Fortunately the Wheat Foods Council was there with the proper science-based information on the subject. Gluten and the Diet was produced with dietitians and other healthcare professionals in mind. The correct information and talking points are included so that the proper information can be given to patients and consumers alike.

Gluten-free products are absolutely necessary for those with celiac sprue or wheat allergies. They are NOT to be used as a weight-loss tool. Avoiding gluten, for those without an intolerance can lead to nutrient deficiencies due to the elimination of an important foods, including bread, pasta and many cereals.

While we recognize that gluten-free products are absolutely necessary for those with true wheat allergies, the Wheat Foods Council is not endorsing them to be used as a weight-loss program for the general public.

For more information on gluten and the diet, please click here.

Submitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

I recently attended their annual meeting whose members consist of food companies, ingredient companies, cookware manufacturers and other organizations that are centered around cooking and baking at home. One of the highlights of the meeting consisted of a consumer panel made up of five representatives of the aforementioned organizations. These individuals are part of their respective company’s customer service departments. The calls and questions they receive on a daily basis absolutely boggle the mind, especially for foodie-types like me.

Here is a sample of actual questions they have received:

• “Where can I buy scalded milk?”
• “My apartment is on the fifth floor. Do I need to use the high altitude directions?”
• “The directions said to stir it up on the counter. It made such a mess. Should I have used a bowl instead?”
• “My recipe calls for 1 cup of flour but I only have a 1/3 cup measuring cup. What do I do?”
• “I am going to make pizza dough and it calls for one packet of yeast. The yeast comes in a packet of three. Do I use all three when it calls for one packet?”
• “My recipe calls for eggs. Can I use eggplant instead?”
• “What is the shelf life of Styrofoam cups?”
• “Where are the plastic tablecloths at Wal-Mart?”
• “What does it mean by a pastry-lined pan? Does that mean I should have lines in my pastry?”

Any my personal favorites –

• “I like to use your baking powder as body powder. But you need to know that it reacts in the moist places!”
• “If I eat unbaked bread dough, will I get a yeast infection?”

These kinds of questions make it perfectly clear that the “domestic arts” are waning. Microwaving and other technology have decreased the time it takes to really appreciate a home cooked meal. Thank goodness for the Home Baking Association and others like it.

Will you be baking something at home today?

Submitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

Whether baking bread, cake or cookies, this booklet will easily explain which type of flour to use in various recipes. It also describes other wheat products like cracked wheat, bran and wheat germ and what their differences are. So check out our newest addition to our materials library by clicking here.

Low levels of vitamin D put children as risk for developing rickets, weak bones and the risk of heart disease due to higher blood pressure and poor blood lipid profiles. Vitamin D can be made naturally by the body when skin is exposed to sunlight. Have you ever heard your grandmother say that vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin?”  That’s why.  It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers, for example, that approximately 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. 

Before the days of computers, internet, HDTV, and other electronics, kids used to spend their summer days playing games outside. This had many health advantages. Kids were less likely to be overweight because they were being active and ample exposure to the sun made sure they were getting their vitamin D. These days, obesity and lack of vitamin D are now issues.

Please remember dietary supplements, while recommended in some cases, cannot replace a healthful diet.”

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes a healthy diet as one that

• Emphasizes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.
  Milk is fortified with vitamin D, as are many ready-to-eat cereals and a few brands of yogurt and orange juice. Cheese naturally contains small amounts of vitamin D.
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
  Fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel are very good sources of vitamin D. Small amounts of vitamin D are also found in beef liver and egg yolks.
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
  Vitamin D is added to some margarines.
• Stays within your daily calorie needs.

Also, the DV (daily value) for vitamin D is 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient.

So are you getting your “sunshine vitamin” today?

Sumitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

If you are a “foodie,” this movie is for you. It is based on two true stories – one which follows Julia Child and her quest to “find something to do” in Paris while her husband is employed as a diplomat for the United States. She takes up cooking classes at the famous Le Cordon Bleu and then proceeds to write a cookbook of French recipes written in English for “servantless” Americans. Up to that point, all cookbooks on French-style cooking were written in French.

Julie Powell is employed as a bored-to-death government clerical worker and finds that cooking is her daily outlet. She yearns to be a writer and decides to prepare every one of Julia Child’s recipes in a year’s time and write a daily blog for “something to do,” too.

She slowly gathers loyal blog followers who post comments on her blog and even send her exotic ingredients to use in her recipes. There are highs and lows along the way culminating in a wonderful review in the New York Times. Once that happens, book offers, literary agents and other offers begin to pour in.

Does she meet Julia Child in person? Well…you have to see the movie to find out, but Julie eventually becomes a writer and quits the dull “day job” once and for all.

Life imitates art which imitates life. With the debut of this movie, Julia Child’s cookbook has made the best seller list, something it came close to but never achieved while she was alive.  I am now inspired to get the book and try my hand at gourmet French cooking.  Bon appétit!

Sumitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

The suggested daily intake is between 20-35 grams depending on factors like age and gender. Right now, the average American consumes only about 14 grams per day – HALF of what is necessary!

Roughage, bulk – other terms for fiber – doesn’t really sound all that appealing. It just means it is the part of plant foods that cannot be digested by the body. Simply put, it means these foods don’t get absorbed into the bloodstream but otherwise help “clean you out.”  Fiber that occurs naturally in foods is called dietary fiber. Since it’s found only in plant sources, dietary fiber can be consumed by eating a wide array of whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes. In epidemiologic studies, whole grains, vegetables and fruits are often more protective against diseases than fiber supplements.

Failure to get enough fiber in your diet may result in many unpleasant conditions, some more so than others. Constipation, hemorrhoids or inflammation of the digestive tract, known as diverticulitis, can all result. Eating a diet rich in fiber not only helps prevent these conditions, it may also lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cholesterol and help maintain a proper body weight, these last two being important in helping combat heart disease. Fiber-rich foods also contain phytochemicals, known to help reduce cancer risks by detoxifying cancer-causing substances.

Fiber today can be found in an array of foods. From whole wheat pasta, whole grain cereals, whole wheat tortillas, pancakes, cookies. . .the available foods are endless.

So. . .go get some fiber in your diet and start today. A sandwich made with whole wheat bread, grabbing an apple as a snack instead of a candy bar, or a handful of nuts instead of chips – all these are tasty ways to get fiber into your diet. What are you waiting for?

Sumitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

Imagine my surprise when I was told that this was the very first invitation they had had to an American’s home for dinner! (I was also a little embarrassed about our American hospitality.) But they were very pleased to have been asked.

We showed them around our house and garden. Hari was very interested in my vegetable garden. Part of my garden includes rhubarb. He did not know what that was. I told him he was in for a treat because we were having homemade rhubarb pie for dessert. He had never had pie before either and asked what that was. So I told him it was a pastry crust filled with a sweetened fruit filling. He said it sounded delicious.

Being in America, we know what pie is, growing up with it as part of our family dinners, especially at Thanksgiving. Imagine Thanksgiving dinner without pumpkin pie!

When the time came for dessert, I prepared a slice of rhubarb pie for each of them, warming it first in the microwave, and putting a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. They were in heaven, commenting on how good it was. They thanked us profusely for the wonderful dinner but especially the pie for dessert.

See what a little hospitality and some homemade pie can do?  I was glad that we were able to introduce and share this experience with them, the all American dessert - pie!

When was the last time you enjoyed a piece of homemade pie?

Sumitted by: Lynn Holly, Interim Director, Wheat Foods Council

Food vendor Aramark said recently, it is opening a gluten-free concession stand at the home of the Colorado Rockies. It’s believed to be the first such stand in the major leagues. The gluten-free stand is located behind Section 147 on the left field concourse.

Gluten is a protein particle in wheat, barley, rye and their derivatives. It can trigger reactions in people with celiac disease. We have written about celiac sprue and gluten-free diets here before. To read more, please click here

In addition to hot dogs, the new stand’s gluten-free offerings include burgers, chicken sandwiches, brownies and, yes, gluten-free Redbridge beer.

Taking gluten-free mainstream in ways such as this can now make eating out much more accessible for those with celiac sprue. Do you know of anyone who depends on gluten-free foods?

SOURCE: Adapted from Denver Post, July 23, 2009

The bran contains the largest amount of fiber, B vitamins, some trace minerals and small amounts of protein. The endosperm contains mostly protein and carbohydrates along with small amounts of B vitamins, iron and fiber; and the germ is a rich source of trace minerals, unsaturated fats, B vitamins, antioxidants, phytochemicals and some protein. Wow! Whole grains really pack a nutritional punch!

Over 30,000 men participated during an 18-year time span in the Harvard Health Professionals Follow-Up study which indicated that increased intakes of whole grains are associated with a lower incidence of hypertension. These findings could have implications for future dietary guidelines and possible prevention of further hypertension.

Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease. WFC has reported on the potential heart health benefits in this blog dated February 13, 2009. However, this latest study notes that no studies have reported if the total grams of whole grains are linked to the risk of hypertension. When comparing the highest intakes of whole grains to the lowest, researchers found that whole grains were associated with a 19% reduction in the incidence of hypertension.

With this news, trying to increase intakes of whole grain, including bran, in the diet couldn’t be easier. It is as simple as sprinkling some 100% wheat bran or additional whole grains on top of your breakfast cereal, as a salad ingredient or swirling it into your yogurt. What ways have you been incorporating extra bran and whole grains into your diet?

Wheat that originates in Idaho, for example, is hauled via barge down the Snake River to the Columbia River and across the Pacific to destinations all across Asia. What used to take weeks to move down river can now be done in days. It is a well-oiled system. Had I not been on this tour, I would not have realized what all is involved in getting our food to the table. We toured one of the tugs that helps push the barges into port. With 4500 horsepower, these tugs can push up to five of the massive barges loaded with goods at one time. The crew is extremely knowledgeable and experienced in all kinds of weather and river traffic conditions. They work on the tugs six hours on six hours off, morning or night. The tugs themselves are always kept in topnotch working order.

So much of our domestically grown wheat is exported to so many different countries. It is of the highest quality grown, is nutritious and can be made into so many different end products. The pasta that you get in Italy is mostly grown in North Dakota. Steamed dumplings and ramen noodles are made from various wheats grown in states throughout our nation.

It is mind boggling how much is truly involved in getting wheat from farm-to-fork. We can be proud of our farming community here in the U.S. We truly do help feed the world. Do you find it fascinating of what all is involved to get our food to the table?