arts&life
eat right now
Celiac
Awareness
Month
Experiment during
the month of May
with gluten-free
grains.
Stacy Goldberg
Contributing Writer
Y
ou may have heard the
buzz about a gluten-free
diet from your favorite
blogger, your doctor or even
your best friend. Superstars, elite
athletes and celebrity chefs are
promoting and living gluten-free
lifestyles.
May is Celiac Awareness
Month, making this a perfect
opportunity to learn more about
gluten and how to incorporate
healthy, yet tasty, gluten-free
foods into our diets.
What is gluten anyway, you
may ask? Gluten is a protein
found in wheat (including spelt,
Kamut, einkorn, farro), rye, bar-
ley and triticale that is difficult
A breakdown of some of the com-
mon gluten-free grains will make
shopping for and preparing healthy,
gluten-free meals easier.
for many people to digest. This
population includes the estimat-
ed 1-2 percent of patients living
with celiac disease — an autoim-
mune form of gluten intolerance.
These people must eat a gluten-
free diet for the rest of their lives
and be acutely aware of cross
contamination of gluten.
There is also a large and grow-
ing population of people that
may not actually be diagnosed
with celiac disease but are aller-
gic to wheat or have non-celiac
gluten sensitivity. Additionally,
some people just report feeling
better if they don't eat gluten.
The gluten-free choices on
46
May 18 • 2017
jn
the market can be overwhelm-
ing, including the options for
gluten-free grains. In efforts to
move to a healthier diet, many
people have dabbled with qui-
noa or brown rice. However,
the world of gluten-free grains
is quite vast and overwhelm-
ing. Let’s break down some of
the common gluten-free grains
to make life easier when shop-
ping for and preparing healthy,
gluten-free meals.
Amaranth The nutrient pro-
file of amaranth is similar to
that of cereal but far superior
to other grains in the protein
department. Originating from
Mexico, this protein power-
house is an excellent source of
the amino acid lysine, as well
as calcium, iron, phosphorous
and magnesium. Amaranth is a
dietary source of phytosterols
and can have a cholesterol-low-
ering effect, making it healthy
for your heart.
Millet Found in many diets
around the world, this slightly
sweet and nutty grain offers
high levels of magnesium. It
is considered one of the most
digestible and non-allergenic
grains available. Millet is also
alkalizing in the body and
provides fiber, protein, and
antioxidants. It pairs perfectly
with an Asian stir fry, in breads
and muffins, or as a breakfast
porridge. Millet comes in a
variety of colors including
white, gray, yellow and red.
Buckwheat Don’t be
confused by the name of this
gluten-free grain, which is actu-
ally the seed of a plant related
to rhubarb. Buckwheat is often
found in pancakes and soba
noodles and is also available
as groats, kasha and milled
flour. Buckwheat is an excellent
source of zinc, copper, manga-
nese and potassium. It is also
a rich source of well-balanced
protein and soluble fiber, which
makes it filling and optimal for
satisfying hungry appetites.
Sorghum Sorghum origi-
nated out of Africa about 5,000
years ago. In the United States,
it’s primarily used for animal
feed, but sorghum is a good
source of fiber, protein and
nutrients for humans, due to
the fact that the hull is edible
and the outer layer is usually
consumed. The sweeter variety
is popular in gluten-free baking
mixes and works especially well
mixed with tapioca starch.
Teff This ancient grain is tiny
in size but packed with health
benefits. It is high in protein,
thiamin and iron, and leads
the pack of gluten-free grains
in calcium content. One cup of
cooked teff packs 40 percent of
your recommended daily allow-
ance of calcium! Teff comes in
white and red varieties and is
used in the making of injera,
an Ethiopian sourdough-type
flatbread. Teff is high in resis-
tant starch, a source of dietary
fiber that assists in stabilizing
blood sugar, controlling weight
and contributing to a healthy
colon. •
Stacy Goldberg is a nationally recognized
nutritional consultant, registered nurse
and the CEO of Savorfull (savorfull.
com), a Detroit-based company that
sources healthy, allergen-friendly foods
and provides nutrition-consulting.
Savorfull is part of the Quicken Loans
Family of Companies.
Stacy's
Swaps
Cooked amaranth can
be dried then sprinkled
in soups or salads as a
crunchy crouton alterna-
tive. It can also be used as a
thickening agent.
Substitute amaranth for
gluten-free oats and add
blueberries and a touch of
maple syrup for sweetness.
Experiment with ama-
ranth flour in bread or
muffin recipes.
Shake up your tradition-
al rice pilaf by substituting
rice with millet.
Trade in your popcorn
for popped millet on movie
night.
Use sorghum egg noo-
dles in your chicken soup
or kugel recipes.
Buckwheat can make for
a sweet gluten-free treat
when used in crepes, pan-
cakes, overnight parfaits,
cookies and muffins.
Look for tortilla wraps
made with the ancient grain
ivory teff for your next
Mexican night as a gluten-
free wrap alternative.