When products like quinoa pasta start showing up at Safeway, you know gluten-free has truly hit the mainstream.
The shelves are cluttered with gluten-free options, with the obvious culprits such as bread, cereal and cookies, as well as items that probably shouldn’t have had wheat to begin with — sauces like soy and caramel, ketchup, salad dressings — and things with hidden gluten, like the adhesive on your envelopes and many lipsticks.
Nicole Monson, a certified nutrition therapist in Cherry Creek, says that the reason gluten is suddenly such an issue continues to be a mystery, one that science explores and makers of expensive gluten-free products exploit.
“There’s not a lot of diversity in our diets, and when you combine that with other underlying digestive issues and a high-stress lifestyle, that can really set you up for some issues,” Monson says.
Let’s tick off a few of those: weight gain, bloating, stomach upset, irritable bowel syndrome, fatigue.
“If you look at the Paleolithic diet, they had a lot of diversity, eating a lot of nuts, seeds, berries, healthy meats,” she says. “If you look at what we’re eating today, it’s the same 10 foods.”
She ticks off a few of them: bread, soda, pasta, potatoes, empty-calorie snacks.
Monson says she thinks that when most people start to cut out gluten-based foods these days, they’re really just trying to feel better.
“So if people are just looking at the first place to start, how to feel better, it’s not necessary to cut out all wheat products,” she says. “Cut out the processed foods, like pre-packaged snack foods and the other things that wheat is hidden in. I guarantee they’ll have some kind of relief.”
Monson explains that the chemicals and additives in processed foods are often culprits, as well.
“You pick up a bag of chips and think, oh, I’m eating potato chips, and then you look at the label and realize they’ve also been coated with soy or mixed with corn, things you might have a reaction to.”
If you think you’re actually having a reaction to gluten, Monson recommends an allergy-elimination diet.
“Completely eliminating all common allergens from your diet, which includes things like dairy products and sugars, and then systematically adding them back in, you will figure out what you react to,” she says. “Chances are, if you have some kind of intolerance to gluten, you’ll have an intolerance to some of the other allergens too.”
Monson adds that unless you’re truly allergic to wheat, there’s no reason to eliminate it, but seeking out its whole form or other whole-grain products — such as kamut, spelt, amaranth, millet, quinoa and teff — is better for your body.
“These are good sources of B vitamins, and selenium, magnesium and manganese,” she says. “What happens when you process grains, you remove those minerals and are just left with the starch. And you’ve removed all the nutrients you needed to digest that starch. So you’re getting food, but the body can’t process it.”
Monson also points out that simply switching out processed foods that contain gluten won’t resolve larger issues such as a compromised digestive tract, a stressed-out immune system or a diet lacking in whole foods.
“In order to achieve true health, it’s necessary to rebalance the body’s systems and repair the gut while incorporating a diet rich in whole foods,” Monson says. “Eliminating gluten will likely be a part of that process because it’s such a common allergen, and for people with celiac disease it is the number one priority. I would just caution people about sort of blindly jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon without some professional support and guidance.”
She also suggests sticking with foods as close to their natural state as possible. “Why pay $7 for a loaf of bread that’s gluten-free when you can just eat a salad or bake something simple yourself?” she wonders.
If you must have a gluten-free substitute — hey, sometimes spaghetti with sauce just sounds good — check the labels carefully. For instance, remember that “quinoa pasta” I mentioned at the beginning, which is made by Ancient Harvest and is gluten- and wheat-free? The first ingredient is actually corn.
Nicole Monson can be found on the Web at
For more information on whole grains, visit .
Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599, outwest@denverpost.com, twitter.com/kylewagnerworld
Gluten-Free Hot Cereal with Four Grains
A good place to buy whole grains in small amounts is in the bulk sections of Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage. Always soak whole grains for at least 12 hours, rinse and then cook. This will remove the phytic acid, which not only can make them hard for people to digest but can also prevent the absorption of minerals.
This recipe comes from the the Natural Foods Chef School at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, where Nicole Monson received her certification.
Ingredients
3 cups water
¼ cup buckwheat
¼ cup quinoa
¼ cup amaranth
¼ cup millet
Directions
Bring water to a boil. Soak grains overnight and rinse before cooking.
Add grains slowly, stirring as you add them, and stir briskly to prevent lumping. Cover and cook 20 to 40 minutes.
Add more liquid if cereal gets too thick and continue to cook. The longer the grains cook, the sweeter they will taste.
Serve with any combination of the following: pumpkin seeds, nuts, berries, a touch of unsulfured molasses or raw Colorado honey.
Pineapple Muffins
This recipe from “Gluten-Free Made Simple,” by Carol Field Dahlstrom, Elizabeth Dahlstrom Burnley and Marcia Schulz Dahlstrom (St. Martin’s Griffin) works well with several types of fruit. I substituted dried blueberries for the raisins to good effect, and have also used fresh strawberries instead of pineapple. I’ve also never felt the need to make the drizzle.
Ingredients
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour such as Bob’s Red Mill
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs, beaten
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, undrained
½ cup shredded carrot
½ cup golden raisins
¼ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
1 recipe Powdered Sugar Drizzle (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 24 muffin cups. Set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.
In a medium bowl mix eggs, pineapple with juice, carrot, raisins, oil, and vanilla. Slowly pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. If desired, fold in nuts.
Fill prepared muffins cups three-quarters full. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 3 minutes before removing from cups. If desired, drizzle with Powdered Sugar Icing. Keep muffins refrigerated after baking. This batter can also be made ahead and frozen for baking later. Serves 24
Nutrition Per Serving: 107 calories, 3 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 51 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein
POWDERED SUGAR DRIZZLE
In a small bowl stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Place in a small plastic sandwich bag, cut off corner of bag, and drizzle over muffins.
