A Gluten Free Life Online

Chef Lisa Colasurdo of “Fruits of Life” has produced a series of video cookbooks demonstrating Gluten Free recipes that all will love. This clip is a 3 minute sample. email Chef Lisa at lisa.colasurdo@yahoo.com to order or visit her website at www.fruitsoflife.net

Jean Duane, Alternative Cook discusses the different types of flours to use in gluten-free baking. She categorizes the flours into four different types — grain, protein, starch and ‘enhancement’ flours and how to combine them for successful gluten-free baking.

More and more people are finding they’re adversely affected by what gluten in their food. Here is some information you may not have known about.

Wheat Intolerance: Ten Things You May Not Know About It

Wheat intolerance, for example, is a common problem today. Wheat based ingredients are present in almost all we eat, and can be a major headache for sufferers. The reading of labels on the back of products in supermarkets becomes routine, with the problem being compounded by food manufacturers occasionally changing the ingredients in a product. What is safe one week doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe the next week. Here are nine more things that you may not know about Wheat Intolerance:

  There is a link between Obesity and Wheat Intolerance. Put simply, obesity can occur when we consume more calories that you burn-off over a period of time, and if this happens we store the excess calories as fat.

  Wheat Intolerance is cumulative, i.e. the more of a problem food/drink that you eat, the worse you will feel!

  Its difficult to know what causes an intolerance, be it to Wheat or anything else. Some experts believe that it may have a genetic basis, whilst others point out that we rotate our diet far less nowadays due to refrigeration and preservatives in food. This means that we no longer eat seasonally.

  It’s not only in Weetabix. Just because an item of food appears entirely safe, be aware. For example it is not unknown for some restaurants to add flour to their mashed potatoes to make them appear light and fluffy. The same with grated cheese; this is sometimes mass-produced in large bags with flour included to stop the grated cheese ‘sticking’ together.

  Wheat flour is often used on fries to make them crispy

  Alcohol can be just as bad (sorry). Beer is obvious, but some spirits can also be a no-no. Both Gin and Vodka are fermented from grains. However some of the cheaper brands of Gin & Vodka are made from Molasses but if you are unsure its just not worth the risk.

  Most dishes can be made using substitute ingredients that do not contain wheat, i.e. using corn or rice flour instead of real flour.

  You will not get better. The way medical science sees it, an intolerance is for life. So, accept it and adjust your diet to suit.

  Think about it – if you cut the usual flour-based products such as bread, biscuits etc from your diet then over time, apart from feeling better you should notice a rather pleasant side effect – weight-loss.

By: Michelle Hartman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

 Michelle Hartman is the author of www.livingwithoutwheat.com/‘>Living Without Wheat and suffers from a Wheat Intolerance herself. She spends a great deal of her time investigating the latest developments in Allergies and Intolerances, and corresponding with and offering advice to fellow sufferers. See more at www.livingwithoutwheat.com/‘>www.livingwithoutwheat.com

While both an allergy and an intolerance may produce much the same symptoms, it is important to know the difference for your body.

Wheat Allergy Versus Wheat Intolerance

Many food allergies are confused with a food intolerance. A wheat allergy typically is confused with a wheat intolerance and if you dig even further can be confused with a gluten allergy as well as celiac disease.

How you manage your reactions or intolerance can be very different so it is very important to know the difference between a wheat allergy and a wheat intolerance.

Millions of people suffer from allergies caused by a variety of sources both internal and external. External allergies are usually caused by airborne allergens like pollen or dust or environment factors like chemicals. Food allergies are usually the culprit when it comes to the internal reactions. They can be caused by certain foods that we eat, like seafood, peanuts or eggs. Wheat allergies fall into this category and is known to cause many uncomfortable reactions for the person involved.

A wheat allergy can be particularly hard to manage because wheat is found in so many different places. There are products that contain wheat like flour. There are ingredients like gluten that contain wheat and then there are the variety of foods like pasta and breads that contain wheat. We have broken it down this way because in order to manage your allergy you have to be aware of all the different ways you can come across "wheat".

How do You Differentiate Between a Wheat Allergy and a Wheat Intolerance

A wheat allergy and a wheat intolerance are two very different problems. True allergies involve the immune system whereas an intolerance does not cause a reaction from the immune system. A wheat allergy is an auto-immune response that can cause a variety of symptoms. The signs and symptoms of wheat allergy include:

*coughing
*vomiting
*asthma
*other breathing problems

Depending on the person it can cause anaphylaxis which can be fatal. True food allergies are rare and a wheat allergy is not an exception to that. A true allergic reaction to wheat is present in less that one half percent of the population.

Wheat intolerance is more typical and involves a person reacting to the gluten ingredient found in many wheat products. The gluten is a complex protein used so that the wheat will stick together and will rise when baked. Gluten can be found in other grains like rye and barley.

It can also be found in oats that may be contaminated in the production process of the other grains. This intolerance continues to grow and can affect upwards of 14% of the population.

A wheat allergy produced sudden reactions while a wheat intolerance does not. The symptoms of wheat intolerance may seem less obvious and many people confuse it with something else or dismiss them as a normal part of life. The symptoms of a wheat intolerance include:

*eczema
*depression
*gastrointestinal upset
*low blood iron

One may dismiss a food intolerance as "That food just doesn’t agree with me" but you should consider that there are serious health risks associated with both a wheat allergy and a wheat intolerance. These risks can be long term causing or contributing to conditions such as:

*diabetes
*anemia
*bowel cancer

Whether you have a wheat allergy or a wheat intolerance the best treatment is an elimination diet. There may be a specific wheat allergy diet that your allergist or nutritionist may recommend. These diets may be difficult to maintain but they are a must if you want to live as healthy as possible as well as avoid the serious health conditions that can be caused by this problem.

By: Marilyn Franklin

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Marilyn Franklin writes for AllergyFiles.com where you can find information on all allergy types including food allergies like a sugar allergy.