Brown rice noodles are a favorite of the celiac set, but there are other gluten-free noodles out there, too. Some of these options even outdo brown rice noodles when it comes to protein and fiber content. Mix up your recipes and see which of these pastas will best suit your palate.
The women of the US track and field team are racking up their share of Olympic medals: earlier this week, Team USA's Sanya Richards-Ross and Jennifer Suhr both became first-time individual gold-medal winners, Allyson Felix won her first gold in the 200-meter, the 4x100m relay team won gold and set a new world record, and today the 4x400m relay team won gold.
The women's 4x400m relay team of Sanya Richards-Ross, Allyson Felix, Deedee Trotter, and Francena McCorory sailed to victory today, winning 3.36 seconds over the Russian silver medalists with a time of 3:16.87. This is the fifth time Team USA has won Olympic gold in the event.
Unlike the 2008 Olympic Games when they didn't transition the baton smoothly, this year's women's 4x100m relay race went off without a hitch. Team members Allyson Felix, Tianna Madison, Bianca Knight, and anchor Carmelita Jeter won gold against Jamaican powerhouses Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart, who took silver. The US team also set a new world record with a time of 40.82 seconds.
Read on for more US women's track and field medal results!
A recent opinion paper in a leading medical journal says that going on a gluten-free diet for nonmedical reasons is a waste of money, since many people invest in expensive gluten-free foods that end up containing more carbs, sugar, and calories than their gluten-filled counterparts. But the news hasn't stopped celebs from continuing to tout the restrictive diet as the reason for their weight loss. Miley Cyrus is the latest to say that her new skinnier figure is due to going gluten-free. While she says she had to eliminate gluten because of an allergy, she took to her Twitter to say that everyone should give it a try. "Everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, phyisical [sic] and mental health is amazing! U won't go back," she tweeted.
A growing number of people have tried out a diet free of the protein found in commonly eaten grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Spurred by even more endorsements from celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow and Oprah, many people believe that adopting a gluten-free diet can help them have more energy, lose weight, have clearer skin, and feel healthier overall. Gluten-free products have cropped up on supermarket shelves around the country, exponentially more than the prevalence of gluten sensitivities (which spells good news for those who used to search high and low for suitable foods!). But is it for everyone?
A recent Time survey found that the restricted diet's popularity is due to the fact that most people are gluten-free for the wrong reasons. While only about eight to 12 percent of people buy gluten-free goods because they have a gluten intolerance — including the one in 133 who have celiac disease — a recent poll found that almost 50 percent of people asked thought that "gluten-free" meant healthier, and 30 percent bought gluten-free foods in order to manage their weight. And while it's true that giving up things like pizza, pasta, and bread does mean low-carb, buying products labeled gluten-free doesn't necessarily mean you'll be sticking to your Dukan diet — the carbs in, say, gluten-free cookies and bagels are still there.
But a gluten-free diet may still be beneficial no matter what your allergies — read on to see why.
About one in 133 Americans suffers from the autoimmune disorder celiac disease: a severe gluten intolerance; it impedes the absorption of important nutrients like calcium and iron and can lead to abdominal pain, decreased appetite, and digestive tract cancers. The plethora of gluten-free products that are available — from pizza crust to bagels and pasta — is a lifesaver for those who have celiac disease. However, buying gluten-free products when you're nonceliac is a waste of money, according to an opinion paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Keep reading to find out who should splurge on gluten-free foods and who should save their dough.
Today is National Celiac Disease Awareness Day; and, in honor of the day, we're rounding up some of our favorite gluten-free posts. From healthy recipes to celebs who eat a gluten-free diet, we've got all the gluten-free news you want to read!
 Is a Gluten-Free Diet Good For You? |
 How to Tell If It's Really Gluten-Free |
 Gluten-Free Celebrities |
 Gluten-Free Breakfast Options |
 Gluten-Free Dessert Options |
 Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Pasta Alternatives |
A gluten-free diet may have benefits to individuals who don't show symptoms of celiac disease but could be at risk, a new study indicates.
Researchers from the gastroenterology department at Tampere University Hospital and School of Medicine in Finland looked at 3,031 individuals who were related to someone with celiac disease, but didn't show any symptoms of the digestive condition themselves. The group was then narrowed down to 40 people — picking individuals who might have a sensitivity to gluten based on the results of an antibody test. By random selection, these 40 participants were either kept to their normal diet or were put on a gluten-free diet. People on the gluten-free diet reported fewer gastrointestinal issues and also a general improvement of health than compared to those individuals who stuck to their normal diets.
Based on early analysis, researchers believe that this study supports the need for more screening and education of "at-risk" populations of celiac disease to see if they show any sensitivities to gluten though may not be classified as having celiac disease. According to the authors of the study, two million people may be carriers of celiac disease or have a sensitivity to gluten without even realizing it. At this time, routine screening of celiac disease or gluten sensitivities are not generally done in the medical field unless requested by the patient. This news comes right on the heels of another study, which finds that children born in Spring and Summer are more likely to have celiac disease.
Unless you're shopping at stores like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods — grocery stores that indicate which products are gluten-free — it can be difficult to figure out what is and isn't free of gluten, not to mention, time consuming! Here are some tips to make gluten-free shopping a bit easier.
Having celiac disease or an allergy to gluten can make simple things like dining out and grocery shopping much more challenging. You learn to become a label-reading whiz and know just the right questions to ask your waiter before ordering an item off the menu. But as much as we can try to be gluten ninjas, we still need a little help along the way. If you're an iPhone owner, here are some apps that will come in handy when you're on the go.
When you first forgo gluten, the most difficult part is staying away from the delicious desserts you used to know and love — goodbye cake, brownies, pie, and cupcakes! I've already introduced you to some of my favorite gluten-free baking brands which allow me to re-create all of my favorite sweets — minus the gluten — at home. But what happens when you are away from your kitchen? Here are some mouthwatering options you are free to enjoy — just make sure you always read the labels for any traces of wheat or gluten and if possible, try to go the healthy route by selecting low-fat or fat-free options!
For anyone with celiac disease — or an allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity to gluten — the six-letter word "gluten" most likely has a prominent place in their daily conversations. I try my hardest not to be that annoying friend who grills the waiter about every item on the menu. But gluten is no laughing matter, especially if your body can't process it and you are trying to adhere to a gluten-free diet — which is why you need to be armed with the right information before dining out or even going to the grocery store.
A protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, gluten is usually the main ingredient in grain-based products like breads and pastries since it allows flour to rise. When I first went gluten-free, my rule of thumb was this: the doughier the item, the more harmful it is for me. The usual suspects include bread, crackers, cookies, biscuits, breaded meat, croutons, pasta, pizza crust, noodles, muffins, noodles, and cake.
But I have found foods with hidden sources of gluten that I would never have guessed I needed to steer clear from. Find out what some of these foods are.
