Beginning Steps to a Healthier Diet
Helpful Notes from December 11, 2007 PASE Meeting:
- Read all labels on food and beverages.
- Eliminate processed foods that have additives, preservatives, artificial colorings/dyes or flavorings.
- Buy only organic meat so you will avoid antibiotics, nitrates, and nitrites.
- Eliminate high fructose corn syrup from your diet. It’s in everything from beverages to baked goods to ketchup.
- Switch from conventional table salt to Sea Salt.
Helpful Definitions
- Gluten
- is a type of protein that is commonly found in wheat, oats, rye and barley.
- Dairy
- is defined as all products made from cow’s milk: milk, cheese, butter, cream and yogurt.
- Casein:
- refers to the milk protein
- Lactose:
- refers to the milk sugar
- GF/CF:
- refers to Gluten Free/Casein Free Diet
On ingredient labels, common preservatives include BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) and common additives include sodium benzoate, MSG, nitrites, and sulfites.
Food Shopping on a Diet
Always check labels first to make sure the ingredients haven’t changed. Use Google to look up the product manufacturers if there is any doubt. If their website doesn’t have the information, call them.
If you shop at Whole Foods, go to the site www.Wholefoodsmarket.com. First, select Whole Body and then select Special Diets. Next, select a store under Specific Shopping Lists. Then, select Gluten and Casein Free Diet. You will get a list of every product in the Manhasset store that is both gluten free and casein free.
King Kullen and Stop & Shop both have “Natural” aisles that include gluten free products such as Rice Milk, Gluten Free Pantry cake and cookie mixes and frozen foods.
Another good store is Fairway Market in Plainview, about ¼ of mile south off the Northern State Parkway, Exit 37.
Helpful Websites:
www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info – also known as the Food Intolerance Network.
www.tacanow.com – select GFCF Diet, then select Foods You Can Buy at Most Supermarkets for a nice complete list of helpful products.
Sample GFCF Diet
| Breakfast | |
| Fruit | |
| Lundberg Rice Cakes | Gluten Free/Casein Free |
| Cereals | |
| Original Perky O’s Cereal | Gluten Free/Corn Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Yeast Free |
| Barbara’s Bakery Puffins – Honey Rice | Wheat Free/Gluten Free/Dairy Free |
| Enjoy Life Cinnamon Crunch Granola | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Soy Free/Egg Free/Nut Free |
| Pacific Rice Milk (Plain or Vanilla) | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free |
| Pancakes/Waffles (mix or frozen) | |
| Namaste Pancakes & Waffle Mix | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Corn Free/Soy Free/Sugar Free |
| Authentic Foods Pancakes & Baking Mix | Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Soy Free |
| Vans All Natural Frozen Wheat Free Waffles | Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Egg Free/Vegan |
| Shady Maple Farms Organic Pure Maple Syrup | Gluten Free/Dairy Free |
| Lunch/Dinner | |
| Organic Chicken, Hamburger, Steak, Fish, Turkey, Ham | |
| Vegetables | |
| Cascadia Farms French Fries | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Corn Free |
| Ians Fries | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free |
| AppleGate Farms Deli Meats | Gluten Free/Casein Free + No nitrates/nitrites |
| Boars Head (some deli meats) | Gluten Free/Casein Free + No nitrates/nitrites |
| Ener G Breads, Dinner Rolls, Hamburger Rolls or Hot Dog Buns (Brown Rice, White Rice or Tapioca) | Gluten Free/Dairy–Casein Free |
| Tinkyada Pasta Joy – Brown Rice Pasta | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free |
| Snacks | |
| Utz Potato Chips | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Corn Free |
| Bearitos – Organic Lite Popcorn 50% Less Oil | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free |
| Enjoy Life Cookies | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free/Egg Free/Corn Free/Nut Free |
| Nana’s Cookies | Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free |
Baking
There is a protein in wheat flour which gives structure to baked goods and bread. Be aware that baked goods and bread can be more “crumbly” when you use gluten free flour (rice flour, potato flour, and/or tapioca flour).
Butter Replacement Spectrum Naturals –Organic All Vegetable Shortening
Enjoy Life Foods Gluten Free/Dairy-Casein Free Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Namaste makes good Gluten Free/Casein Free Cookie/Muffin/Cake/Bread/Pancake mixes that you usually only have to add eggs, oil and rice milk.
