FLOUR POWER

Source: Albuquerque Journal, N.迷你倉M.Sept. 18--Could danger be lurking in that pizza and beer that heralds Friday night and the end of the work week for many of us?If you are one of the increasing number of people who find that wheat and gluten sensitivities play havoc with your health, then celebrating with a double dose of wheat in the pizza crust and the beer could lead to a weekend of symptoms: bloat, gastric distress, fatigue, headaches, joint pain and more, according to experts.The idea that gluten causes problems isn't new, of course; anyone who shops for groceries knows that gluten-free products are the latest food fad."You know corn has always been gluten-free, same with our traditional New Mexico chicken enchiladas, but now with the craze, companies are trying to make an extra buck by stamping gluten-free on their products," explains John-Paul Bulow, healthy eating specialist at Whole Foods Market on Wyoming NE.Certified nutritionist Karen Falbo, nutrition program manager for Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, adds there's substance behind the gluten-free hype."It is a big deal," she says. "It look like a big fad, but there's more to it than that."What it's all aboutGluten is a collection of proteins that makes bread rise and provides the delectable texture to baked foods. Wheat has the most gluten of grains, but it's also found in rye, barley, triticale and oats to some degree, Falbo says.Celiac disease is the body's most serious reaction to gluten and wheat.It affects about 1 percent of the population, according to the Celiac Sprue Association USA. The organization estimates 3 million Americans may have celiac disease, but only a fraction -- about 150,000 -- of those are diagnosed.Celiac disease is a genetically linked autoimmune disorder that can affect children and adults. When people with it eat certain grain-based products that contain gluten, it sets off an immune response that causes damage to the small intestine. This limits the small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients found in food, which can lead to malnutrition and other complications, according to the association's website, csaceliacs.info.However, it's suspected that gluten sensitivities affect a larger number of individuals, with estimates ranging to more than half the population, Falbo says. Those folks may have other conditions like insulin-dependent diabetes or other inflammatory diseases and experience distress when they eat wheat and the gluten contained in it. They may find that because wheat and gluten trigger inflammation, avoiding it could reduce pain created by the inflammation.Because of the way the body stores energy, some people gain weight more easily with wheat in their diet: "Wheat starch converts to sugar more rapidly than other grains."The controversyStill, gluten sensitivity is a controversial subject.Bulow says more conservative estimates are that 15 percent to 20 percent of the population has some gluten sensitivity. "People with sensitivity may have varying degrees of reaction. Maybe after you eat a bowl of spaghetti you feel sluggish or maybe you spend the next day in the bathroom. Everything is interconnected. If you have a chronic disease, your diet affects it."Both Falbo and Bulow have been tested and found they are sensitive to gluten. For Falbo that means she avoids gluten completely, and for Bulow that means he eats gluten-free as much as he's able.To discover if gluten could be troublesome, an elimination diet for two to six weeks could help you discover if it both文件倉rs you, they both agree. An integrative physician, such as those at the University of New Mexico Center for Life, can administer tests to discover if wheat is a problem, Bulow says.Teri Roland, compounding pharmacist at Highland Pharmacy on Encino Place NE, says she's happy to recommend a physician for tests, but says those results are often inconclusive and suggests the elimination diet approach: "If you give up all gluten for six weeks and then add it back in, if you have a reaction, you'll know."It's significant: "The wheat we eat today isn't what our grandparents ate," Bulow says.How to do itTo learn about the properties of gluten, the Explora museum staff will have a gluten washing experiment during "The Science of Food," the featured programming at Adult Night at Explora this Friday."We want to build awareness of what gluten is," says Explora spokeswoman Elena Baca.To demonstrate, several kinds of flour -- from gluten-free to high-gluten flour -- are made into balls of dough. Water washes the starch out of the dough, until only the gluten protein remains.The staff will have other hands-on demonstrations. Bulow will make healthy food and diet recommendations and share his prize-winning gluten-free chia pudding."We don't throw out all our other health principles because we're eating gluten free. Just because something is gluten-free doesn't mean it's healthy. Eating a gluten-free cookie doesn't mean it's good for you," he explains.Falbo recommends finding gluten-free foods in the usual places, in diets rich with vegetables and fruit, lean protein and complex carbohydrates, outside of wheat and related grains."Gluten-free processed food can have a place when you need a treat for a special occasion," she says. "But those foods, like all processed foods, are not part of a healthy diet and don't support optimal health."CHIA SEED FRUIT PUDDINGServes 6 (1 cup each)1 whole pineapple (core removed) 12-ounce bag frozen cherries 1 cup coconut milk 4 tablespoons local honey 3/4 teaspoon sea salt 3/4 cup chia seedsAdd all ingredients to a large blender and blend. Let pudding set for 1 1/2 hours and enjoy. Each serving has an ounce of chia seeds, providing 9.8 grams of fiber. -- From John-Paul Bulow of Whole Foods MarketGLUTEN-FREE BLUEBERRY YOGURT WAFFLESServes 63 eggs 1 1/2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup brown rice flour 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons butter, melted 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberriesIn a large bowl, beat eggs, yogurt and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, flour through nutmeg; then add the butter and mix well. Stir in the blueberries until just combined. Heat a waffle iron. Pour enough batter for one waffle onto the waffle iron and cook until golden on both sides. Serve immediately, plain or with apple butter or warm maple syrup. PER SERVING (two 4x4-inch waffles): 227.5 calories; 7.1 g fat, 33.7 g carbohydrates, 6.8 g protein, 1.9 g fiber. -- Adapted from American Dietetic Association The Science of FoodAdult Night at Explora will feature "The Science of Food," food demonstrations and samples, with music by WildewoodWHERE: Explora, 1701 Mountain NWWHEN: 6:30-10 p.m. FridayHOW MUCH: Adults, $8; seniors 65 and older, $5Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at .abqjournal.com Distributed by MCT Information Services存倉