The gluten-free diet trend has been picking up a lot of speed recently. But it is, at best, a shady topic. What exactly is gluten? Why is it bad? And is it really possible to have a gluten-free diet?

For many, “gluten” is an elusive component of starchy foods that can wreak havoc on your health. What it actually is, is a protein compound found in grains and grain products. Found in grass grains- wheat, barley, rye- gluten is a composite of naturally occurring plant proteins. When grains are processed, the gluten is what gives dough its elasticity and other foods a “chewy” texture.

But gluten can show up in other, often unexpected, foods. Extracted from grains, it is added to a slew of foods as an enhancer. In breads and other products made from grains, it increases texture. More surprisingly, it is added as a stabilizer to ice cream and ketchup. The gelatinous solids of imitation meats also harbor gluten, added to give the product firmness.

In nature, gluten doesn’t exist. But its constituents do, and they are safe and healthy to eat. Even when grains are processed to make flour, the gluten that is present is still healthy. Like anything else, moderation is the key. Eating a whole foods diet where gluten is present only in breads is perfectly fine for most healthy individuals.  When we consume mass quantities of the gluten we are more likely to see a problem. And eating more than a moderate amount is easy to do, considering that most gluten is hidden in unexpected and unlabeled places.

People with celiac disease, an estimated 1% of the population, must avoid gluten to maintain their intestinal function. For those few, a true gluten-free diet is absolutely essential to maintain health. Reducing, but not all together eliminating gluten, often helps those with allergies or sensitivities.

For many of us, completely avoiding gluten can actually be unhealthy. Going completely gluten-free may actually mean that you are choosing a food that has been made with highly refined grain. Having been stripped of its nutrients to remove the gluten, these overly refined and processed grain products are definitely not good for you.

What is healthy, however, is opting for a whole food instead of a processed one. Foods made with whole grains contain- along with gluten- fiber, iron, folate, vitamin B12 and other important nutrients.

By removing the cookies, candies, and other junk, high quantities of gluten are avoided. Plus, you feel better, lose weight and become a healthier person. So it’s not actually cutting out the gluten that is beneficial, but the eating of more fruits, veggies and whole foods that make us feel better.

If a gluten-free diet is something you want to do, then make sure you achieve it in a whole and healthy way.

New research has found a definite link between the amount of processed meat consumed and the risk of early death.

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition polled the eating, as well as lifestyle, habits of close to a half million Europeans. Past research had found a correlation between people who ate processed meat and people who lived a less healthy lifestyle with increased smoking and alcohol consumption and a diet with fewer fruits and vegetables. Because of this study’s size, researchers were able to eliminate those variables that could contribute to early death and show that the processed meat alone was a cause.

What could make processed meats so deadly?

Carcinogens introduced by conventional preserving processes- salting, smoking, and pickling- get trapped inside the meat and are then consumed. These chemicals are not degraded by the body. In high concentrations, they can lead to cancer. (Preservative free meats do not contain these harmful chemicals.)

Saturated fats, associated with breast and colorectal cancer, are also found at high levels in processed meats. Along with cholesterol, saturated fats also lead directly to heart disease. So even meats that are processed without all of the nasty preservatives can be bad for your heath because they still contain high levels of fats, but they are a better option.

But that’s just the meat itself. Plastic packaging has long been scrutinized for containing harmful chemicals. The Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Research Foundation sampled 72 common products, including processed meats. All of the products were contaminated by the plastic. The contaminant was from a group of chemicals known as phthalates. Phthalates have been correlated to unnatural changes in the reproductive tracts of men and women, causing sperm damage, early breast development, and premature births.

So, eliminating processed meats from your diet is a sure way to stay healthier and live longer. Along the same line, so is decreasing the consumption of foods that spend the majority of their shelf life encased in plastic.

Not all meats are bad; small quantities of rmeat are good for you. But eliminating processed meats and other unhealthy habits, will give your life a boost.

Mislabeling cheaper fish to substitute for a more expensive variety

Some guessing games can be fun to play. But not when it comes to identifying the food we eat.

Oceana, a nonprofit marine advocacy group, released the results of its nationwide retail seafood labeling investigation on February 21, 2013. From 2010 to 2012, the group conducted the largest seafood fraud investigation to date- covering 21 states and collecting 1,200 samples from 674 restaurants and grocery stores. By using DNA testing, the researchers were able to determine the true identity of the fish. Their results were stunning.

The investigation found a pattern of using cheaper fish to substitute for a more expensive variety. For example, Tilapia at $3.00 a pound was sold as Red Snapper for as much as $12.00 per pound. Cheaper farm raised fish was sold as the more expensive wild caught fish.  This was a common find with salmon. Snapper and tuna were repeat offenders, being mislabeled 87% and 59% of the time (respectively).

Seafood fraud cheats the consumer out of their money and can put their health at risk. King mackerel, a fish the FDA warns as having high mercury levels, was passed off as Grouper. Escolar, which can cause serious digestive problems for some people, was frequently sold as white tuna.

More than one third of the samples were found to be mislabeled. Fraudulent fish were found across the country and at various establishments. Sushi vendors were the worst, with a mislabeling rate of 74 %, while grocery stores were the best with a mislabeling rate of 18% .

A full  90 % of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported; only 1% of which is tested for authenticity. Congressman Edward Markey (Mass.) calls the frequent mislabeling of fish an “epidemic”. One suggested measure for controlling the problem is mandatory traceability- from boat to plate- of all imported seafood.

Until new regulations are in place, there is very little consumers can do to avoid mislabeled fish, especially if buying a fillet. Purchasing whole fish will help identify the product. And it would be wise to be wary of deals that are “too good to be true.”

Stricter enforcement will protect the consumer, help to ensure legitimate fishermen stay in business, and help keep our oceans safe from over fishing.

Sowing Seeds in the Supreme Court

Monsanto , the company we just cannot seem to stop talking about, finds itself inside a courtroom once again. This time, the case has made it to the Supreme Court.

Vernon Bowman, a 75-year-old soybean farmer from Indiana, faces the agriculture giant. Bowman is not an activist opposed to Monsanto’s genetically modified crops; he buys and plants Monsanto soybean seeds.

Monsanto’s RoundUp ready, genetically modified soybeans are patented. Farmers are not allowed to retain and plant the seeds generated from each new crop. By contract, they agree to purchase new seed each year. Bowman diligently purchased annual seeds. But late-season soybean crops are a risk. When Bowman decided to plant a late season crop, he bought cheaper “Outbound Grain” from a local soybean grain elevator. He knew Monsanto genetically modified seeds were popular among his neighboring farmers. As suspected, most of the seed came from Monsanto crops.

This is what got Bowman into trouble.

Monsanto sued for patent infringement. By replanting the seed, Bowman made illegal copies of the plants and was ordered to pay $84,000 in royalties.

The case is cause for consideration on seed and plant patent law in general, no doubt. But at its core, it is a remarkable reflection of where agriculture is today and where it is going. Should someone have legal rights over a product of life?

Before modern farming practices, seeds were considered public domain. They were saved, exchanged, replanted. Plants were modified through breeding and selection. Diversity was essential for crop survival. Farmers developed assorted varieties that were able to thrive in all types of environments.

This all changed in the 1980’s, when companies were given the legal right to patent and own products of life. The problem with patenting this product of life is that it is the seed’s nature to reproduce. The legitimacy for a company to have rights over a naturally self-replicating entity should raise concern.

The Supreme Court, after hearing arguments from the farmer and the corporation, will have the task of untangling the web of complex patent law. The court’s decision on whether a natural life product can be legally owned could have resounding effects throughout the agricultural, pharmaceutical, and medical industries.

Also check out Monsanto Company Profile.

From foreign objects to bacterial contamination, the growing rates of hazards in processed foods are motivation to eat fresh!

When millions of pounds of food are processed each day, it is not surprising when a contaminant or two finds its way into the food. At minimal levels, these contaminants go unnoticed and undocumented. However, at elevated levels, contaminants can be dangerous or even fatal. Unfortunately, many food recalls do not occur until a number of people have become sick or injured.

2012 had its fair share of recalls and contaminations- notably the alarming arsenic levels in rice that prompted congress to limit arsenic in rice products. 2013 is already off to quite a start in food recalls. According to the U.S. FDA, these foods, among many others, were found to be contaminated:

• Beef lasagna made by Findus was found to contain up to 100 percent horse meat! This discovery prompted a mandatory testing of products containing processed beef by all companies. France and the UK are experiencing similar problems.
• LeanCuisine, distributed by Nestlѐ Prepared Foods Company, has been recalled for a misprinted “best before date”.
• Various dried mushrooms from DZH Imports contain high levels of sulfites that could trigger a fatal reaction in those allergic.
• Frozen Country Fried Steaks became contaminated with foreign particles when a plastic bin found its way into production, requiring AdvancePierre Foods to recall these items.
• Just when you thought natural food stores were safe, Whole Foods and its seafood division, Whole Catch, have recalled products: bagels with cream cheese, the cream cheese itself and sockeye salmon contained high levels of Listeria monocytogenes. A sometimes fatal bacterium, Listeria monocytogenesit can also cause miscarriage.
• Annie’s brand, a company that produces natural and organic boxed and premade foods took their frozen pizzas off shelves because of metal fragments. Metal pieces were also found in bagels by Thomas’, Sara Lee, Publix and Weight Watchers.
• A most recent recall is that of Organic Baby Spinach distributed by Taylor Farms Retail Inc. The spinach was found to have elevated levels of Enterohaemorrhagic E. Coli (EHEC). Symptoms include intestinal distress, fever, and nausea.

The big surprise in this list is the recall by the natural and organic brands. No mass produced food product is safe from excessive contamination, further demonstration that factory farming, organic or conventional, is a health hazard. Corporately produced foods all pose a potential heath risk. The food item is handled too many times by too many people, making it difficult to control quality and safety. Contamination can occur at any point in production, during the growing stage, harvest, processing or shipping. A single item comes into contact with a great many others, spreading contamination rapidly- making the act of investigating the source of contamination a challenge.

Purchasing food from a local farmer reduces the risk of contamination. First, because there is less quantity, it is easier to prevent the introduction of foreign material. Second, because the food is not warehoused for lengths of time with foods from other origins, bacterial contamination from other food sources is not a factor. Reducing the opportunities for contamination helps minimize the risk of particle or bacterial contamination.

With the risk of oral injury, bacterial infections, and other intestinal ailments, it is amazing that we continue to trust our conglomerate food suppliers. At what point do we abandon factory farming and support our local farmers and a healthier lifestyle?

The Super Bowl airing of a Dodge Ram commercial in which Paul Harvey described the noble qualities of a farmer is a glamorization of today’s typical agro-industrial production. It is not a true representation of the majority of today’s farmers.

Decades ago, farmers did possess gentility towards the animals they raised; they were a symbol of land stewardship and environmental awareness. Their passion was to cultivate life for the nourishment of others. The fertility and integrity of the land was a priority; it ensured future success. For the most part, farmers of the past are icons of an era that has been changed as much as the land they plow.

Too many of today’s farmers relentlessly sow a single crop in nutritionally barren land and repeatedly spray their yield with poisonous chemicals. Government subsidy checks are the priority instead of nutritious food. Their focus has shifted from sustainability to maximum profitability, resulting in vast fields of single crops and confined animal feeding operations.

Corporations have taken control of production away from the farmers, placing unnatural demands on the land and animals. These modern conventional farming practices have led to the rise in food borne illness; antibiotic, pesticide and herbicide resistance; genetic erosion of species; and a detachment of a people from their food source.

We cannot, however, lay all the blame on the farmer, or even the government. We, the public, the consumers, carry the majority of the responsibility for this dramatic change in our food production. We have sent a loud and clear message to farming companies, telling them that we approve of gluttony and harsh environmental practices, that we tolerate the plundering of our lands as long as there is a never ending supply of nutritionally substandard food. We tell them this every time we purchase today’s quick, prepackaged meals.

The once intimate relationship we had with our food is in the past, but it doesn’t need to stay there. For the health of our children, the preservation of our land, and the future of our people, we must rekindle our emotional connection to food: where it comes from, how it is grown, and the bonds that it can create among us. Food can once again become a means for celebration and family togetherness. We can take our first step with a return to purchasing fresh, local, wholesome foods.

Many of the qualities of a farmer mentioned by the Dodge Ram ad are maintained by today’s sustainable, heirloom, and organic farmers and ranchers. Their growing ranks are leading a shift back to fresh and local food production. By changing our consumption, we can demand a rise in organic, ethical farming. In turn, this rise in demand will impact food production, driving government policy to provide assistance to alternative, clean, environmentally conscious farmers instead of commodity producers.

God made a farmer, a steward of the land, an advocate for healthy food and humane ranching practices. Across the nation we are seeing a return of this iconic image of the farmer who raises grass fed beef and sheep, free range chickens, and organic crops. We want them to be bold and courageous, to stand against tyrannical corporations that dictate unsound methods of food production. We want them to succeed. But they cannot succeed without our full support—support that comes through our choices each time we buy our food.

Will we continue to use our dollars to support factory farming, GMO foods, and giant food conglomerates? Or will we choose organic? Grass fed? Free range? The choice is ours.