Diet

Save up to $66 on Medifast gluten-free diet meal packages through May 31st.

Medifast Gluten-Free 4 Week Package. Click image to see more.

Medifast has developed two gluten-free packages for people on the gluten-free diet who want to lose weight quickly and safely. The gluten-free packages come in a 4 week package and a 2 week package.

Discount codes are good until May 31st, 2012.

MAY31J – Save $66 when you spend $250 and sign up for the Advantage program!

Medifast – Free Shipping with $150 initial order and Advantage program signup! Use Coupon Code: SHIPMAY12 good until 5-31-12

What is Medifast?

The Medifast 5 & 1 Plan was developed by a medical doctor in 1980.

Medifast Meals are individually portioned, calorie- and carbohydrate-controlled, low-fat meal replacements.

Every Medifast Meal is based on a similar nutritional “footprint” that provides a proper balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. Medifast Meals are fortified with  Read More »

Is Food That Contains Gluten Really Gluten-Free?

Domino’s Pizza recently announced it would offer gluten-free pizza for gluten sensitive customers. Domino’s made it clear that the pizzas used a gluten-free crust, but are manufactured using the same equipment as the other gluten-containing foods and are not safe for people with celiac disease.

Domino’s worked with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and received the NFCA’s new, and now suspended, “Amber Designation.” This designation was to tell people that although the ingredients are gluten-free, the product cannot claim that cross contamination does not occur. The “Amber Designation” differed from the NFCA’s existing “Green Designation,” which tells the customer that the product is tested to less than 10 parts per million of gluten. “Amber” was basically a caution sign.

What Did Gluten-Free Watchdog Organizations Say?

• The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and other organizations called for a recall of the NFCA’s “Amber Designation.”
• The North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease commented on Domino’s Pizza ‘Gluten-Free’ Crust Announcement as follows,

Read More »

(Editor’s Note: A follow up on Domino’s Pizza Offers Gluten-Free Pizza…Sort Of)

5/8/2012 9:29 PM ET  (RTTNews) – Domino’s new gluten-free pizza should not be eaten by people with Celiac disease, the company said in a statement. Apparently, the first gluten-free pizza being offered by national pizza chain is designed for people with gluten sensitivity, as opposed to those with full-blown Celiac disease.

Despite the fact that the crust are gluten free, Domino’s can’t guarantee that no gluten will come into contact with the pizza, which could be dangerous for those with the gluten allergy. Read More »

PURCHASE, N.Y., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is launching two new health and wellness initiatives this month to address health concerns for all customers and their families. In its ongoing efforts to fight childhood obesity and help kids live healthier lifestyles, Stop & Shop announced that the first issue of its brand new Kid Healthy Ideas, a free health and wellness quarterly magazine, is now available in all stores.

The 12-page, full-color publication, is geared towards kids ages 8 to 12 and features health-related educational articles, games and recipes.

Read More »

I have often wondered what percentage of people following the gluten-free diet actually make their own bread.  I tend to use mixes to make sweet breads, but I usually buy my gluten-free bread off the shelf, or from my favorite local gluten-free bakery Pure Knead.

Most of us know that gluten-free bread has come a long way in the last five years, so there are a number of great options to be purchased at local health foods stores that don’t contain artificial ingredients and have the taste and texture of wheat-based bread.

Still, there seems to be a rising percentage of people who prefer to make their own gluten-free bread. Some of my favorite gluten-free bread mixes to use are: Read More »

OAKLAND, Calif., April 18, 2012 — Add Hidden Valley Salad Dressings to the growing list of foods to clearly call out that they are gluten free.

The makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings have added a “Gluten Free” logo to bottles and dry packets of its signature Original Ranch® dressing as well as much of its Farmhouse Originals product line. Packages with the new logo should appear on store shelves this summer.

The packaging change is designed to help Read More »

When I became a gluten-sensitive newbie a year ago, I couldn’t figure out what I’d eat on a day-by-day basis.

This hadn’t been a problem when I became lactose-intolerant because so many alternatives to cow’s milk products were in the grocery stores. Nor had it been a diet problem because my program (Weight Watchers) was not restrictive in choice, just in portion size.

But gluten-sensitivity (and also a problem with oats, alas) threw me into a complete tizzy. So many of my favorite foods were out the window. What was I going to eat at breakfast? For lunch? What about when I just wanted to grab a snack? Read More »

Well, it’s that time of year yet again…we’ve all made our new year’s resolutions…and more than likely, we’d all like to shed a few pounds :0)

In my 2011 weight loss post, I talked about 5 important factors for weight loss success:
1) Eating more lean, healthy protein
2) Chowing down on veggies
3) Cutting back on sugar
4) Avoiding processed foods
5) …and exercising!

Hopefully all of us are doing our best at these things… if we do, the weight should come off pretty easily without having to really “diet.” I’d just like to add a few more things that have helped me, and hope they can help you too :-) Read More »

On a recent visit to a museum, my husband and I stopped at its cafeteria for a snack. The choices were cookies and cupcakes, pretzels and potato chips, and assorted drinks.  Clearly, the cafeteria didn’t cater to those of us who are gluten-sensitive, lactose-intolerant, and/or weight watchers.

Much against my will, I bought the only snack I could tolerate although it meant throwing my diet out the window: potato chips.  And much against my dislike of being labeled a complainer, I decided to speak up.  “Would you consider carrying gluten-free products?” I asked. “I can’t eat most of what Read More »

Gluten is the trouble-making ingredient you’re supposed to avoid when going on a gluten free diet.  But how do you avoid something if you aren’t sure what it is or where to find it?  I’ll admit, this can be a challenge.  It’s just not as obvious I’d like it to be, but once you learn how to spot it you’ll feel more confident about grocery shopping.  Also, knowing what gluten is and how it works in food can help you understand how to cook with gluten free ingredients.

What Is This Gluten Stuff?

Gluten is the stretchy glue that helps bread, pizza crust, and other baked goods get nice puffy air pockets.  It creates a flexible structure that helps each baked good hang together without necessarily being tough or chewy.  When a baker knows how to properly activate the gluten protein, it will start doing its thing. The presence of gluten has influenced baking techniques for decades, even centuries.   Sorry, I’m not trying to build up gluten as some kind of magical essence that turns good food into great food.  It’s just one of many ingredients with useful properties out there in the world.  It happens that wheat is commonly grown and used across the world, and it affects a lot of food in Western cultures.

Ready for a little science?  Gluten is made up of two types of proteins – one is the Read More »