After all of the research and anecdotal evidence that shows just how nasty this artificial sweetener can be, I can’t believe that we are still having the debate over Aspartame (You also know it as Nutra Sweet or Equal). That this additive has not been banned internationally is beyond reason.  (Actually, it’s not all that surprising when you hear a bit about the history of how this product was approved by the FDA in the first place.)

From the Health Freedom Alliance Website

There is no question that sugar has it’s own set of potential issues and, at Outrageous Baking Company we are constantly testing alternative, all-natural, healthy sweeteners, such as coconut sugar. You will never find a known neurotoxin in any of our gluten-free baked goods or mixes!

Frankly, you shouldn’t have to worry about finding it in any food or beverage anywhere. Unfortunately, you will find Aspartame in more than 6000 food products including gum, diet soda and a multitude of low calorie and diet foods that are often assumed to be healthy. The next time you are checking out at the grocery store, look at the gum selection and see if you can find one without Aspartame. I couldn’t. Here’s a list of gums that contain Aspartame and, yes, Trident and some of the other most popular brands are on this list!

If you are going to chew gum and especially if you have kids who chew gum, choose one sweetened with rice syrup such as Organic Glee Gum or with Xylitol such as Spry. At least Xylitol has been shown to fight cavities and there have been no links to human health issues. (We can debate the pros and cons of gum chewing later but for now at least choose one that’s not toxic!)

Note: Xylitol is toxic for dogs so make sure to keep gum, candies and toothpastes and anything else sweetened with Xylitol away from pets.

Let’s look at this from the gluten-free perspective. Most folks who have chosen or been required to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle, have discovered that food allergies or at least food sensitivities are a root cause of their health issues. Think about how long it can take to diagnose gluten issues. Now imagine how long it can take to diagnose one of the almost 100 health issues related to Aspartame consumption. What are we doing to ourselves?  Not only has diet been linked to Celiac Disease and gluten sensitivity and, of course, weight management but to many other health related issues from headaches, fatigue, and autism to joint pain, depression and brain development.

There is no shortage of health concerns that have been linked to Aspartame. Dr. Joseph Mercola is considered a leading wellness expert and has dedicated much of his career to challenging the medical establishment status quo. He has written extensively on the dangers of Aspartame. What you don’t know really can hurt you so I encourage everyone to learn as much as possible about the effects of Aspartame consumption. Check out this video  and do some more research.

Boulder food blogger, Grace Boyle is going gluten-free in January so we sent her some of our sweet breads and flour mix to help her on her gluten-free journey. Grace sampled our bread and made some chocolate chip cookies with our new gluten-free flour mix to try. We were happy to hear that Grace and her friends (even those who are not gluten-free) enjoyed our products!

Grace’s favorite is our Cinnamon Coffee Cake. What’s yours?

There are sweets around every corner. You have office parties, cookie decorating gatherings, and the seemingly endless flow of friends and neighbors dropping by with plates of homemade holiday treats. You find yourself wishing that New Year’s Eve would get here already so you don’t have to deal with the insensitivity! Unless you become a hermit during the holidays, it really can be hard to escape the onslaught of celebratory deliciousness.

After a recent party, a friend of mine who has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease broke down in tears as we were heading back to the car. “That was miserable!”, she sniffled. “If one more person shoves a cookie at me telling me that one bite won’t hurt, I will lose it! I am so tired of people telling me that gluten-intolerance is some sort of fad and it’s a party so I should treat myself”  In fact, in my friend’s case, and for anyone who suffers with a gluten intolerance, one bite can be devastating. “How do I politely tell people that it’s not ‘all in my head’ and that I really can’t have a bite?”, my friend asked.

ANNETTE LEIN, GANNETT

In a perfect world, of course, my friend would not have to explain her situation every time she asks for a list of ingredients or turns down a treat. We talked for a while about some of the possible responses my friend might share with those who are being insensitive and insisting that she “just try some.”

Whether it’s a birthday celebration, a holiday gathering, dinner with friends or any other meal or snack, we decided that some gluten-free etiquette tips might be in order.

1. Be clear and decisive but gentle (at least at first) when turning down a treat or other item with gluten
2. If appropriate, bring your own gluten-free treat to share. If people see you eating something, they may be less likely to make comments.
3. Say “thank you” and explain that you have a serious gluten allergy and have eliminated gluten from your diet. You could even point out that you brought something to share and ask for feedback on what you brought. Hopefully, this will distract the person long enough for you to slip into another room. If that doesn’t work move on to #4
4. “No. I really can’t have any gluten. Even the smallest amount makes me seriously ill. If you’d like some information about gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease, I’d be happy to email you some resources.” And if that doesn’t work, try number 5,
5. “It’s just like any other food allergy and I’d really appreciate the same respect that you’d have for someone with a peanut or shellfish allergy.”
6. Finally, if someone really insists on pushing the subject, it’s fine to simply wish them a happy holiday (or a nice evening or whatever the occasion might be), excuse yourself , grab one of the gluten-free treats you brought and move on to another conversation with someone else.

How do you handle it when others are insensitive about your gluten sensitivity?