While researching this post, I ran across a great post that pretty much covers comparing wheat free vs. gluten free and explains when and why you should be on either diet:

WHEAT
What contains wheat?
Foods containing wheat are anything made with white or whole wheat flour, such as: cookies, cakes, breads, tortillas, pizza, pasta, pancakes, waffles, most fried food, tempura, dumplings, wontons, etc.; anything made with bulghur such as tabouli; wheat berries; cous cous; sauces that are typically thickened with white flour; soy sauce (although San-J has a wheat-free option).

Why should someone want avoid it?
Sensitivity to wheat typically results in gastrointestinal distress such as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, reflux; skin issues such as rashes; and allergies/asthma such as congestion and wheezing.

If a person is symptomatic and eliminates wheat, typically after a week symptoms should start to improve. It can sometimes be dramatic.

What are some alternative to wheat?
Don’t worry, there are plenty of great alternatives to wheat containing foods including: breads, tortillas, pasta, pancakes, waffles, etc. Just make sure to read labels. Most products that are wheat-free will say so on the package. Also, anything that says gluten-free is also wheat-free (even if it doesn’t say so).

GLUTEN
What is Gluten-free?
Gluten-free means that a person avoids all foods containing gluten. Gluten is the general term used to describe the protein found in many grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, oat, triticale, semolina, pumpernickel, and farro.

Why avoid Gluten?
The absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by gluten resulting in malabsorption of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are needed for good health (see the Gluten Free Diet by Shelley Case). This condition, called Celiac Disease (or Celiac Sprue), is an autoimmune disease that can be very difficult to diagnose as symptoms can range across everything from diarrhea and constipation to chronic fatigue and depression. Celiac is a serious disease that can be diagnosed through blood tests and intestinal biopsy. Should you suspect that you have, seek medical attention immediately.

Please note that there is a large population of people who are sensitive to gluten though don’t have full blown celiac disease. These people also benefit from a gluten-free diet. Again, seek medical attention if you suspect you are sensitive to gluten.

What are alternatives to Gluten?
There are many amazing products on the market that are gluten-free including breads, pastas, cookies, cakes, pancakes, waffles, etc. It is VERY IMPORTANT to read labels. Take note that a product that says “wheat -free” only is NOT necessarily gluten-free.

Article by: Kyle Eslick

What events can indicate a need for more high-chromium foods?

Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of chromium while onions and tomatoes are very good sources of this mineral. Other food sources of chromium include brewer’s yeast, oysters, liver, whole grains, bran cereals, and potatoes. Many people do not get enough chromium in their diet due to food processing methods that remove the naturally occurring chromium in commonly consumed foods.

What is chromium?
This essential mineral, required by the body in trace amounts, was first discovered in 1797 by a chemist in France named Louis- Nicolas Vaquelin. Many years later, a physician and research scientist in the U.S. named Walter Mertz, discovered that chromium played a key role in carbohydrate metabolism, possibly by participating in formation of a special compound which he named “glucose tolerance factor,” or GTF.

Researchers are still not clear whether GTF is an actual chemical compound or not. But they are clear that the nutrients related to GTF – even though they may not be assembled into a single chemical structure – play an important role in blood sugar balance.

These chemicals include chromium (which may be the most active component), nicotinic acid (a version of vitamin B3), and the amino acids that make up glutathione (glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine).

How it Functions
What is the function of chromium?
Controlling blood sugar levels

As the active component of glucose tolerance factor(GTF), chromium plays a fundamental role in controlling blood sugar levels. The primary function of GTF is to increase the action of insulin. Insulin is the hormone responsible for carrying sugar (glucose) into the cells where it can be used for energy.

After a meal, blood glucose levels begin to rise, and, in response, the pancreas secretes insulin. Insulin lowers blood glucose levels by increasing the rate in which glucose enters the cells. To accomplish this, insulin must be able to attach to receptors on the surface of cells. GTF is believed to initiate the attachment of insulin to the insulin receptors.

Metabolizing cholesterol & nucleic acid

Chromium may also participate in cholesterol metabolism, suggesting a role for this mineral in maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels. In addition, chromium is involved in nucleic acid metabolism. Nucleic acids are the building blocks of DNA, the genetic material found in every cell.

Food Sources
What foods provide chromium?
Although chromium occurs naturally in a wide variety of foods, many foods contain only 1 or 2 micrograms (mcg) of chromium per serving. In addition, food processing methods often remove the naturally occurring chromium. As a result, obtaining a sufficient amount of chromium in the diet can be difficult.

Furthermore, determining the chromium content of foods is problematic due to inadequate analytical tools. Consequently, currently available food composition databases do not contain accurate information about the amount of chromium found in various foods. While our food rating system qualified romaine lettuce as an excellent source of chromium and onions and tomatoes as very good sources, the following foods are also believed to provide a significant amount of chromium: brewer’s yeast, oysters, liver, whole grains, bran cereals, and potatoes. Beer and wine can accumulate chromium during fermentation and are therefore considered to be dietary sources of the mineral.

Source: www.whfoods.com

Meats
For overall environmental impact, meat is the king of foods, even if it’s not likely to be laced with pesticide residue… though a recent USDA Inspector General report found that the government is failing to even test meat for the harmful chemicals the law requires. While beef muscle is typically clean, beef fat is a different story altogether, with 10 different pesticides having been identified. Pork meat can be contaminated, but pork fat is more contaminated, with as many as 8 pesticides. For chicken, the thigh is most contaminated.

Milk
Pesticides and other man-made chemicals have been found in human breast milk, so it should come as no surprise that they have been found in dairy products, too. Twelve different pesticides have been identified in milk, and milk is of special concern because it is a staple of a child’s diets.

Coffee
Many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that don’t regulate use of chemicals and pesticides. Look for the USDA Organic label to ensure you’re not buying beans that have been grown or processed with the use of potentially harmful chemicals.

Celery
Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals that are used on conventional crops. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include broccoli, radishes and onions.

Peaches
Multiple pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

Strawberries
if you buy strawberries out of season, they’re most likely imported from countries that use less-stringent regulations for pesticide use.

Apples
Like peaches, apples are typically grown with the use of poisons to kill a variety of pests, from fungi to insects. Scrubbing and peeling doesn’t eliminate chemical residue completely, so it’s best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients.

Blueberries
New on the Dirty Dozen list in 2010, blueberries are treated with as many as 52 pesticides, making them one of the dirtiest berries on the market.

Nectarines
With 33 different types of pesticides found on nectarines, they rank up there with apples and peaches among the dirtiest tree fruit. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include, watermelon, papaya and mango.

Bell Peppers
Peppers have thin skins that don’t offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They’re often heavily sprayed with insecticides.

Spinach
New on the list for 2010, spinach can be laced with as many as 48 different pesticides, making it one of the most contaminated green leafy vegetable.

Kale
Traditionally kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue when tested this year.

Cherries
Even locally grown cherries are not necessarily safe. In fact, in one survey in recent years, cherries grown in the U.S. were found to have three times more pesticide residue then imported cherries. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include raspberries and cranberries.

Potatoes
America’s popular spud re-appears on the 2010 dirty dozen list, after a year hiatus. America’s favorite vegetable can be laced with as many as 37 different pesticides. Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include eggplant, cabbage and earthy mushrooms.

Grapes
Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically only imported grapes make the 2010 Dirty Dozen list). Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape’s thin skin. Remember, wine is made from grapes, which testing shows can harbor as many as 34 different pesticides.Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include kiwi and raspberries.

Leafy Lettuce
Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food (51 of them), though they dropped off the 2010 list.Can’t find organic? Safer alternatives include cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

Carrots
Off the list in 2010, carrots have made the Dirty Dozen list in previous years because of the 26 different pesticides that have been detected in food residue.Can’t find organic? At least be sure to scrub and peel them. Safer carrot alternatives include sweet corn, sweet peas and broccoli.

Pears
As insects become more resilient to the pesticides used on pears, more and more chemicals are used (28 of them), though pears have dropped off the 2010 Dirty Dozen list. The safest bet is to go organic.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes, on the Dirty Dozen list in 2008, and the Clean 15 list in 2009, rank neither among the dirtiest nor the cleanest in 2010. It’s still true that the thin skin of tomatoes can allow pesticides to enter the fruit, so it’s always a good idea to buy organic when possible, even if the popular food is no longer among the worst actors.

Source : http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods

Grow Great Grub packs in helpful tips and essential information about…

• Choosing a location and making the most of your soil (even if it’s less than perfect)
• Determining the limitations of space and strategies to overcome them
• Keeping pests and diseases away from your plants—the toxin-free way
• Growing bountiful crops in pots and selecting the best heirloom varieties
• Details on growing hundreds of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and edible flowers
• Canning, storing and preserving instruction to make the most of your garden’s generosity
• Green-friendly, cost-saving growing and building projects that are smart and stylish
• And much more!

Whether you’re looking to eat on a budget or simply to experience the pleasure of picking tonight’s meal from right outside your door, this is the must-have book for small-space gardeners—no backyard required.

Gayla Trail is the creator of the acclaimed top gardening website yougrowgirl.com. Her work as a writer and photographer has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Newsweek, Budget Living, and ReadyMade. A resident of Toronto who has grown a garden on her rooftop for more than 10 years, she is also the author of You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening.

• Personal Chef Service
• Event Planning and Catering
• Cooking Classes
• Business Services

Organic Creation can help you in any occasion. Organic Creation offers every day Personal Chef Service that will fill your fridge with delicious meals and snack to enjoy at any time of the day. Organic Creation can also serve at Intimate Dinners as well as create Gourmet Buffets for bigger Parties will full on site staff. Check out their website for more information.

For directories and more information about NC produce, visit www.ncdamarkets.org
Remember, Agriculture is NC’s number one industry. When you see the Goodness Grows in North Carolina logo on food products, you are contributing to the economic growth of North Carolina and to our farmers.

You can find her delicious creation every week at the Tailgate Market Wednesday 7am – 6pm, Thursday and Friday 9am – 6pm, Saturday 7am – 3pm.

Additional Tips:
1. Store eggs in the refrigerator small end down in their original carton.
2. Eggs which are a week or so old are easier to peel than very fresh eggs when cooked in the shell.