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By Doris Settles, Staff Writer
Gluten-free eating is all the rage
these days. Part of the reason is that
celiac disease has increased dramatically. Affecting one in 100 people
today, celiac disease is four times more
prevalent than it was only 50 years ago,
according to the Mayo Clinic. Those
with celiac disease cannot process
gluten, primarily found in products
containing wheat.
Many doctors and nutritionists
think they know why, and research
has spawned a mini-revolution among
people who do not have celiac disease,
causing them to stop eating gluten as
well. And with a growing number of
them reporting improved health and
vigor just by eliminating wheat from
their diet, more are jumping on the
bandwagon.
William Davis, cardiologist and
researcher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
was among the first to sound the alarm
with his book, Wheat Belly. Davis’
drastic views on the ills of wheat
were shaped by personal experience.
Twenty-five years ago, he had Type
2 diabetes, as well “mind fog, mood
swings, joint pains and acid reflux,”
he says. But after he stopped eating
wheat, his health improved, and he’s
seen the same results with patients.
“Take wheat out of the picture and you
literally see lives transformed,” says
Davis.
About 50 years ago, breeders introduced new varieties of wheat that
helped farmers increase grain yields.
Those varieties now make up 90 percent of all the wheat that farmers grow
around the world. It is this new superproductive wheat that Davis and oth-
ers claim is the biggest culprit. There
are other factors, however.
Humans were originally huntergatherers, so grains (which must be
cultivated) were a very small part of
the diet. Once we began to develop
civilizations that stayed in one place,
grains became a staple.
Today, wheat is in almost all processed foods. So to go gluten-free
means you must become a label
detective, reading every ingredient list
carefully for the giveaway-words that
wheat has been included.
Effective January 1, 2006, foods
covered by the FDA labeling laws that
contain wheat must be labeled in plain
English to declare that it “contains
wheat.” However, there are many foods
and products that are not covered by
FDA allergen labeling laws, so it is still
important to know how to read a label
for wheat ingredients. Interestingly,
buckwheat does not contain wheat,
but is often combined with wheat
flour for baked goods.
These catchwords may trip you up
if you aren’t aware they mean wheat:
• Bran
• Bulgur
• Farina
• Graham Flour
• Malt, malt extract
• Matzo, Matzoh, Matzah, Matsa,
etc.
• Durham Flour
• Couscous
• Seitan
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Food Starch
• Caramel Color
• MSG (monosodium glutamate)
• Textured Vegetable Protein
&
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(which most from large processers
have). The same is true of dairy. Any
food in its natural state, except wheat
or those processed in a facility where
wheat contamination could occur) are
naturally gluten-free.
Processed gluten-free foods are
hitting the stores as fast as chefs can
create them. But beware! While these
may be missing that critical gluten
ingredient, they are generally chockfull of sugar, starches, and fats. These
might be even worse for you than
wheat if you are struggling with arthritis, weight, migraines and more. Truth
be told, the American diet is too carbheavy to begin with. This is a good
time to cut back.
The Internet abounds with glutenfree blogs and recipes. Frequently
modifications are easy. Nut, rice and
other flours substitute for wheat flour.
Gluten-free all purpose flour makes
that family banana bread recipe work
once again.
So what can you eat when you
decide to go gluten-free? Oh, you’d be
amazed at the variety that is available
for you. It just doesn’t usually come
in a box. All fruits and vegetables are
gluten-free. Meats are gluten-free
unless the animal has been fed grain
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Beside Sportsman's Warehouse
(859) 258-2200
NICHOLASVILLE RD
10 Things That
Happen When
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1. Your job is now Professional
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