Archive for the ‘gluten-free’ category

Gluten Allergy Symptoms

May 10th, 2011

Gluten allergies seem to be reaching epic proportions.  Finally, the big supermarkets are  awakening and stocking their shelves with  a number of gluten free products.  How do you know if you are gluten sensitive?  Gluten food allergy symptoms include:   digestive problems, diarrhea, gas, bloating, inflammation, weight gain or loss, skin rashes, itching, fatigue, and  irritability.  Gluten allergies also contribute to many autoimmune diseases including celiac’s disease and hashimoto.  Sometimes you may not even have symptoms and are diagnosed by a blood test.   Stomach aches and diarrhea are usually tell tale signs of gluten allergy symptoms in children.  If you suspect your child has gluten and wheat allergy symptoms, remove all forms of gluten out of their diet for 2 weeks and see if they feel better.  Then slowly introduce it back and see if the same symptoms return.

Gluten is not only found in wheat.  It is also present in rye, oats and barley.  Gluten hides in many places so it is important to read labels when shopping. Chances are if it doesn’t say gluten-free, it isn’t.  Some common names for gluten include:

Anything with the word wheat or flour in it

Bran

bulgur
Cake flour
Cereal extract
Couscous
Crackers, cracker meal
Dur

Einkorn
Emmer
Farina
Flour
Germ
Gluten
Graham flour

Kamut

Malt, malt extract
Matzo

matsoh meal

Noodles
Pasta
Seitan

Semolina,

Spelt

Triticale

Triticum

If you are think you have gluten allergy symptoms, always read the labels – even sauces have gluten in them.

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Are Shirataki Noodles Good for Weight Loss?

January 3rd, 2010

Are Shirataki noodles good for weight loss or not?

You be the judge. Shirataki Noodles are made from the konjac plant. The konjac plant is a tuber , grown only in the Orient, and full of fiber. Also known as glucomannan, that is sold in the United States in health food stores as a weight loss supplement.  So you can take a pill or create a wonderful dish with Shirataki Noodles. Your choice.

The Shirataki noodle is sold packed in water and the shelf life is more than a year. There are many ways to use the noodles. The Japanese use them as a side dish, just plain.These thin, chewy  noodles are almost translucent and have a different texture than regular wheat flour noodles. I have found, that since the Shirataki noodles have no flavor of their own, you may add any spice, sauce or flavor you like. The more flavor you add, the better the taste. But the more ingredients you add to the Shrataki noodles, the more calories are added.

At  Shirataki noodle recipes we have 101 great recipes. Some are definitely Asian, but many are flavored with spices and sauces from around the rest of the world. We have recipes for mac and cheese, or casseroles, such as tuna or lasagna. There are vegetable soup recipes, chicken dishes, beef dishes, salads, pork dishes, seafood, turkey dishes and vegetarian dishes. I think anyone will be able to find something they like.

The Shirataki noodle, in and of itself, have NO fat, NO net carbs, NO calories, NO sugar, NO protein, and NO gluten and are rich in fiber!!    Shirataki Noodles are great for diabetics.  And they keep you very full -they are a great food to use as an appetitie suppressant.

So?   Are Shirataki noodles good for weight loss? I beleive they are, if you watch what ingredients you add to them. But, you can be the judge!

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Gluten Free Cooking

December 16th, 2009

Many people are allergic to gluten and some dietary restrictions may apply to people allergic to gluten. Gluten is a substance found in flour products and gluten free cooking is an absolute must to those allergic to gluten. Unless posed with such a situation, many of us take for granted the many different varieties of food available. For those allergic to cooking, it becomes difficult to enjoy the normal food varieties available.

Many restaurants and fast food joints are recognizing the need for gluten free cooking. Gluten free cooking is a challenge because it is tough to find new and tasty food every day with ingredients that do not contain gluten. With the growing need of gluten free foods, there are many resources available to help one with gluten free cooking. You will also find pre-packaged foods that can be bought off the shelf from grocery stores that are free of gluten. In addition, you can cook gluten free recipes, such as good gluten free bread very easily.

If you wish to stay gluten free, the best way to start is with natural foods. Most packaged and artificial foods have gluten as an ingredient. Gluten is in fact added while processing the natural food items into packaged food. The breads, pizzas and pastas need to have gluten because of the way they are processed. There are many natural foods like rice, potato flour, soy, rice bran and arrowroot that are gluten free.

Gluten free cooking does not necessarily mean tasteless cooking. You can make many delicious foodstuffs at home, which are gluten free. You can search the Internet for gluten free cooking recipes and try out many varieties at home. There also the normal packaged foods that is now available gluten free. You need to check the label before you buy to ensure that they do not contain any gluten. Get started at home with gluten free cooking and have healthy and hearty meals.

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