The Gluten-Free Food Report

Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins That Are Delicious

2011-12-05T21:09:00.001-08:00

Gluten free double chocolate muffins that are moist and delicious are available from Udi's Gluten Free Foods. I know because I had one today. Udi's makes a gluten free pizza crust that I like both as crust for homemade pizza but as toasted in oven and dipped in olive oil as substitute for gluten containing bread.

The muffins are moist like gluten containing baked goods. They are tasty. I can't tell you that they are healthy per se with one muffin providing 290 calories and 13 grams of fat.

They are gluten free, soy free, dairy free and nut free. They do contain eggs. Their are the usual food additives you see in processed foods.

But if you are hankering for tasty indulgence of an old fashioned muffin and can afford the calories and fat for a treat without blowing a healthy diet to heck then try one. You won't be disappointed. And know I don't own stock or receive any compensation from the company. I am just a Dad who is gluten free and has gluten free kids who also happens to be an expert in Celiac and gluten sensitivity so I have this forum to share my opinions, healthy and unhealthy ones at times. Be sure to check out the food doc website www.thefooddoc.com for tons of new content including high quality photos from inside the digestive tract that I have taken doing scopes on patients as well as pictures of biopsies courtesy of the pathologists that read my samples, especially GI Path in TN. Explanations are provided in text on the site and I have added a couple of podcasts that can be listened to from my website or my blog www.thefooddocblog.blogger.com.Healthy Gut, Healthy LifeSincerely,The Food DocScot M. Lewey, DO, FACG, FASGE, FACP, FACOI, FAAP, FACOPClinical Associate Professor of MedicineRocky Vista University-College of Osteopathic Medicinewww.thefooddoc.cominfo@thefooddoc.comwww.gacsonline.com

Gluten Free Food Report: Macaroni and Cheese That Is Gluten Free & Tastes Awesome

2008-08-10T19:41:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for gluten free foods that kids will eat? How about gluten free macaroni and cheese that tastes good? Check out Heartland’s Finest Quick Cook Premium All Natural White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese. If you don’t believe me then how about my kids who devour it on video and give their two thumbs up or “awesome” endorsement on camera without any prompting.

This gluten free product contains navy bean flour, yellow corn flour, cheddar cheese (milk, salt, cheese cultures, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, salt and disodium phosphate. So, if you are sensitive to any of those ingredients, especially dairy, you should avoid it. The company does disclose it produces this product contains soy due to shared equipment but claims it is egg, wheat and gluten free.

A serving produces 14 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber but 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams being saturated. So, again we have a gluten free processed food that tastes good but is definitely not low fat.

I am also working on some educational videos and videoblog updates for the The Food Doc Journal and have been adding to and expanding my website www.thefooddoc.com to try to help you achieve a healthy gut, healthy life. Check out the following new web pages:

Food Allergy or Food Intolerance

Mastocytic Enterocolitis

Food Doc Symptom Survey

Sincerely,

"The Food Doc"
Dr. Scot Michael Lewey, D.O., FACP, FAAP, FACOP
Gastroenterology Associates of Colorado Springs
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907
719 387 2110 Fax: 719 302 6000
info@thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Lewey is a digestive disease specialist doctor (board certified gastroenterologist) whose medical practice focuses on digestive and food related illness.

Helpful Links
The Food Doc Website
The Food Doc Journal (Blog)
GACS Clinic Website (Dr. Lewey’s Office)
Dr. Lewey’s expert author bio & articles

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Gluten Free Dino Chicken Bites - Kids and adults love them!

2008-08-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

Trying to maintain a gluten free diet is a challenge enough for adults but for kids it can be even greater. Most kids love chicken nuggets or chicken fingers. Since these are battered with flour they are off limits, that is, unless you can find them made with gluten free flour. Our family found some that taste good, especially when dipped in gluten free Ranch dressing (our favorite Annie’s Cowgirl Ranch Dressing).

Watch a video review from your humble gastroenterologist and his seven year-old son below.

Garrett County Farms, a division of Wellshire Farms foods, makes these gluten free chicken bites from chicken free of antibiotics and preservatives. Wellshire Farms is based in Swedesboro, New Jersey, is family owned and specializes in all natural foods. Now natural and preservative free doesn’t mean low fat but they do compare favorably with other chicken strips in taste. They come in 20-ounce re-sealable pouches and they are Dinosaur shaped!

Stay tuned as we crank the Gluten Free Food Report and the The Food Doc Journal back up in both print and video format and expand my website www.thefooddoc.com

To visit the website for Wellshire Farms click here

Sincerely,
"The Food Doc"
Dr. Scot Michael Lewey, D.O., FACP, FAAP, FACOP
Gastroenterology Associates of Colorado Springs
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907
719 387 2110 Fax: 719 302 6000
info@thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Lewey is a digestive disease specialist doctor (board certified gastroenterologist) whose medical practice focuses on digestive and food related illness.

Helpful Links
The Food Doc Website
The Food Doc Journal (Blog)
GACS Clinic Website (Dr. Lewey’s Office)
Dr. Lewey’s expert author bio & articles

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Gluten-free pancake mix from Bob's Red Mill makes tasty golden brown pancakes without the gluten

2008-02-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

Gluten-free pancakes that taste better than most flour based pancakes? It’s true. Bob’s Red Mill makes a gluten-free pancake mix that make golden brown fluffy tasty pancakes ready for butter, syrup, powdered sugar or fresh fruit. Trying to be healthy, we had fresh blueberries and cooked apples to top our gluten-free pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Bob’s Red Mill reportedly has dedicated facilities for production of their gluten-free products. That is reassuring given the concerns about cross-contamination with gluten that may exist with some other “gluten-free” products. The pancake mix is easy to mix up. For eight 4 inch pancakes you add 1 ½ cups to one egg, ¾ cup of soy, rice, almond or 2% cow’s milk, and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Blend together with a mixer or hand whisk vigorously in a bowl before grilling until golden brown.

A serving of two 4” pancakes yields approximately 190 calories, 50 from fat when mixed as described above. There is 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein (egg, milk). With preparation using egg and 2% milk you get about 5 grams of fat (1.5 saturated), 40 mg of cholesterol and 580 mg of sodium. Lesser amounts of fat and cholesterol can be achieved using 1% or skim milk and egg substitute though I can’t say how well they would grill or taste!

Check out Bob’s Red Mill website for other gluten free products. I have used their Tapioca flour to cook Thanksgiving turkey and we have used many of their bread, cookie and brownie mixes in our home. See my recent posts at The Food Doc Journal about mastocytic enterocolitis and new developments regarding Celiac DQ genetic testing.

I also am working on a newsletter that will contain a lot of detailed content about Celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, food intolerance testing including MRT or mediator release testing, food allergies including eosinophilic or allergic esophagus, Crohn's disease and various forms of colitis including the new entities such as mastocytic inflammatory bowel disease (MIBD).

I spoke to Dr. Robert Nakamura, Medical Director for Prometheus Therapeutics and Diagnostics this morning by phone. I thanked him for the changes Prometheus has made in their celiac genetic tests reports and he informed me that my requests for the more detailed results was instrumental in their changes. We also discussed my observations about the celiac DQ risk genes DQ2 and DQ8 being present in many of the mastocytic enterocolitis patients that I have tested. Stay tuned at The Food Doc Journal for more developments.

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Scot M. Lewey, D.O., FACP, FAAP, FACOP
Gastroenterology Associates of Colorado Springs
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907
719 387 2110 Fax: 719 302 6000

Author Bio

Dr. Scot Lewey is a digestive disease specialist doctor (board certified gastroenterologist) whose medical practice focuses on digestive and food related illness. Also, known as Dr. Celiac, the Food Doc, Dr. Lewey shares his experiential knowledge for a healthy gut, healthy life on-line. Start learning today from his extensive personal and professional experience. Dr. Lewey is uniquely qualified as an expert and one of the few GI doctors who is also gluten sensitive and dairy sensitive. He has nearly a quarter of century of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of food allergy & intolerance, colitis, Crohn's disease and IBS. He is married to someone who has Celiac disease. He and his family live gluten free in Colorado.

GACS Clinic Website (Dr. Lewey’s Office
The Food Doc Journal (Blog)
The Food Doc Website (under construction)
“Experiential Knowledge for a “Healthy Gut, Healthy Life”
Secure on-line consultation (fees apply)

Gluten free food report
Dr. Lewey’s expert author bio & articles

info@thefooddoc.com

Gluten free tomato soup combined with gluten free breadsticks and crackers for lunch

2008-01-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

Doesn’t warm tomato soup and breadsticks or crackers sound good for lunch on a cold winter day? What if you are on a gluten free diet? Today while I was working on an upcoming presentation on the stool testing and the genetics of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity for the Denver chapter of the Celiac Sprue Association, my wife made gluten free tomato soup. We also had bread sticks and crackers that are gluten free. The bread sticks I mentioned in a previous blog.

The soup is an organic soup made by Pacific Natural Foods. It comes in a paper carton ready to be warmed up in the microwave or on the stove. It is gluten free and low in sodium and fat content. However, it does contain milk. Combined with the gluten free bread sticks and crackers and with a few sprinkles of feta cheese on top it tastes great and really hit the spot. My kids loved it too. The published ingredients are organic reduced fat milk, filtered water, organic tomato paste, organic cane sweetener, sodium citrate, sea salt, organic rice flour, organic cheese flavor, organic garlic powder, organic onion powder, and organic white pepper. It is certified organic by ”Oregon Tilth” and carries the label “GLUTEN FREE” though there is no such standard in the U.S. yet.

The soup has 100 calories per 1 cup serving with only 20 calories from fat. It has 1.5 grams of saturated fat and no trans fat. It contains no high fructose corn syrup sweetener. Instead cane sugar is used.

The company is a family owned natural foods company founded in 1987. They make a variety of ready to heat and serve soups and broths. Be careful though because we have found the gluten free soups made by this company are frequently stocked on the self next to soups that are not gluten free but have very similar appearing boxes.

The Glutino brand bread sticks I have previously mentioned. The crackers, Glutano brand Crisp Bread are produced in England. I will comment more on them in another posting.

Thursday February 7, 2008 I will be speaking at the Denver Celiac Sprue Association Support Group on the genetics of Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Tuesday February 12, 2008 I will be speaking to the Colorado Springs chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America on diet and probiotics. This past Thursday I spoke at a Spirit of Women series in Colorado Springs sponsored by Memorial Health Systems. It was the largest turn out they have ever had and tickets sold out within three days. Many people came up after the program to ask questions. It is obvious that there is a great need for more information about the role of gluten and leaky gut in celiac disease, IBS, colitis, autism, fibromyalgia and other health problems.

I am currently working on a newly designed newsletter, writing my chapters for a joint book project with Dr.’s Rodney Ford and Ron Hoggan (author of "Dangerous Grains", coeditor of "ScottFree" newsletter), an article for publication on mastocytic enterocolitis and hopefully the re-launch of my website, www.thefooddoc.com that currently redirects to my blog The Food Doc Journal

Hopefully, I will also be able to start enrolling patients in a clinical trial of AT 1001 in cooperation with Alba Therapeutics. This past year I diagnosed seventy new Celiac disease patients and over three hundred non-celiac gluten sensitive individuals. AT 1001 is an experimental agent that decreases leaky gut. AT 1001 is being evaluated for the treatment of Celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and prevention of Type I Diabetes. I was approved as a local investigator but enrollment of patients was delayed by some administrative challenges with the local clinical research company handling the study.

For those interested I do have copies of Ron Hoggan’s DVD “Smarten Up!” available for purchase at a discounted price of $9.95 plus shipping.

Needless to say trying to keep up reading article, writing, posting on my blogs, speaking, conducting clinical research and having a busy office practice while being a parent to kids from ages 4 to 22 is a challenge but I am encouraged by those who have let me know what I am doing is making difference. So, I hope that I may help you achieve a “healthy gut, healthy life”.

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Glutino Brand Gluten Free Chocolate Breakfast Bars and Coffee Starts Dr. Celiac's Morning

2008-01-14T23:48:00.000-08:00

A gluten-free chocolate breakfast bar with a cup of coffee is what I had on my way out the door this morning. I was in a rush to head to my office today for our weekly meeting before beginning my day scoping patients and seeing my clinic full of people with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, Crohn’s disease, mastocytic enterocolitis and food allergies.

Glutino makes a variety of tasty gluten-free products. I especially like their breakfast cereal bars especially the chocolate flavored ones. This gluten-free breakfast bar is made with dried fruits (raisins & dates), chickpea flour, cocoa powder, and cocoa liquor. They do contain ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and sodium bicarbonate along with a gluten-free natural flavoring. The box warns that they may contain sulphites and traces of nut and soy.

Given I start most days at the office by 7 AM a sit down breakfast is rare. Before I went gluten free I used to have a Boost, coffee, orange juice and a breakfast bar. That was before my wife was diagnosed with celiac disease three years ago and I found out I was gluten intolerant and genetically at risk for CD. Now I skip the Boost since I found out I am also casein sensitive. Boost was one of my lactose free sources of dairy protein before I discovered I was casein intolerant. After going gluten-free my lactose intolerance dramatically improved. However, I have found I must avoid casein as much as possible or else I suffer acne like skin eruptions, fatigue, joint aches and stiffness, especially in my hands from my years of performing endoscopy every day. Soy also causing me these symptoms.

At 120 calories a bar, with the Glutino gluten-free breakfast bar you get only 7 calories from fat and no saturated or trans fat. Though they do have 4 grams of fiber, they only provide you 3 grams of protein. They have 26 grams of carbohydrates and 17 grams of sugars. In my opinion they are no less healthy or dry than any gluten containing cereal bars I used to eat and taste just as good. Glutino also makes gluten-free breakfast bars in several other flavors such as apple, blueberry, and cranberry.

If your local grocer or health food store doesn't have these in their gluten-free section you can order them here by going to Amazon.com. You can pick up some books I recommend including or you may be able to find them there. I have had good luck with Glutino brand foods Carol Fenster's Gluten Free Quick and Easy and Libonati's Recognizing Celiac Disease that I highly recommend. We have found the Glutino brand gluten free foods safe for our family and free from any signs of cross contamination.

Try dipping the chocolate flavored breakfast bars in a cup of hot coffee or cocoa for to moisten them up and you will have a gluten-free breakfast treat. You will need to make sure you get some protein though. I sometimes add a hard-boiled egg white with my morning orange juice and banana.

For those who live in the Colorado area I will be speaking several times in Colorado Springs and Denver in the month of January and February. On Thursday, January 24, 2008, I will be one of four speakers at the Spirit of Women, Women and Digestive Health Series. The event is sponsored by Memorial Health System, Colorado Springs and begins at 6 PM. My lecture is titled “Leaky Gut: The Role of Wheat, Dairy, Bacteria, and Yeast Play in Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome”. On Tuesday, February 12, 2008 I will be speaking to the Colorado Springs Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. My presentation will be on the role of nutrition and probiotics in the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and on February 2008 I am speaking to the Denver Chapter of the Celiac Sprue Association. My presentation there will be on the diagnosis of Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, including the role of genetic testing and Enterolab stool tests.

Post a comment below to let me know what you think of the gluten-free food report and if this is helpful information. I am hoping to make a difference in your journey to a healthy gut and a healthy life!

With warm regards,

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Gluten Free Frosted Flake Cereal

2008-01-13T17:54:00.000-08:00

Envirokidz’s gluten-free corn flakes “taste great”. They can be purchased at Whole Foods and some grocers carrying gluten free foods. They are also available online in 14 ounce box or 1 oz single serving packs from Amazon.com. Produced by Nature’s Path Foods www.naturepath.com, these frosted corn flakes resemble Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes but are free of gluten.
They can be eaten traditional cereal style with milk or milk substitute for those who are dairy allergic or sensitive. Almond or rice milk work well. You can also eat them dry as a tasty gluten-free snack.

They are made from organic corn meal, organic evaporated cane juice and sea salt. Each 2/3 of a cup or 30 gram serving size without milk have 120 calories with 10 grams of fat. The fat content is not saturated and contains no trans fat. Twenty-six grams of carbohydrates and seven grams of sugar constitute the majority of the nutritional value in this cereal that only has two grams of protein. The cereal also has minimal vitamins and no calcium.
The manufacturer does disclose that the cereal may contain traces of peanuts, tree nuts or soy, presumably from cross contamination though it is clear. Certified organic implies that the product is made from ingredients that contain no synthetic pesticides, synthetic herbicides, preservatives or additives and has not been exposed to irradiation. EnviroKidz gluten-free brand cereal bars are also tasty. My kids call them “Cheetah bars” because of the Cheetah depicted on the wrapper.

So, if you are looking for that “sugar cereal” taste of Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes but are on a gluten-free diet then try out EnviroKidz Organic Amazon Frosted Flakes. Expensive especially when purchased in individual single serving pouches but provide that feeling of not losing out by being a gluten-free diet.

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

More gluten free beer choices: Belgian Ales that are gluten free!

2008-01-12T23:11:00.000-08:00

THREE new gluten free Belgian Ales are available. Benchmark Breweries is producing a line of gluten free beers under the brand Greens Beers. These beers are made from millet, rice, buckwheat and sorghum. They are fermented with a traditional Belgian yeast strain and bottle-conditioned. They are also vegan. Three varieties are now available in the U.S. through an e-store
and some liquor stores.

The beers are brewed at Andelot DeProef Browerij, in Lochristi, Belgium. There is a medium bodied ale Discovery Gluten-Free Amber Ale, a classic Dubbel ale Endeavor Gluten-Free Dubbel Ale, and a light bodied ale Quest Gluten-Free Tripel Ale. They are made in the tradition of a fine Belgian Ale but without the gluten. The brewer provides a nice review of the history of brewing on their site. The site that reviews each beer lists the ingredients, the flavor and suggested food pairings. Also included are some great photos of the grains used.

So, jump on the e-store and order your fine Belgian Ale, gluten free, and drink up with some gluten free pretzels. I hope to have a specific post on these beers soon.

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Gluten free potato chips low in fat, taste great, and are also soy and dairy free too!

2007-09-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

A gluten free potato chip that tastes great!

Pinnacle Gold Natural Original Flavor Potato Chips are not only gluten free but they taste great and are low in fat. They remind me of Pringles. As my wife disclosed on one the gluten free forums, they are so good that I once ate a whole bag in one night. Since she already turned in on the Internet about my binging on a gluten free snack food I might as well come clean and write a review about these gluten free chips.

Aren't regular potato chips gluten free?

Potato chips are commonly assumed to be gluten free but this is not necessarily true. Some potato chips such as Lays are reported to be gluten free but many people on a gluten free diet are suspicious. Their suspicion is well founded since flour, wheat or gluten commonly either are added or cross contaminate many foods. Though in 2007 Congress mandated common food allergens, including wheat be listed in food products, gluten is not required nor is there a gluten free standard yet established in the U.S.

What about the content of these gluten free potato chips?

Distributed by Pinnacle Marketing, Fairfield CT (www.PinnacleAmerica.com), these all natural baked chips are reported to contain 70% less fat compared to standard fried potato chips. The listed ingredients are potato pieces, potato flakes, potato, rice, flour, corn flour, canola oil and salt. The specifically state they contain no gluten, dairy, or soy ingredients.

How much fat are in these gluten free potato chips?

The reported fat content is 1.5 grams, 0 grams saturated and 0 grams trans fat in a serving. The bag contains 85 grams or about 3 ounces. A standard serving is one ounce unless you get in a binge like I did one night and eat an entire bag. Still, even at an entire bag, you are only eating 330 calories; 4.5 grams of fat and you get 6 grams of protein. Your spouse may turn you in on the Internet though, especially if that was the last bag and THEY wanted to have some!

As a doctor are you recommending an unhealthy gluten free snack?

Though, as the Food Doc, I encourage healthy eating and living, I am also realistic about what it is like to live in our culture. Snack foods are part of our modern culture. We enjoy eating while spending time with our family and watching TV (I know the experts say we should not do this) so finding healthy and tasty snacks like Pinnacle Gold gluten free potato chips is a joy. It can be tough to find such a snack that is safe to eat for those avoiding gluten, dairy and soy. If you have a hankering for Pringles but want to have a healthy low fat chip free of gluten, soy and dairy then I recommend these gluten free chips.

Where can I find order gluten free food?

You may gluten free food through the Food Doc Amazon e-store. We will be working to provide more gluten free food reviews for our readers.

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Gluten Free Glutino's Duo Cheese Pizza a Hand Tossed Pizza Loved by a Six Year-Old Boy

2007-04-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

For those who are on a gluten free diet, finding a frozen gluten free pizza that taste good seems unlikely. However, my six year-old son recently exclaimed. “Dad, I love this pizza”. The pizza he was referring to was Glutino’s Duo Cheese pizza. And it does taste great. Plus it has the thick doughy crust of what I remember of a hand tossed pizza. Only one problem. They taste so good that my kids devoured all that I had bought before it was my turn to "cook" on Friday night. Despite an emergency run to the local Whole Foods, Safeway and King Soopers I could not find any more or any of the Amy's gluten free cheese pizzas. That left us with gluten free nuggets. But I still have to tell you about those.

The gluten free Duo Cheese pizza is made with tapioca starch and corn starch. This gluten free cheese pizza is small and tastes great to kids. The pizza has 10 grams of protein, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of which are saturated. It is listed as a single serving of 420 calories, 110 coming from fat, but small children can split this pizza. It is not a low fat dish but a nice treat for kids on a Friday night who miss traditional pizza because they are following a gluten free diet.

Glutino foods are based in Quebec, Canada. They offer a wide variety of gluten free foods. I will be reviewing gluten free chicken nuggets and chicken strips as promised. but the strong endorsement of the Glutino pizza from my son moved it up in The Gluten Free Food Report priority.

Finding something easy, tasty and fun for a night at the movies at home can be a challenge in a gluten free household. As a doctor who is considered an expert in celiac disease and personally gluten sensitive married to another doctor with Celiac disease, I have learned first hand about these challenges of the gluten free diet. I hope sharing my experiences will help those Moms and Dads out there trying to maintain a gluten free diet for their kids with celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or at risk for celiac.

To your “healthy gut, healthy life”

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Gluten free salad dressing packets make life easier for those with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity

2007-03-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

Gluten in salad dressings present a challenge to those eating out.

Salad dressings commonly contain wheat or gluten. At a restaurant it is nearly impossible to determine if their salad dressing is safe. It is just another one of the challenges of eating out faced by those of us with Celiac disease & gluten sensitivity. Trying to maintain a strict gluten-free diet can be frustrating because of these hidden gluten exposure risks. Gluten-free salad dressing packets are a great option that many people on a gluten-free diet are not aware exist.

Croutons on salads commonly present a challenge.

Since croutons are put on most salads and dressings often contain hidden gluten or wheat, having a salad can be dangerous. If your experience is like mine and my patients, it is common to have salads brought out with croutons. This frequently happens despite specifically instructing the restaurant staff you cannot have any croutons on the salad. Some just remove the croutons before representing the salad. Sometimes you only find out after you have eaten part of the salad and find the dreaded gluten bread crumbs. For many who are severely gluten sensitive like my wife and several of my patients, this sets off a cascade of diarrhea, painful abdominal bloating, fatigue, bone and joint pains, headaches and rash over the next several days.

Don't give up eating healthy salads due to free of gluten exposure

Because of the fear of hidden gluten, many give up a healthy and generally safe gluten free meal option because of uncertainty of the salad dressing. However, if you can avoid the crouton fiasco, you can maintain a gluten-free diet while eating salad at restaurants or other gluten uncertain situations. Just bringing your own salad dressing. If you are like my wife, who has Celiac disease and has become accustomed to carrying a very large purse to accommodate small children and our family's gluten free lifestyle, then adding a bottle of salad dressing to the collection of emergency gluten-free snacks isn't that much more to lug around.

Gluten free salad dressing options

For gluten-free salad dressing there is another option to the giant handbag. One that we love is carrying packets of Annie’s Naturals gluten-free salad dressing. The Cowgirl Ranch Dressing by Annie’s Naturals taste great and comes in a generous 1.5 ounce single packet that doesn’t require refrigeration. The packets are not cheap at 79 cents each but they are great to have for salads at restaurants as well as very tasty when dipping gluten free chicken nuggets strips and fresh vegetables. Our kids love dipping foods in the great tasting gluten free Ranch dressing. We all did that just last night.

Purchasing gluten free salad dressing online

The gluten-free website www.glutenfree.com can ship these gluten-free salad dressings packets directly to your home. I highly recommend you try the gluten-free Annie’s Natural Cowgirl Ranch Dressing and order some of their easy to carry and use packets. They also offer gluten-free Caesar and Balsamic Dressing packets. They have several other gluten-free dressings but not all their salad dressing are gluten-free so check their products at www.anniesnaturals.com and as always, read labels closely.

Other gluten free foods and beer!

Read more about the gluten-free chicken nuggets and chicken breast strips, also very tasty with Red Bridge gluten-free beer and gluten-free Ranch dressing, in another issue of the increasingly popular Gluten Free Food Report . Keep up to date with breaking news on the science of the links between food, probiotics, and the digestive system at The Food Doc Journal .

Copyright © 2008, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Gluten-free beer: Red Bridge tastes great to Dr. Celiac, the Food Doc

2007-03-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

Gluten-free beer that tastes great!

That’s my verdict on Anheuser-Busch’s new gluten-free beer Red Bridge. It is made from sorghum instead of barley. In my opinion it is reminiscent of Fat Tire, my favorite microbrew beer pre-gluten-free days. However, Red Bridge is sweeter, presumably because of the sorghum.

Gluten-free beer that tastes better than regular beer?

Though I never particularly loved beer, frequently not finishing a whole bottle before switching to wine, I actually like Red Bridge. Added to a gluten-free pizza, Red Bridge makes drinking beer both rebellious and enjoyable for me again, without exposing my body to the harmful effects of gluten.

Look Mom, no malt! How about sorghum?

Sorghum has been used for centuries to make beer and other alcoholic beverages in Africa and Asia. However, barley malt is usually added that renders those beers unsafe for people with Celiac disease. Anheuser-Busch’s decision to make a gluten-free sorghum beer with a large distribution is a sign of the continued progress in the advance of the gluten-free diet.

Pop a top of gluten free beer!

So, pop a top of Red Bridge and join me by saying cheers to them for joining an emerging market. Both I and my patients appreciate an opportunity to choose to have a beer, if we like, without the gluten. Let me know your thoughts. For more scientific information about Celiac disease, food allergies and intolerance, colitis, Crohn's disease and probiotics be sure to visit the Food Doc Journal

Copyright © 2007, The Food Doc, LLC, All Rights Reserved.
www.thefooddoc.com

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

Gluten-free dairy-free pizza and gluten-free beer taste great

2007-02-28T13:07:00.000-08:00

The challenge of the gluten free diet when you want pizza!

AAAs a doctor who treats many people with celiac disease and who is personally gluten sensitive, I am uniquely aware of the challenges of a gluten-free diet. I am also casein sensitive. So, pizza is something that has been missing from my diet for months. Those on a gluten-free diet can enjoy Amy’s gluten free pizza. And if you are also avoiding casein, try Amy’s gluten-free dairy-free Spinach Pizza.

A gluten free pizza described in detail

This gluten-free, casein-free pizza has a rice crust and casein-free soy mozzarella and ricotta cheeses. Therefore, if you are sensitive or allergic to soy, you will want to avoid this pizza. Also, it is important to note that not all of Amy's products are gluten-free. So, you need to pay attention to the pizza boxes to confirm that they are gluten-free. The Spinach Pizza contains tomatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds and rice. Spinach and organic sun-ripened tomatoes are combined with several herbs for a very tasty, yet gluten-free dairy-free pizza.

No trans fats or preservatives, just add a gluten free beer

There are no trans fats, preservatives or MSG. However, more than half the calories are from fat. So, just add gluten-free Red Bridge beer and you can enjoy a classic American meal and be somewhat unhealthy without eating gluten (or casein). I did on Super Bowl Sunday this year. I will tell you more about my thoughts on the new gluten-free beer Red Bridge in another post.

Enjoy a gluten free food report written by a gluten free doctor!

I hope you enjoy this new journal, the Gluten Free Food Report. In it I review gluten-free foods that I have personally tried. For those who want more scientific information with the Food Doc's insights on the latest research linking food and the gut to health, check out The Food Doc Journal. I also plan to publish a blog on probiotics. To your "healthy gut, healthy life".

Dr. Scot Michael Lewey
“Dr. Celiac, the food doc”
www.thefooddoc.com
info@thefooddoc.com
1699 Medical Center Point
Colorado Springs CO 80907

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