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Question about Gluten free food - 12/11/2009 4:52:57 PM

LafayetteLady

Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
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While I don't have Celiac's disease, I am curious about the Gluten free foods. What are their carb counts? As many of you know I'm diabetic and also a carb addict. I am cutting down on carbs, but thought that if perhaps the carb counts of the gluten free stuff was lower it could be a good way to cut it down without missing it as much. I say this because I order food from an organization called Angel Food Ministries (www.angelfoodministries.com), and one of the "packages" they have is an allergan free variety of meats and dry goods. A friend has ordered these items and said they tasted really good. Yes, I admit it would be a short cut, but so what? If I find food that tastes good and lowers my carb intake, I'm all for it.

By the way, while I don't get anything out of it, Angel Food Ministries is a charitable organization run out of Atlanta, Georgia by a church in that area. The only "qualification" is that you be someone who buys food (so basically everyone). I encourage everyone who is hurting from the current economy (or just wants to save money) to check out the website I listed above. You order and pay in the beginning of the month, and the food is delievered at the end. The amount of food that I have gotten for less than $100.00 that includes meat, fish and fresh fruits and vegetables would cost probably about $150.00 at my local supermarket. As I said, the only thing I get out of telling people is knowing that I might have helped people save some money and feed their families better. They also accept food stamps.

Anyway, if anyone knows the answer about the carb count in gluten free foods, I would love to know.

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RE: Question about Gluten free food - 12/11/2009 6:04:04 PM

BrunetteContessa

Posts: 18
Joined: 6/1/2009
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Honestly, I think you would have to be really cautious about some of the gluten free items. For every gluten free item you each you'd basicly be eating an entire serving of rice - white rice. Many of the pre-made gluten free items include heavily processed rice flour and other grains (corn, potato or quinoa). I have to eat wheat free, and its very hard to find items (pre-made) that aren't as... useless as white bread or worse because white bread is fortified most of the time. 99% of them focus on using ground white rice as the main ingredient because its the blandest ingredient you can get to somewhat mimic wheat.

To give you an idea of carbs (its going to depend on the alternative flours used and the brand but)

Engligh Muffins - 39 grams
Bagel (smaller then average bakery type) - 45 grams
1/4 cup pankcake batter - 24 grams
Pasta - 49 grams (2 oz dry pasta)
Corn Pasta - 40 grams (56 gram serving size)

Honestly, looking at their allergy free box confuses me because... its all breaded? Either way, I have to be honest and tell you going gluten free really isn't going to solve your carb issues. I used to love bread, didn't care what kind. I have to eat gluten free - and I've given up on bread. Very very rarely is the texture ever truly palatable and almost every single item out there unless you actually make it yourself has very very little nutritional value. Its all white rice flour which is pretty useless and that's most likely what those items are coated in because I've never seen anything that actually looked like real breadcrumbs without being rice based. $4.60 a pound it a pretty premium price too if your only reason for buying it the gluten free aspect.

(in reply to LafayetteLady)

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RE: Question about Gluten free food - 12/11/2009 7:48:39 PM

LafayetteLady

Posts: 7683
Joined: 5/2/2007
From: Northern New Jersey
Status: offline

I figured it wouldn't be that easy, lol. I know that particular "box" usually also includes some dry goods like pancake batter and such, but I've never really looked into it much. I assume that the meats are breaded so that those of you who need the gluten free can still enjoy things like chicken nuggets or chicken fried steak. I know my friend said they were really tasty, but the nutrional information of each item isn't available on the web site, I would have to look at it if I bought it.

And as you pointed out, it won't cut down on my carbs at all, so there is no point to me trying one. Since it is something that you do need to eat, just to let you know, the "box" is 5 pounds of frozen items (this month, it changes regularly). One pound each of breaded chicken breast fillets, breaded chicken nuggets, breaded cubed steak, breaded chicken wings and breaded chicken tenders. The cost for all those items is 23 dollars.

On the other hand, the fish special this month is 6 pounds of fish for $35.00 and you get 2 pounds of jumbo lightly breaded bakable shrimp (42-50 count), 4 4oz. oven baked stuffed flounder (I guess it is precooked), 2 pounds of raw tilapia which is 6-8 fillets and 5 3-4 oz crab cakes. I've compared on that one and it really is a good buy if you are a fish eater.

But like I said, I just think everyone should take a look at the site and see if they are available in your area and if any of the packages are to their liking. I know that after I got hurt last year and finances became so tight, we were practically living on pasta of one kind or another (before my diabetes diagnosis). The nutrional value of our meals has improved greatly since I started doing this. I know a lot of folks here on this site are on really tight budgets as well, and thought the opportunity to purchase some of your grocery items from here would be as helpful to others as it was my family.

Geez, don't I sound like a commercial? Don't mean to at all, but really it has helped us a lot and I think spreading the word to help others is always good.

(in reply to BrunetteContessa)

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