntarily recalls their Chocolate Pecan Caramel Stars due to wheat not being marked on the label. If you have any candy made by Harry London, please check the information below to see if you need to contact the company.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – North Canton, OH. – December 29, 2009 – Harry London today announced it is voluntarily recalling 3310 individual units of the 4.62 ounce Harry London Chocolate Pecan Caramel Stars because they have not been labeled to include Wheat, FD&C colors Yellow #5, Red # 40 and Blue #1 as an ingredient. All Harry London Chocolate Pecan Caramel Stars sold after 28 December 2009 have the correct labeling. Read More »

Many people are in the process of making New Years Resolutions for 2010. It’s not surprising that with the obesity statistics being so high that many New Years Resolutions include losing weight. The gluten free elite is no exception.

The high count of empty carbs and sugars in a lot of gluten free foods can mean weight problems for many of the gluten free eating public. It can be difficult to find good replacements for favorite foods that carry the same benefits in nutrition as the gluten containing counterparts. Due to this, many members of the gluten free elite have watched their waistlines get larger and are ready for a change.

Luckily, there are changes happening all the time. The introduction of new, more nutritionally minded products are making the gluten free scene. This can make it easier than ever to lose the weight you are tired of carrying this new year.

If your list of New Years Resolutions for 2010 includes losing a few pounds and eating right (which really do go together) the suggestions below can help.

Stop snacking! Instead, split your meals from three large ones into four or five smaller ones. The end result is that you are full all day and have no need to binge on snack foods. Read More »

Many people think of food when they think of a gluten free (gf) diet. No regular bagels, pizza or pasta. Many may not realize that when on a gluten free diet, you can’t have anything with wheat, barley, rye or oats (unless the oats are gf). Unfortunately, most beer is made with barley which means it’s on the list of things you can’t have.

If you’ve missed the flavor of beer, you can now try Bard’s Beer, described as a craft beer, which is made from sorghum. According to the website, “sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, some of which are raised for grain that can be used in the production of beer. Sorghum has been used in making beer for centuries in other parts of the world and is naturally gluten-free.” Sorghum can be made into flour which produces an excellent gf bread. Read More »

Post-holiday time can leave a hostess with many leftovers. This holiday I was left with an abundance of sweet potatoes after baking four good size ones for two sweet potato pies. I probably had enough to make two additional pies, but I wanted to try something different. And because of the nutritional value of sweet potatoes, I didn’t want it to go to waste. Of course when you combine a super food like sweet potatoes and the whole grain of buckwheat with copious amounts of butter and sugar, the nutritional value is sure to decrease, but at least we know there is some redeeming quality in the dish. Read More »

For many people, the thought of cooking and baking with bean flours can seem strange. After all, when trying to replicate your favorite cakes, cookies, muffins, and other sweets in order to make them gluten-free and food allergy-friendly, bean flours don’t exactly elicit the same mouth-watering cravings as traditional white and wheat flour. While bean flours may seem too savory to be added to your favorite baked goods, they actually can be a healthy and cost-effective replacement for gluten-filled ingredients.

Beans and legumes, of course, are high in protein and fiber, among other nutrients. Bean flour varieties include green split peas or lentils, garbanzos, soy, navy and black beans, fava, red kidneys, and many others. Read More »