Actual dieting on a gluten-free "diet"

My Times-Union column this month is on actual dieting while on a gluten-free "diet." Most people gain weight on a gluten-free diet and I figure it's time for me to try to lose the 10 pounds I've gained in the last four years.

As part of the column, I asked Ginny Nehring of Native Sun if she could suggest some products in the store that may help us lose weight, or are at least less fattening than some of the gluten-free foods we eat.

Ginny provided a comprehensive list that was way too long for my newspaper column, so I instead decided to post the list here. I have to admit I have tried very few of these, but hopefully you can find things you like:

Julian Bakery:  Paleo Wrap, Paleo Breads (two varieties of bread)

Miracle Noodles

Nature's Hollow Sugar Free Preserves

Hilary's Dressings (very low fat, very clean ingredients)

Bragg's Organic Braggberry No Fat Dressing and Marinade

Phoney Baloney Coconut Bacon (actually tastes like bacon but made with coconut--no saturated fat so a good replacement for dieters)

Applegate Chicken/Turkey Sausage (not really diet but if people are eating sausage, this is a very low fat and delicious replacement)

Amy's Light & Lean Frozen Entrees:  Mattar Paneer, Roasted Polenta w/Swiss Chard, Black
Bean & Cheese Enchilada, Soft Taco Fiesta

Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles

Sea Tangle Mixed Sea Vegetables

Virgil's Zero Root Beer, Zero Cream Soda, Zero Black Cherry

Zevia Sodas, all varieties

Popcorn Indiana Fit Popcorn  (40 calories per serving--I believe)

NutiLight Sugar Free Hazelnut & Cocoa Spread

Jennie's Sugar Free Macaroons

The Paleo Diet Bar

InBar

SweetLeaf Stevia Sweeteners

Xylo Sweet Sweetener

The Ultimate Sweetener Birch Sugar

CocoPolo Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Bars

Lily's Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Chips

Spry Mints/Gum

Unsweetened Rice Milks, Almond Milks, Cashew Milks, Coconut Milks by various brands (Pacific, Imagine Foods/Taste the Dream, SoDelicious)

Dr. Bronner's Coconut Oil (may help break down bad fat)

Artisana Coconut Oil (may help break down bad fat)

Tierra Farms packaged raw nuts, seeds and dried fruits* moderation but would curb appetite/blood sugar spikes

Lawsuit alleging gluten-free discrimination could be a bad thing

You may have read last week about the lawsuit filed against P.F. Chang's for charging extra for their gluten-free dishes.

The lawsuit was filed by someone who claims that the surcharge violates the Americans with Disabilities Act because those of us with celiac have no choice but to eat gluten-free dishes.

My reaction was that this lawsuit could be a bad thing, because some restaurants would just drop their gluten-free options rather than being forced to eat the added costs of gluten-free items.

Many restaurants that offer gluten-free bread or rolls as options have told me that they didn't see any choice but to add a surcharge because the gluten-free breads cost so much more than the other breads they serve. You look at a place like Epik Burger, where the owner's mother has celiac, and you know these people are sympathetic. But they're also not going to lose money.

At a place like P.F. Chang's where bread is not the issue, the restaurant maintains separate plates for gluten-free dishes so that they don't get cross contaminated with other dishes. I don't mind the extra cost.

I've been watching the reaction on social media and was actually surprised to find a lot of celiacs agree with me. Here's an interesting post from blog G-Free Foodie asking people to support restaurants that offer safe gluten-free options.

http://www.gfreefoodie.com/dinegf-feb-7-15th-to-support-restaurants-that-serve-safe-gluten-free-options-kc-the-g-free-foodie/

Hopefully, this lawsuit will not discourage restaurants that provide safe gluten-free meals.

Let's call Dr. Oz what it is: an infomercial

I've seen parts of the Dr. Oz show before but never really paid as close attention as I did today, to see him tell us how to bring gluten back in to our lives. Now I realize what his show actually is: an infomercial, designed to sell something.

He brought out another "doctor" named Susan Blum who has a website to promote herself and to sell products. She said she has a five-step program to repair your gut and introduce gluten into your life anywhere from six months to a year after going gluten free.

To be fair, they did say this won't work for celiacs. But they suggested this is a good program for people with non-celiac gluten intolerance.

I've already been in touch with one gluten sensitivity specialist who thinks this is a bunch of crap, and I'm pretty sure most of the legitimate medical community will be in agreement.

Dr. Oz could have said something, or even asked one question, to imply some skepticism to her plan. But of course he didn't. Why would he do something to hurt sales?

I think it's time for Congress to bring Dr. Oz back in for another round of questioning.

"Doctor" Oz does it again

I saw this promo on Channel 4. Apparently on Monday's show, Dr. Oz is going to tell everyone who's gluten free that they can start eating gluten again.

Seriously, does this guy actually practice medicine? I'll remind everyone this is the same guy who was dragged before a Senate committee last summer to explain his bogus claims of miracle weight loss plans.

I can't wait to see his Eat Gluten Again plan.

http://www.doctoroz.com/episode/why-you-don-t-have-be-gluten-free-forever

Here we go again

Apparently, NBC is running a NASCAR promo at the end of the Super Bowl making fun of people who think gluten is dangerous. It suggests we are soft for eating gluten free.

Yes NBC, gluten can be very dangerous for some people!

The Gluten Dude has started an online petition to get NBC to remove the ad. I don't know if it will work, but I went ahead and signed the petition:

https://www.change.org/p/nbc-remove-an-upcoming-super-bowl-ad-for-nascar

It's all just so irritating...

Good pizza, but bad ordering process at Pizza Hut

Since yesterday was opening day for Pizza Hut's gluten-free pizza, of course I had to try it.

The pizza did taste good but I have to say, the process of ordering it was confusing and disappointing.

I ordered my pizza from Pizza Hut's website, which had a clear link for "gluten free." However, I was not happy with the process once I clicked on it.

First of all, Pizza Hut promised that its cheese and pepperoni pies are certified gluten free, but they can't guarantee a build-your-own pizza would be gluten free. So, I expected to see something indicating I was ordering a safe product if I got a pepperoni pizza.

There is a warning before you order that there is a risk of cross contamination, but there is nothing to indicate that they have a different process for cheese or pepperoni pizzas. The only thing you can do is build your own pizza with a gluten-free crust and indicate you want pepperoni on it. That raised a lot of questions for me about the safety of the process, and I did not feel as comfortable ordering as I thought I would.

Then, on an unrelated issue, when I finished the ordering process, the website said my carry-out order would be ready in "about an hour." That would be ridiculous for a carry-out order, so I called the store immediately and they told me that my pizza was already being prepared and would be ready in 15 minutes. They had no explanation for why the website said it would take an hour.

So, I was a bit frustrated when I went out to pick up the pizza.

The pizza did come in a special gluten-free box, as promised. And it was quite tasty, so I was happy about that.

However, I really hope they can improve the ordering process to make us feel better about it.

Here's something to annoy you

If you've never read the Gluten Dude's blog, he often quite bluntly attacks people who express their ignorance about celiac disease and gluten-free issues.

He caught this very annoying segment with Joy Behar on the Morning Joe show. I've managed to annoy Joy Behar for most of my life, but I can't ignore this:

http://glutendude.com/media/joy-behar-gluten-free-train-wreck/