Some tasty-looking new ciders from Square Mile Cider Co, out of the Portland area. The Spur and Vine variety adds fresh hops to the mix, so your cider can feel at home next to the hoppy beers of your friends. Have you tried Square Mile Cider? Let us know if you have!
Is a Gluten-Free Diet Okay for Non-Celiac Sufferers?
In North America, the gluten-free industry is now worth billions a year. Gluten-free cereals are being introduced by companies such as Kellog’s and General Mills; and Wheat Belly has been included in the list of bestsellers. Gluten-free diets are now becoming fads among many people. But what makes it so popular?
Going gluten-free is a way to wellness for those who suffer from a celiac disease. Celiac disease is a reaction of the immune system to the gluten that can damage the small intestine and prevent food absorption. The common symptoms of celiac include intense abdominal pain, fatigue, joint tissues, and vitamin deficiencies because of the inability of the intestinal wall to efficiently absorb nutrients due to damage. After practicing a gluten-free diet, the symptoms will diminish quickly most of the time, although it can take around six months to two years for the intestinal wall’s lining to completely heal. Constantly checking out aviva’s Home of Health or WebMD can give you enough information about the latest health news today. These websites also have health guides such as tools and calculators to find out more about your well being. Alexandra Anca, a Toronto-based dietitian, said that celiac disease is a relatively recent phenomenon. For the last five years, people haven’t heard of gluten-free diet or celiac disease. The media and celebrities, such as Adrienne Palicki and Jennifer Esposito, brought the disease into the limelight. The condition even attracted more attention from the public when improved diagnostic procedures were discovered.
For those who want to lose weight, gluten-free diet is also recommended even if you don’t suffer from celiac disease. There are many products and restaurants who are displaying their gluten-free status through their labels. Gluten is the protein that is found in wheat, triticale, rye, and barley. If you are going to practice gluten-free diet, you are going to exclude these ingredients, along with anything that could have come in contact with them.
Cutting gluten in your diet alone will not generally help you in shedding a few pounds. Most people see weight loss when they cut out gluten because they also change other parts of their diet. According to Nancy Patin Falini, “often times what we’re seeing is when they change their diet they may be cutting out a lot of the processed foods that are naturally high in calories and fat.” The tendency to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and whole foods like seeds, beans, and nuts.
Call it bureaucracy in action, but a mere nine years after they were told to rule, the FDA finally laid down some rules on gluten-free labeling. Officially, 20 parts per million and under of gluten will be allowed to be labeled as “gluten-free”. Up until now, it has been entirely voluntary and left to marketers to spin as they see fit.
The regulation comes almost a decade after the FDA began requiring food packaging to list wheat and other major allergens under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004.
“Many people think that developing a labeling rule is an easy thing to do, but a lot goes into it,” says Felicia Billingslea, the FDA’s director of food labeling and standards. Years were devoted to researching a safe threshold for consumers with celiac disease. “We have a standard definition now, and it’s consistent internationally with Canada and the E.U.”
The rules also ensure that companies can’t label products “gluten-free” if they could be cross-contaminated by other foods processed at the same facility. Manufacturers have until August 5, 2014, to comply.
Sprouted wheat, as seen by a scanning-electron microscope
Some terms on food packaging may still confuse consumers—”organic” versus “all-natural,” “cage-free” versus “free-range.” But the “gluten-free” label now stands to ease the minds of millions suffering from serious food allergies.
“My son was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008, and now I can feed him and not worry about it. It’s something every mother would hope for,” says Geller.
A cool graphic produced by Huffington Post and GrubHub has a listing of cities that cater best to gluten-free diets. While in no way an authority on the issue, it’s a neat breakdown.
We were a little surprised to see Detroit at the top of the list for cities, but perhaps it speaks to use of GrubHub, the source used in the study. Of course, good ‘ol Portland is near the top of the list for cities ordering gluten-free options, and we’re proud of it! And with more and more people joining the gluten-free ranks everyday, we’re sure to see options continue to grow.
Since 2005, the FDA has been tasked with coming up with nationally-recognized, across-the-board food labeling standards for gluten-free foods. To say they’ve taken their time would be an understatement. Eight years later, the issue is finally heading to the White House for approval, according to The Hill, a Washington D.C. political blog.
Via the FDA:“Establishing a definition of the term ‘gluten-free’ and uniform conditions for its use in the labeling of foods is necessary to ensure that individuals with celiac disease are not misled and are provided with truthful and accurate information with respect to foods so labeled,”
The issue is considered “economically significant”, which denotes that it has an impact of over $100 million on the nationwide economy.
The White House has a limit of 90 days to consider the FDA’s recommendation.
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If you’ve been on the celiac diet for longer than 3 months, you can go ahead and add some specialty gluten free foods into your diet. Be careful though, as many companies say their product is gluten free when they have in fact been “manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat.” These foods are not safe for celiacs! The easiest rule to follow is to only purchase products with the certified Gluten Free symbol:
If that symbol is present then its time to get cookin’! I’ve been experimenting with pasta lately and wanted to share my thoughts on 3 brands: Bionaturae Organic, Tinkyada and Ancient Harvest.
An interesting report about food allergies, and how strict gluten-free diets could be considered disabilities. (Via NPR & The AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Allergic to gluten? What about peanuts? Federal disabilities law may be able to help.
The Justice Department said in a recent settlement with a Massachusetts college that severe food allergies can be considered a disability under the law. That gives those who suffer from such allergies a new avenue in seeking menus that fit their diet. But some say it goes too far.
When explaining what a gluten-free diet means to new friends, I inevitably mention that a strict gluten-free diet has to avoid soy sauces, as most of them are brewed using wheat. So it came as a shock to see an article on Celiac.com that seems to refute that common knowledge. Continue reading
When I Went Gluten Free is a Tumblr page that feels like most other Tumblr pages. Animated GIFs, dry humor, clever and probably a total waste of time. But in a good way! Here are some quick looks at the page.
(Source: wheninnewyorkcity)
(Source: wheninnewyorkcity)
(Source: casualnewyork)
I just gaze in the window like:
(Source: whatshouldwecallme)
I think I’ll be all:
But then I start mixing flours and I’m like:
(Source: whatshouldwecallme)
Hope your week is going well, here’s a charming (and meaningful) ad to get you movin.
Love the handmade stop-motion look, and Willy Nelson’s interpretation of Coldplay’s song! And speaking of Chipotle, here’s a look at their gluten-free offerings.
GlutenFreePDX 
