Who Really Needs to Eat "Gluten-Free"

Gluten-Free:  This is a popular buzz word/phrase right now.  Do you follow a nutrition plan that is gluten-free?  Why do you choose that?  If it's because you suffer from some sort of problem/syndrome/condition such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Crohn's disease, ulcerate colitis, fibromyalgia, or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), then you are probably on the right track.  If you choose to go gluten-free just because you "heard" gluten is bad for you, then you might be missing out on some important nutrients.  In this scenario, eating gluten-free is not really necessary.

First let's talk about gluten and find out what it is. Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).  Gluten gives elasticity to baked goods, helping them to rise and keep their shape and also resulting in that chewy texture we associate with freshly baked bread.  With that being said, think about all of the foods (and drinks) you have consumed in your lifetime that contain wheat, barley and rye.  For all of you beer/whiskey/rye drinkers out there, that should have caught your attention.  A gluten-free diet is not just about avoiding wheat bread and some pastas but also avoiding some of the alcoholic drinks made with these products. 

In general, here is a short list of products that may contain gluten UNLESS THEY ARE LABELED AS GLUTEN-FREE on the packaging:

• Beer
• Breads
• Cakes and pies
• Candies
• Cereals
• Cookies and crackers
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies
• Imitation meat or seafood
• Matzo
• Pastas
• Processed luncheon meats
• Salad dressings
• Sauces, including soy sauce
• Seasoned rice mixes
• Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
• Self-basting poultry
• Soups and soup bases
• Vegetables in sauce

Surprised by that list?  You should be.  So if you are following a gluten-free diet, you must watch out for some of these items.  It is a lot of work and takes a lot of patience to abide by a gluten-free nutrition plan.  Again, if you are following this plan due to health reasons (as listed in the first paragraph of this blog), then you are probably well aware of this list.

Now, if you are following this type of nutrition plan because you are just trying to lose weight or "be healthy", you need to be aware that some gluten-free products can still be high in calories, total carbohydrates, and sodium.  Also, if you are an athlete (professional or weekend/amateur), then you should know that gluten-free products contain inadequate amounts of key nutrients such as fiber, calcium, iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, vitamin B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, and zinc.  Wow...surprised by that list??

The topic of this blog is not to dis-sway you from following a gluten-free nutritional plan, but it's to raise your awareness about potential pitfalls of this plan.  If you have a diagnosed medical reason for need to be gluten-free, then by all means, please follow your physician's/nutritionist's advice and stay gluten-free.  However, if you have no medical reason for following this plan, then be sure to cover all of your bases and make sure you receiving all of the necessary nutrients to be completely healthy.  According to registered dietitian Courtney Sullivan, steer clear of highly processed gluten-free foods that lack quality vitamins and minerals.  Eat a variety of grains, including gluten-free ones such as amaranth and brown rice.  As always, be sure to balance lean proteins with fruits and vegetables.

Hopefully this sheds some light on the "gluten-free" way of life.  Again, we are not saying that it is bad to go gluten-free.  You just need to make sure you are following a healthy nutritional plan that is well-balanced and contains all of the necessary vitamins and minerals.

So....are you "gluten-free"??

Winter Vegetables

Fall is almost over (although the temperature outside may indicate winter has already arrived).  With the change of seasons, comes the change of vegetables.  Are you a winter veggie fan?  Do you know which ones are winter veggies?  Winter squashes like pumpkin, spaghetti, acorn, and butternut; turnips, rutabagas, parsnips, and horseradish are all examples of different winter veggies.

Winter squashes are packed with vitamins.  A one-cup serving of winter squash contains almost double the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Beta-Carotene (protects cells against free radical damage, improves function of immune system and reproductive system, and a good source of Vitamin A), and lots of vitamin C, niacin, phosphorus, potassium and fiber too.  Native Americans considered squash so important that they buried it with their dead to nourish them in the afterlife. In fact, current research has proven their hunch, citing the anti-cancer and health-enhancing properties of this ancient vegetable. 

Root vegetables such as turnips, parsnips, rutabaga and jicama are all packed with vitamin C, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.  Root vegetables come in a variety of colors and most can be eaten raw or cooked.  These vegetables are cool-weather crops.  Roots such as beets, carrots, radishes, rutabagas, and turnips can be planted in early spring and late summer for two crops.  For a little history lesson, root vegetables were an essential part of the diet during the early evolution of humankind (about five million years ago) and American colonists relied heavily on root vegetables because they could be stored for months in the harsh New England winters.

Squash Soup in Pumpkin Bowl

Now that you know which veggies are winter ones, where do you go from there?  Try your hand a baking winter squash.  Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds (save them for later), place cut side down in a baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water (to prevent drying) and bake at 400 degrees for 30-60 minutes (depending on the type of squash).  Add butter or maple syrup and seasonings such as nutmeg, cinnamon or ginger.  Want to really impress your family or guests?  Try making a squash soup bowl.  Cut 1-1/2 inches off of the stem end, scoop out the seeds, and place cut side down in a baking dish. If the rounded end of the "bowl" is too round to sit evenly, slice just a sliver from the bottom to level it. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until tender. Add soup and serve.  What a pretty way to enjoy squash on cold winter evening.

Search the internet for other recipes using winter squashes and root vegetables.  Try a variety and find out which ones you (and your family) like the most.  Experiment with some of these crazy looking vegetables in the produce section of the grocery store.  Vitamin-packed and healthy for you...winter vegetables.  Buy some today!!

Required Nutrition Through Diet Alone

Is it possible to get all the required vitamins and minerals through diet alone?  Depending on who you ask that question to, the jury is still out.  Nutritionists believe it is possible to obtain all the necessary vitamins (with the exception of vitamin D) and minerals through food items.  Naturalists, however, feel that due to over-farming the soil and over-processing foods it is NOT possible.

Since percent daily values (as seen on food labels) are typically based on 2,000 and 2,500 calorie diets, some people feel it is almost impossible to consume nutrient-dense foods on a reduced calorie diet.  According to an article in the July 2009 issue of the Harvard Women's Health Watch journal, the question was raised if it was possible to meet nutritional needs based on diet alone, even on a reduced-calorie diet.  In this ARTICLE,  two nutritional experts (a clinical dietician and a nutritional educator) were called into action.  They looked at a reduced-calorie diet of 1,200 calories for women in the age group 51-70 (i.e., post-menopausal women) and found that by consuming nutrient-dense foods, such as nuts/seeds, salmon, and dark green, leafy vegetables, it was possible to consume all required amounts of vitamins (with the exception of vitamin D) and minerals on a daily basis.

Many nutritional experts believe multivitamins are only necessary in certain situations, such as those battling diseases like cancer or those with malabsorption problems.  Too often we default to supplementation with non-food items (i.e., multivitamins) when we should be taking a closer look at our daily diet.  We should be choosing nutrient-dense foods, which are packed with vitamins and minerals and contain relatively low calories.  Here is a short-list of nutrient-dense foods:

• Avocados
  
• Chard, collard greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach
  
• Bell peppers
  
• Brussels sprouts
  
• Mushrooms (crimini and shiitake)
  
• Baked potatoes
  
• Sweet potatoes
  
• Cantaloupe, papaya, raspberries, strawberries
  
• Low-fat yogurt
  
• Eggs
  
• Seeds (flax, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower)
  
• Dried beans (garbanzo, kidney, navy, pinto)
  
• Lentils, peas
  
• Almonds, cashews, peanuts
  
• Barley, oats, quinoa, brown rice
  
• Salmon, halibut, cod, scallops, shrimp, tuna
  
• Lean beef, lamb, venison
  
• Chicken, turkey
  

With a little patience and planning, you can have healthy, well-rounded meals that won't break your wallet at the grocery store.  Some of the items listed above are inexpensive when compared to the cost of a drive-thru meal.  Many of the items can be purchased in bulk quantities also.  Remember, it's not all about the quantity of food you eat, but more about the quality of food.

Not sure where to start?  Utilize the internet for tools to estimate your caloric need based on age, gender and activity levels.  Then seek out reputable sources of calorie contents of different food items.  There are also plenty of tools to track your daily calorie intake.  Still need more help?  Make an appointment with our nutritional specialist here at PROMATx Health Club and learn more about your current diet and how you can obtain the required nutrients through diet alone.

"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."  --Hippocrates