Tag Archive for: gluten free
Epicured for Low FODMAP Patients
ANYONE following the low FODMAP diet knows the STRUGGLE associated with figuring out what to eat. So many foods are restricted in Phase 1 and figuring out meals can be stressful.
Cue Epicured!!
I had the privilege of trying out a new meal delivery service called Epicured. This is truly a game-changer for patients dealing with gut issues such as Crohn’s, IBS, and SIBO. Their meals are low fodmap as well as gluten-free. It is a wonderful option when you are struggling with what to eat or just don’t want to cook!
Let me share with you my thoughts after using the service:
- Great Website: The website is super user-friendly and easy on the eyes. You can browse through all the meal and food options to get an idea of what you will receive. Beautiful pictures and detailed descriptions are shown for all options. The ordering process is easy as well.
- Variety: Y’all, there are so many different opti
ons at Epicured. You can order basic chicken (though the sauce that accompanies this is anything but basic) to Tikka Massala. They even have side dishes, chia pudding, smoothies, and snacks. You can order an entire day’s worth of food or a few dinners a week. - Packing: Everything came packed so well. The box was delivered with an insulated padding and multiple large cooler packs. Bonus, the cooler packs are reusable!! Everything was very organized and labeled in durable packaging. They even include directions on how to best heat up the meals for optimal enjoyment.
- Taste: The food is good! I found I had favorites among the meals I chose. My favorites included the Lemon Rosemary Chicken, Tofu Tikka Masala, and Baked Lasagna Bolognese. They use high-quality ingredients and it shows in the flavor of the food. There are many types of veggies used in the meals from radishes to kabocha squash. This ensures you are getting a nice variety of plant foods.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Epicured! It is a wonderful and delicious way to save time and add some variety to your diet in a safe and gut-friendly way!
MU
Epicured provided products for this post, however, the opinions are completely ours based on our experience with Epicured.
I Hate My Food Intolerances
“I hate my food intolerances!”
If you have said this before, this blog post is for you. I have been living with food intolerances myself for years and let me tell you, it has been a journey to acceptance. My intolerances began after my first pregnancy and it has taken years to figure out my new normal. I have dealt with all the feelings: anger, frustration, annoyance, sadness, and down right feeling sorry for myself. Even after all this time, there are days that are really hard. And it is OK. So how do you get through it?
The first step is truly identifying what foods affect you. For years I thought my intolerances were from gluten and after eliminating wheat/gluten products I felt better, but not 100% normal. I took a Pinner test and the results were shocking. A staple food in my life was the main culprit to my poor gut health: eggs. This was incredibly difficult to accept. When I eliminated them from my diet, I noticed a world of change and quickly found reasonable substitutes to give my body a chance to heal. The bloating, pain, fatigue and a host of other symptoms have slowly gone away and what is left is… nothing. A lack of symptoms and a feeling of normal that I didn’t think I could feel.
Going forward, I ask a million questions at restaurants, buy new products, and try alternate recipes with the goal of keeping my body symptom free and completely satisfied. Remember folks, there are thousands of foods out there, so there is no need to focus on the few items that you can’t have. So find out what you are actually intolerant/allergic to and make the adjustments to your pantry so you can be comfortable in your kitchen again. Please feel free to contact us to find out more information on our Pinner tests and set an appointment to start your path down the road to eating with confidence again. MU
Halloween Candy & Food Allergies
Halloween Candy
Having allergies or intolerances can be extremely challenging, especially during the holidays. Daily reminders about the foods you once enjoyed but can no longer have are constant. Dairy, gluten, corn, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, and eggs are found in so many foods these days. Whether you or your children are new to having allergies or have been dealing with them for years, Halloween can be a tricky holiday to traverse. Many candy companies are wonderful at providing the allergens listed in their ingredients, which makes it possible to find allergen free treats your family can enjoy. Below I have provided a list of candy suitable for each allergy/intolerance:
Wheat/Gluten
Common ingredients listed are: wheat flour, wheat, glucose syrup made from wheat, barley, barley syrup, malt, or cross contamination from the manufacturing facility.
Safe candies include:
Skittles, Mike and Ike’s, Blow Pop, Almond Joy, Snickers, M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut butter Cups, Milk Duds, Charleston Chews, Dots, Tootsie Pops, Double Bubble, Reese’s Pieces, Laffy Taffy, Caramel Apple Pops, Andes Mints, Sour Patch Kids, Starburst, 3 Muskateers, Lifesavors, Sugar Babies, Tootsie Rolls, Nerds, Butterfingers, Baby Ruth, Jolly Ranchers, Junior Mints, Mounds, Sugar Daddy, Dum Dums. Hershey Bar
Corn
While most corn allergies are specific to the protein in corn, some are allergic to other nutrients in corn. There can be traces of corn protein in any corn- derived ingredient.
Common ingredients listed are: corn syrup, corn flour, cornstarch, maltodextrin, cellulose, caramel, vegetable oil, cross contamination from the manufacturing facility.
Safe candies include:
Reese’s peanut butter cup, Hershey Bar, Heath Bar, KitKat, Mr Good Bar, Andes Mints
Dairy
Common ingredients include: whey, casein, milkfat, milk, powdered milk, skim milk, lactose, dairy butter, cross contamination from the manufacturing facility.
Safe candies include:
Skittles, Mike and Ike’s, Twizzlers, Lifesavers, Starburst, Dots, Double Bubble, Nerds, Jolly Ranchers, Laffy Taffy, Sweet Tarts, Dum Dums, Sour Patch Kids
Soy
Common ingredients include: soy lecithin, soy albumin, soy flour, TVP, soy protein, cold pressed soybean oil
Safe candies include:
Sweet Tarts, Twizzler’s Pull N Peel , Nerds, Life Savers, Sour Patch Kids, Good and Plenty, Dum Dums
Peanuts
Common ingredients include: peanut flour, peanuts, peanut protein hydrosolate, cross contamination from the manufacturing facility
Safe Candies include:
Tootsie Pop, Dum Dums, Dots, Andes Mints, Laffy Taffy, Jelly Belly, Milk Duds, Caramel Apple Pops, Skittles, Lifesavers, Tootsie Roll, Mike and Ike’s, Blow Pop, Sugar Babies, Double Bubble, Charleston Chew, Whoppers, Starburst, Nerds, Dots, Kit Kat, Junior Mints, Sweet Tarts, Hershey Bar
Tree Nuts
Common Ingredients include: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, coconut, pistachio, pecan, marzipan, almond paste, nut oils, nut milks, nut extracts, chestnut, cross contamination from the manufacturing facility.
Safe candies include:
Skittles, Tootsie Roll, Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, Jolly Ranchers, Sour Patch Kids, Sugar Daddy, Mike and Ike’s, Blow Pop, Reese’s Peanut butter Cup, M&M’s Plain, Good and Plenty, Junior Mints, KitKat, Twizzlers, Lifesavers, Nerds, Starburst, Milk Duds, Dum Dums, Whoppers, Dots, Reese’s Pieces, Andes Mints, Charleston Chew, Twizzler’s Pull N Peel, Dots, Hershey Bar, Sweet Tarts
Eggs
Common ingredients include: egg whites, egg yolks, egg albumin, egg protein, meringue, egg lecithin, cross contamination from the manufacturing facility.
Safe candies include:
Skittles, Mike and Ike’s, M&M’s, Dum Dums, Almond Joy, Reese’s Peanut butter Cup, Hershey Bar, KitKat, Twizzlers, Lifesavers, Tootsie Roll, Nerds, Good and Plenty, Blow Pop, Butterfinger, Jolly Ranchers, Starburst, Crunch Bar, Sour Patch Kids, Milk Duds, Andes Mints, Caramel Apple Pops, Dots, Tootsie Pop, Rolo, Twizzler’s Pull N Peel, Reese’s Pieces
Hoping everyone has a safe and delicious Halloween!
MU
Is Gluten-Free Healthy?
Almost two-thirds of participants in a Consumer Reports survey thought going gluten-free would improve their physical or mental health; but is cutting out gluten beneficial for those without celiac disease or gluten sensitivities? Going gluten-free is not necessary for most healthy individuals.
Here may be some reasons to not go gluten-free:
– Going gluten-free without the help of a nutritionist may lead to nutritional deficiencies. The gluten-free products are often not enriched or fortified in iron or folic acid like wheat flours.
-You might actually gain weight, contrary to popular belief. The gluten that added texture and flavor to wheat, rye, and barley are often replaced with fat, sodium, and sugar in gluten-free products.
-You might miss a serious diagnosis. If you think you have an intolerance to gluten or celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, you actually need to be consuming gluten to get a proper diagnosis. For others, going gluten-free may more of a placebo effect. It’s best to talk to a dietitian or GI specialist and see what changes are best to make before severely restricting your diet!
If you’re looking into cutting out gluten, keep these tips in mind:
– Don’t cut out whole grains completely. You can replace wheat with amaranth, corn, millet, quinoa, teff, and rice.
-Pick naturally gluten-free foods: fruit, vegetables, lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes, and nuts.
-Read your labels and minimize sugar, fat, and sodium when you buy processed foods!
Have any questions? Our RD’s would love to meet with you and discuss your concerns! -HM
Picture from Consumer Reports January 2015 Issue.