Put a label on it

So what are genetically modified foods and why are they controversial? GMO foods, as they are often called, refer to any plant or meat product that has its DNA artificially altered in a laboratory using genetic engineering methods not found in nature to introduce genes from other plants, animals, viruses, bacteria, or other foreign compounds into that food. While reasons for using these experimental methods vary, foods are often genetically modified to be pesticide resistant, or to introduce new crop traits such as those that would produce foods at a faster rate, in larger quantities, or to have a greater nutrient profile. Use of these techniques provide the food industry with far greater control over a food's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding. To date, most genetic modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops in high demand by farmers such as wheat, corn, soybean, canola, and cotton seed oil.

The issue surrounding the safety of GMO foods first came about at a meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and biotech representatives in 1990. Then in early 1996, the "substantial equivalence" concept was proposed in which the food industry was allowed to market and sell new GMO foods without any safety or toxicology tests as long as the GMO foods “were not too different in chemical composition to foods already on the market.” To decide whether a modified product is considered a substantial equivalent, the product is tested by the manufacturer (not an independent research body) for unexpected changes and only on a limited set of variables such as toxins, nutrients, or allergens known to be present in the unmodified food. If these limited tests did not show any significant difference between the modified and unmodified products, then no further food safety testing is required.  It is this very limited testing that serves as the public declaration of the safety of GMO foods for human consumption. And unlike the strict safety evaluations required for the approval of new drugs, no long term studies have been conducted on the long term effects of genetically engineered foods.

In addition to limited testing, labeling is also an issue. Namely, do you have the right to know what’s in a food before you consume it? While there was a time when we did not label foods with calorie, nutritional value, or common allergens, we do now. In fact, most consumers read labels and use this information every day to make healthy decisions about food choice. 

Now consider the following global statistic… while 61 countries representing over 40% of the world’s population including the entire European Union and China already label genetically-engineered foods, Vermont is the only state in the US currently requiring labeling. In addition, views of your favorite grocer varies. For example, Whole Foods Markets has made the decision to require labeling of all genetically modified foods they sell with labelling being implemented over the next few months, Wegmans Food Markets on the other hand has taken a "neutral stance" but essentially denying a consumer's the right to know. 

Ultimately, as a consumer the choice is yours. Do you or don’t you want to know what is in your food before you eat it? The simplest way to identify genetically modified foods  is to label it the same way as we do calories, nutrients, and allergens…and require your grocer to put a label on it! For more information, go to http://justlabelit.org/.

Here’s to good eating and good health!

Donating Blood Benefits You Too!

I donated blood last week. My youngest son has donated blood for years. When I was first interested years ago, my son told me that I would not be eligible because I have a heart condition, so I did not pursue it. A doctor mentioned in one of the many youtube videos that I have watched that donating blood could vastly reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. That piqued my interest. I checked with the American Red Cross and found out that I was eligible. My particular heart condition was not one that disqualified me as a donor. Donating was easy. It takes about an hour, but the actual blood draw only takes 8 - 10 minutes,

Below is one of many articles concerning the study that found that frequent blood donations can cut heart attack risk as much as 88% and cut risk of stroke up to 33%. When you give blood, you not only can save the life of someone else, you can protect yourself as well.


Want to reduce your heart attack and stroke risk? Donate blood

Check with the American Red Cross or your local blood bank to see if you are eligible.

Eating Out Grain-Free

   Just the other day, someone asked me, because of my diet, if I still went out for meals. The answer is yes. We do not go out as often because the meals we make at home are much more colorful and flavorful than we usually get at a diner or restaurant.

   So how does this work. Every restaurant we have visited has had no issue with us requesting bread and croutons be omitted from our meals. I look for broiled or baked entrees, substitute cottage cheese, cole slaw, vegetable or fruit for the starch. For instance, a recent meal consisted of: broiled cod with butter, lemon and pepper; steamed broccoli; cottage cheese; and water with lemon. Not only was this meal delicious and filling, but totaled just 401 calories.

   Another recent meal out consisted of: petite sirloin steak; broccoli;, sautéed zucchini and yellow squash; and water and lemon. Again, delicious and filling and a mere 424 calories. Each of these meals contained very little carbohydrates. They left me satisfied. Because I have gone awhile without grains, I had no craving for bread or pasta or even dessert.

   I track all that I eat so that I can keep track of my nutrient intake. According to LoseIt app, my calorie budget each day is just over 1900. I find that I eat much less than that, not purposely but because I just don’t feel the need to eat more. Proteins and fats satisfy you quickly, especially when you are not exposing yourself to the opiate-like substances in wheat which further stimulate your appetite. If you concentrate on vegetables over fruit, you also keep your blood sugar more level. Of course, starch vegetables can raise your glucose levels, but I avoid those too.

   You can have very satisfying meals in restaurants that are grain free. Even simple lunch items can be easily adjusted by the kitchen. Ask them to leave off the bread and eat the sandwich without it or ask them to wrap the sandwich contents in lettuce.

    Being mindful of how foods effect the body, this can be an effective lifestyle decision.

So what's the deal with flours?

When Justin and I started our "going against the grain" adventure, we figured that our food choices would be limited. To our surprise, it has been anything but limiting. In fact, because we no longer eat (and thereby limit ourselves to) wheat-based products, we have discovered many naturally gluten-free options. So many in fact that we are often overwhelmed with all the options available to us! Case in point flours and meals. First off... who knew there were so many alternatives to wheat flour? Rice, corn, millet, potato, sorghum, and quinoa just to name a few. What's more, not all flours and meals are created equal. In fact, not all are made of grains. Some are actually grass (in the case of millet). Others are made of nuts (almond meal and coconut flour), beans (garbanzo), or seeds (buckwheat). If that is not enough to make your head spin, each have characteristics that make them great for some recipes while lousy for other recipes. For example, arrowroot creates a shiny gloss that is great for dessert sauces or glazes. But its slimy texture is not meant to be used with dairy products. Meanwhile, if you intend to use dairy products, then corn starch is a better choice. Then there's coconut flour which is great for soups and sauces. Its nut counterpart, Almond meal is really dense and expands with liquids so very little is needed in your favorite recipes. We're also told don't get confused between potato starch and potato flour as each have very distinct characteristics and uses. At the end of the day though, both work better when mixed with other flours and meals rather than alone.So how do you make sense of all it? How do you know which flour or meal to use and for what purpose? A great resource is WholeIntentions.com. You’ll find a list of common flour substitutes along with a description of their characteristics. There's also a reference chart listing the amounts of flour to use when using it in place of wheat flour and another noting which gluten-free flours make the best thickeners. Also click here for a Gluten Substitution Chart which will help you to select the best gluten-free alternative in your favorite recipes.

Do you have any favorite sites that help you to stay organized when baking gluten-free? If so, please share. Thank you!

Process free your diet

When you first decide to go healthy, you think to yourself, “how can hard it be?” Then you start to read labels and discover that foods you thought were healthy, weren’t. Case in point…. gluten-free products. When you first start out on a gluten-free diet, the first thing you do is try to find substitutes for your old favorites such as muffins, brownies, cakes, breads, etc. While the manufacturers consider their products to be “safe” in that they do not contain those nasty glutens, you soon discover that many pre-packaged items are high in calories, are loaded with sugar, and require lots of eggs and/or butter to be added to the product in an effort to make it taste good! Totally frustrated, you now realize that most of the stuff available on grocery store shelves (and in restaurants for that matter) can hardly be called food. While these food products give us the calories we need to survive, they do not offer the nutrients we need to thrive. So what to do? Hope and inspiration came in the form of Andrew Olson…author of the One Ingredient Chef. His premise for eating healthy is simple ... so simple in fact that a first-grader can understand. Yet his approach to healthy eating his powerful enough to save lives... only eat foods that start out as one whole ingredient you can hold it in your hand. For example, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, apples, brown rice, spinach, etc. Sounds easy enough... eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Got it!  For packaged items, it's trickier for some as requires you to read the label. So if the package says, “ingredients: brown rice, go for it! If however a package lists 300 ingredients, most of which you cannot pronounce, then forget it. To help you stay on track, his site includes recipes, articles, and tips on how to make your diet process-free.He also offers a free One Ingredient Chef eBook that may be downloaded with resources, recipes, and menu plans for improving your health by cooking with only real ingredients.