Bunches of Dairy-Free Recipes

OK, I admit that at first glance, Cancer Center Recipes Just for You is not the most appealing come on I've ever seen.

Even so, click on "Recipe Search" when you get to that page. That'll bring up a screen that will allow you to search for only specific recipes in their database - only dairy-free or only vegan or only both, just for example.

The bunches pun in my title is there because the site is heavy on recipes containing fruits and vegetables. From that same search page, you can select which fruits and/or vegetables you want to make sure are in the recipes that are offered. When I ask it to give me vegan dairy-free recipes that contain cucumbers, I get five results.

You can play with the site for hours because hundreds of recipes are in the database.

With every sensible nutritionist (and even some of the crazy non-nutritionist diet gurus) recommending increased numbers of fruits and vegetables in our diets, a fruit and vegetable-based recipe resource is a great idea. Thanks to the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center for the work they did in putting the site together.

More Soy Yogurt, English Style

Just a week ago I wrote that Turtle Mountain was launching a line of soy yogurts.

Now comes word that the UK firm Alpro is, guess what, launching a line of soy yogurts.

It's officially a trend! There'll be a cover story in Time within a week!

TalkingRetail.com is the enabler for Alpro's press release:

Alpro soya is launching the UK's first reduced calorie soya alternative to yogurt. The launch of Light yogurt follows the successful 2006 launch of Alpro soya Light reduced calorie soya milk.

Alpro is once again driving the dairy free category. “Dieting is still important to consumers, but their outlook has changed quite dramatically in recent years,” commented John Allaway, Alpro’s commercial director.

“Consumers no longer want faddy and extreme, ‘get thin quick’ diets but rather want to achieve good health through the consumption of products which have wider health benefits such as soya.”

“Alpro soya Light milk has been extremely popular. We want to expand on the success of it and give consumers what they want in terms of yogurt: the health benefits of soya, with less fat, sugar and calories, combined with great taste.

“We are confident that the Light yogurts will be a success and believe they will, like Alpro soya Light milk, help attract new consumers and grow the dairy free category.”

As well as being reduced in calories, the new Light yogurts are naturally low in saturated fat and are free from artificial colours, preservatives or sweeteners. Available in 4 x 125g packs containing 2xRaspberry/Blackberry and 2x Pineapple/Passionfruit varieties.

The Light yogurts will be available initially in Tesco and Waitrose, RRP is £1.59 and the launch will be supported by a high profile marketing campaign.

Chrysalis Dairy-Free Wheat-Free Cookies

Biochemist Linda Hardin, like many other mothers, needed to learn how to make wheat-free and dairy-free cookies for her children who had food allergies.

Unlike most she's trying to turn them into a business. She's just started an online store at www.doughgirlskitchen.com/, although www.chrysaliscookie.com redirects you to the same place.

To be precise, she doesn't sell cookies, she sells frozen cookie dough that you bake yourself. This allows her to use a commercial supplier to cut costs.


She's selling five varieties of cookies - Unbelievable Chocolate Chip, Old Fashioned Molasses, Very Vanilla Sugar, Granny's Chocolate Crinkles, and Chewy Cranberry Oatmeal - in batches of 3 dozen pre-portioned frozen dough pieces. The site doesn't technically go live until Jan. 28, but you get $3.00 off the normal $25.99 cost.

You can read more about Hardin in this article by Meg Dedolph in the Naperville Sun.

Caution Needed When Changing Child's Diet

Here's the kind of anecdotal story I run across or have emailed to me on a regular basis.

Everyone kept reassuring Nikki Sharp that her daughter had merely entered the terrible 2s a bit early.

Kylee was Sharp's first baby, but Sharp had been around toddlers before, and the fits she was seeing from the 18-month-old were out of the normal range.

"She'd wake up from naps and scream uncontrollably for an hour," said Sharp, 29.

And that's not all. "She couldn't focus," Sharp said. "Other toddlers could sit and watch at least half of 'Sesame Street,' but she was all over the place. I couldn't even sit her down to teach her anything."

That's when her husband, Ian, told her about some reading he'd done that indicated diet might affect children's behavior.

They pulled all things dairy. No milk, no yogurt, no cheese. They read labels to make sure they didn't give Kylee anything with casein, a milk protein commonly used in the food industry.

"Within 24 hours, we had a brand-new kid," Sharp said.

Now 23 months old, Kylee can focus. She's now able to concentrate, her learning abilities increased dramatically and her speech improved. The tantrums ended.

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

And it may be the cure for your child as well. But as the rest of that Associated Press story shows, it may not be quite that simple. At the very least you have to approach the change in a knowing and thoughtful manner.

On the positive side is a pediatrician who has long advocated for dietary change.

Doris Rapp, a pediatric allergist based in Scottsdale and an author of eight books exploring hidden allergies and environmental toxicity, recommends that parents try a diet to eliminate foods that commonly cause sensitivities, as well as buy an air purifier to reduce toxic airborne chemicals, dust, mold and pollen.

"The pity is that they've put kids on drugs when in many cases, there's a fast, simple, easy and inexpensive answer," Rapp said.

Rapp, whose 1989 appearance on Phil Donahue's show is posted on YouTube, wrote about these issues in her 1992 book, Is This Your Child? The first customer review of the book on Amazon.com tells the story of a woman who read the book, eliminated dairy products from her son's diet, and reported that within 48 hours, the boy's increasingly evident symptoms of listlessness and depression lifted.

Rapp's book is available on the Kids & Parenting page in my Milk-Free Bookstore.


Is this good science or merely anecdotal evidence? Hard to say for sure.

[S]tudies are conflicting and varied. For each that indicates a link, another detects nothing. And critics argue that focusing on diet could prevent kids from getting the medication and other therapies they may legitimately need.

Michael Daines, a pediatric allergist at University Medical Center [in Tuscon], whose practice is skewed heavily toward food allergies, acknowledged that blaming diet for behavior remains controversial because there is little research to back it up.

...

"My standard advice for families who want to do diet modification is that it's OK as long as they're avoiding one or two things," he said. "If they start avoiding more than one or two things, the problem is that they can put their child at risk for nutritional deficiencies."

Secondly, he encourages families to get input from developmental pediatricians, who can have a more detached analysis of behavioral changes, and get comments from teachers and school officials who frequently interact with their child.

"Parents of children with autism and behavioral problems are desperate to find ways to help their children out, so they're easily convinced," Daines said. "Parents need to make sure what they think they're seeing is what they're actually seeing."

That last paragraph is crucial. Parents need to find someone who is objective enough to look past their desperation and ensure that any "help" given to their children is truly help. A succession of false "cures" can make a bad situation worse.

The number of children who cannot properly be diagnosed with milk protein allergies yet can benefit from the removal of dairy in the diet is small. Yet the difference for those few children can be dramatic. All I can hope is that the right children find this right solution.

Adding Vitamin D to a Nondairy Diet

One of the more interesting points I learned while researching Milk Is Not for Every Body: Living with Lactose Intolerance is that many scientists believe that lactose tolerance evolved because northern Europeans no longer were able to expose their bare skin regularly to the sun.

The reasoning is that sun exposure makes vitamin D. That vitamin aids in calcium absorption, which goes to making strong bones. Lack of sun exposure, therefore, leads to vitamin deficiency diseases of the bones like rickets and osteomalacia. (Quick technical note: vitamins are defined as vital substances only available in food. So if the body can directly make vitamin D, then perhaps it isn't really a vitamin. But if you can only get it from food... Definitions can drive you crazy.)

Anyway, those who could drink milk could gain calcium, which would help counter the effects of the loss of vitamin D. And there is some evidence, although it is disputed, that the presence of lactase in an adult improves calcium absorption when lactose is ingested. The result was genetic pressure to favor adult lactose producers as descendents of those few who naturally had the mutation that allowed them to never stop making lactose.

All this is still true today. Many older adults in the U.S. and in other northern latitudes do not get very much sun exposure on their bare skin for long months of the year if at all. Most calcium supplements today come with a variety that contains vitamin D.

And all milk in the U.S. is fortified with vitamin D, which makes dairy products an excellent nutritional source in multiple ways.

What if you don't eat or drink dairy and still want vitamin D from food sources rather than supplements?

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has an Office of Dietary Supplements. Who knew? It has a webpage that is a Vitamin D Fact Sheet full of information. Unless you want to go in directly for cod liver oil, the best sources of vitamin are fish like salmon and mackerel. Even canned tuna fish and sardines are good sources.

Some foods besides milk are also fortified with vitamin D. Certain soy milks, fruit juices, even breakfast cereals have good amounts of vitamin D.

Here's a good account of food sources from dietitians Carrie Cassens and Teresa Smith at the Sauk Valley newspaper site.

Note the warning that they give not to exceed 2000 IU of vitamin D a day. By comparison a capsule supplement often has 400 IU a day.

Sign of the Apocalypse

Man, does this stuff sound tasty. And healthy.

The products are dairy free with no wheat or wheat gluten and they are approved by the British Association of Holistic Nutrition and Medicine.

Horne said: "We only use the best quality grain, brown rice and oats.

"I didn’t want to skimp on any of the ingredients."

They're also free of free of "preservatives, additives, flavourings, added salt or sugar."

Does this make you want to try some?

Ain't for you, sweetheart. This is dog food. Literally. Healthy Paws dog treats.

Check it out. LiverpoolDailyPost.co.uk.

And don't write to tell me how much you love your dogs and how they're just like family unless you actually feed your family this well.

Even Cruises Cater to the LI

Hey, I guess we've made the big time, culinarily speaking.

Caroline Costello on CruiseCritic.com, in something that feels like than a critical review and more like something I honestly thought at first was a press release, raves about the chefs on Princess Cruises.

At Chef's Table, passengers can chat with the chef while he cooks the night's meal as they snack on hors d'oeuvres and cocktails in the galley. Participants then dine on a special multi-course menu, served only at Chef's Table, and sample wine in a designated area of the ship's main dining room. Dessert is served with a side of conversation as the chef rejoins the group to answer questions and share cooking secrets.

The executive chef on each ship selects from several pre-designed Chef's Table menus and may make changes based on seasonal ingredients and the location of the ship. Vegetarian and lactose intolerant cruisers needn't feel left out -- other menu alterations are made in accordance with passengers' dietary needs.

Hooray for us.

Hooray for the wealthier of us, at least. Not only do these pampered passengers at the Chef's Tables have to book extra early because they all sell out, but the cost is an additional $75 per person -- for one night of the cruise.

Money. If you could just eat it, why would you settle for anything else.

No Evidence That Avoiding Foods While Breastfeeding Prevents Allergies

Women whose infants have known milk protein allergies or whose families have known allergies are properly told to avoid drinking milk themselves while breastfeeding. Milk proteins from the food can travel through the bloodstream and enter the breast milk, triggering allergic responses in the infants.

This advice has been widely disseminated in recent years. Perhaps too widely. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is afraid that women whose infants have no such allergies may be denying themselves foods out of fear of triggering allergies, even when those are unlikely.

In fact, the AAP feels this is such a problem that it has issued updated guidelines that reassure nursing mothers that no good evidence exists that avoiding certain trigger foods will prevent allergies from occurring.

Carla Johnson of the Associated Press reported the new policy in a story that I'm glad to see was widely covered. (The link goes to the Houston Chronicle, which reprints more of the article than some other newspapers.)

In August 2000, the doctors group advised mothers of infants with a family history of allergies to avoid cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts and tree nuts while breast-feeding.

That advice, along with a recommended schedule for introducing certain risky foods, left some moms and dads blaming themselves if their children went on to develop allergies.

"They say, 'I shouldn't have had milk in my coffee,'" said Dr. Scott Sicherer of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Jaffe Food Allergy Institute in New York. "I've been saying, 'We don't really have evidence that it causes a problem. Don't be on a guilt trip about it.'"

Mothers of high risk infants should still breast feed exclusively for at least the first four months, though.

The study is in the journal Pediatrics. You can read the full text online at Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children: The Role of Maternal Dietary Restriction, Breastfeeding, Timing of Introduction of Complementary Foods, and Hydrolyzed Formulas by Frank R. Greer, MD, Scott H. Sicherer, MD, A. Wesley Burks, MD and the Committee on Nutrition and Section on Allergy and Immunology. PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 1 January 2008, pp. 183-191 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-3022)

Here's the Summary:

It is evident that inadequate study design and/or a paucity of data currently limit the ability to draw firm conclusions about certain aspects of atopy prevention through dietary interventions. In some circumstances in which there are insufficient studies (pregnancy and lactation avoidance diets, timing of introduction of specific complementary foods), the lack of proven efficacy does not indicate that the approach is disproved. Rather, more studies would be needed to clarify whether there is a positive or negative effect on atopy outcomes. The following statements summarize the current evidence within the context of these limitations.

1. At the present time, there is lack of evidence that maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy play a significant role in the prevention of atopic disease in infants. Similarly, antigen avoidance during lactation does not prevent atopic disease, with the possible exception of atopic eczema, although more data are needed to substantiate this conclusion.

2. For infants at high risk of developing atopic disease, there is evidence that exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months compared with feeding intact cow milk protein formula decreases the cumulative incidence of atopic dermatitis and cow milk allergy in the first 2 years of life.

3. There is evidence that exclusive breastfeeding for at least 3 months protects against wheezing in early life. However, in infants at risk of developing atopic disease, the current evidence that exclusive breastfeeding protects against allergic asthma occurring beyond 6 years of age is not convincing.

4. In studies of infants at high risk of developing atopic disease who are not breastfed exclusively for 4 to 6 months or are formula fed, there is modest evidence that atopic dermatitis may be delayed or prevented by the use of extensively or partially hydrolyzed formulas, compared with cow milk formula, in early childhood. Comparative studies of the various hydrolyzed formulas have also indicated that not all formulas have the same protective benefit. Extensively hydrolyzed formulas may be more effective than partially hydrolyzed in the prevention of atopic disease. In addition, more research is needed to determine whether these benefits extend into late childhood and adolescence. The higher cost of the hydrolyzed formulas must be considered in any decision-making process for their use. To date, the use of amino acid–based formulas for atopy prevention has not been studied.

5. There is no convincing evidence for the use of soy-based infant formula for the purpose of allergy prevention.

6. Although solid foods should not be introduced before 4 to 6 months of age, there is no current convincing evidence that delaying their introduction beyond this period has a significant protective effect on the development of atopic disease regardless of whether infants are fed cow milk protein formula or human milk. This includes delaying the introduction of foods that are considered to be highly allergic, such as fish, eggs, and foods containing peanut protein.

7. For infants after 4 to 6 months of age, there are insufficient data to support a protective effect of any dietary intervention for the development of atopic disease.

8. Additional studies are needed to document the long-term effect of dietary interventions in infancy to prevent atopic disease, especially in children older than 4 years and in adults.

9. This document describes means to prevent or delay atopic diseases through dietary changes. For a child who has developed an atopic disease that may be precipitated or exacerbated by ingested proteins (via human milk, infant formula, or specific complementary foods), treatment may require specific identification and restriction of causal food proteins. This topic was not reviewed in this document.

Food Pyramid Modernized for Older Adults

We're all getting older, some of us precipitously. Our bodies don't function as well as they did when we were younger and we process and digest food differently as well. That's means that the recommendations for a so-called healthy diet also have to change.

The researchers over at Tufts University who take care of such things have issued a report in the January issue of the Journal of Nutrition. Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults by Alice H. Lichtenstein, Helen Rasmussen, Winifred W. Yu, Susanna R. Epstein and Robert M. Russell. J. Nutr. 138:5-11, January 2008.

Abstract

In 1999 we proposed a Modified Food Guide Pyramid for adults aged 70+ y. It has been extensively used in a variety of settings and formats to highlight the unique dietary challenges of older adults. We now propose a Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults in a format consistent with the MyPyramid graphic. It is not intended to substitute for MyPyramid, which is a multifunctional Internet-based program allowing for the calculation of individualized food-based dietary guidance and providing supplemental information on food choices and preparation. Pedagogic issues related to computer availability, Web access, and Internet literacy of older adults suggests a graphic version of MyPyramid is needed. Emphasized are whole grains and variety within the grains group; variety and nutrient density, with specific emphasis on different forms particularly suited to older adults' needs (e.g. frozen) in the vegetables and fruits groups; low-fat and non-fat forms of dairy products including reduced lactose alternatives in the milk group; low saturated fat and trans fat choices in the oils group; and low saturated fat and vegetable choices in the meat and beans group. Underlying themes stress nutrient- and fiber-rich foods within each group and food sources of nutrients rather than supplements. Fluid and physical activity icons serve as the foundation of MyPyramid for Older Adults. A flag to maintain an awareness of the potential need to consider supplemental forms of calcium, and vitamins D and B-12 is placed at the top of the pyramid. Discussed are newer concerns about potential overnutrition in the current food landscape available to older adults.

Laurie Barkley at MedScape gives the play by play:

The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults specifically emphasizes whole grains; variety within the grains group; variety and nutrient density; vegetables and fruits particularly suited to older adults' needs, such as frozen foods; low-fat and nonfat dairy products including reduced lactose alternatives in the milk group; low saturated fat and trans fat choices in the oils group; and low saturated fat and vegetable options in the meat and beans group.

The underlying principles of the Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults include focus on nutrient- and fiber-rich foods within each group, recommending food sources of nutrients rather than supplements, and use of fluid and physical activity icons. The base of the pyramid has a row of glasses to remind older adults that it is crucial to remain well hydrated. In the second row, pictures of various physical activities emphasize the need for regular physical activity, which is of vital importance given the high prevalence of physical inactivity in older adults.

And, quoting one of the study's authors:

"The advantages of MyPyramid compared with the original Food Guide Pyramid are that the guidance is delivered in terms of household measures, is accompanied by tips on how to achieve the recommended goal, presents food group serving suggestions in terms of total intake per day, and provides tips on altering standard recipes to limit added sugars, utilizing the information available on food labels and adhering to food safety standards," write Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, from the Jean Mayer United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues. "Despite these benefits, the updated system presents unique challenges for older adults. This group of individuals has less access and familiarity with computers than their younger counterparts and a lower comfort level for deriving computer-based information."

Click here for a larger, more readable version of the pyramid.

A Turtle Mountain of Soy Yogurt

I just wrote about the Turtle Mountain lines of nondairy soy frozen desserts a month ago. Now they're back in the news again.

With a brand new line of nondairy soy yogurts under the SoDelicious brand name.

Comes in Blueberry; Cinnamon Bun, Peach, Raspberry; and Vanilla flavors.

Yep, they're vegan. And a whole bunch of other things.

► Dairy Free Lactose Free
► Certified made with Organic Ingredients
► Excellent source of Vitamin B12 (vegetarian friendly)
► All natural, made with organic soy milk
► Formulated for maximum calcium absorption
► Contains Pre- and Probiotics for enhanced intestinal health
► Cholesterol Free
► No Trans Fats

You can request a coupon for the new yogurts and the other Turtle Mountain products on this page.

An Apple a Day

So why do Canadians get to have all the fun these days?

Their dollar is beating our like a rented mule and they get to have interesting looking books on food that aren't available in the U.S.

Marilyn Linton, in the Toronto Sun, wrote an article on An Apple a Day, a new book by chemistry professor Joe Schwarcz.



Schwarcz does exactly what I want a scientist to do. He looks at the claims behind food and examines them for their validity. Hooray, may I say.

From apples to fish to olive oil and milk, Schwarcz examines the results of studies that claim benefit or harm. He investigates artificial sweeteners, food fortification, trans-fats and hormones in meat and weighs the results of small and large, famous and infamous studies -- all the while asking, "where is the evidence?" that backs up something's claim of providing benefit or doing harm.

Here's what's killing me. The book is only available from the Canadian version of Amazon (linked to above).

Dr. Joe apparently has written a whole bunch of other fascinating-looking books on the chemistry behind everyday life, including food-centric titles like That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles: 62 All New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life and Let Them Eat Flax!: 62 All-New Commentaries on the Science of Everyday Food & Life, neither of which are in my local library system.

Boo and hiss.

C'mon, Canada. I know we're a backward second-rate country now, but let us have some crumbs from the cookie for old times' sake.

Food Advice During Pregnancy

A pair of articles appeared today with pertinent advice for those who are currently pregnant. I'll just excerpt the parts that are most relevant.

What Does Your First Trimester Diet Contain? by Apurva Shree in The American Chronicle.

Lots of carbohydrates, protein, iron, calcium, and fibers are what you need at this time. This is the time to substitute refined fats and sugars with diary products brimming with protein and calcium. If you are lactose-intolerant, go for beans, tofu, corn tortillas, fresh fruits, and dark green leafy vegetables. In addition to this, you need to drink about 6-8 glasses of water everyday, to fulfill your requirement of fluid during pregnancy. However, this doesn’t mean that you gulp down cups of tea, coffee, and soda. It’s plain water that’s healthy.

Experts bust the nine biggest myths about what to expect. by Alonna Friedman in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

MYTH 4: Cut out the cheese

True! Well, you don't have to ban all cheeses. Some kinds, such as Cheddar and Swiss, are innocuous because they have been pasteurized. It's the soft, unpasteurized products such as brie, feta and goat cheese that might carry food-borne illnesses. If you're lucky, the market you frequent will carry pasteurized versions -- just start looking at labels more often. And then you can still enjoy your crackers with cheese.

Lactofree To Be TV Star

Today you can't get through a comedy without somebody making a lactose intolerance joke. (Fart humor is as old as time. I'm sure there's some graffiti in hieroglyphics on it.) Yet when I learned I was LI in 1978, I had never heard the term before.

So what happened in between? Well, in 1990 DairyEase entered the lactase and lactose-free markets to compete with Lactaid. For a couple of years the two companies blitzed television with $10 million ad campaigns. You don't think advertising works? Here's proof to the contrary. Although DairyEase was never to be more than a distant second to Lactaid in market share, the whole of the American audience now knows the term "lactose intolerance."

The UK has long been behind the U.S. is LI awareness. That might change soon, and for the same reason.

Arla Foods for the first time is going to do tv ads for its lactose-free milk called Lactofree. Those ads will be just part of a £3m cross-media campaign.



Nikki Sandison of BrandRepublic.com wrote:

The TV spot will be supported by a number of print ads in women's consumer titles, as well as advertorials that will include an elimination diet challenge and lactose-free recipes using Lactofree.

Digital agency Outside Line will revamp the Lactofree website to include a new Community Hub section.

Lactofree's PR agency, Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster, will launch a nationwide Lactofree cafe, offering samples of hot teas and coffees using Lactofree at major supermarkets.

Over at TalkingRetail.com, they said that Arla has more plans for the fast-growing Lactofree brand:

2007 saw the brand grow by 185.20% and Lactofree has recently launched in Ireland and just announced that it will be stocked in Somerfield - in addition to the other leading supermarkets.

Of course, that huge rise is building from a very tiny base. I announced the introduction of Lactofree only two years ago.

Just a reminder. Whenever you see a percentage in the article, think twice. Large percentage growth almost always means that a tiny thing has become a little bigger, not that some big thing has become huge.

Milk-Hearted Stout

On New Year's Day I skipped the endless bowl games for a marathon on Turner Classic Movies, with all three of the That's Entertainment! clip shows from the vaults of MGM and a special prize of That's Dancing! as well. Movie buff heaven. Somewhere in the middle of That's Entertainment II appeared Nelson Eddy in New Moon, yet another historical mish-mosh, this one set in Louisiana and Martinique. Eddy is the Duc de Villiers, temporarily enslaved until a shipwreck, when he emerges as leader, needing to rally his troops. And what better troop rallier could there be than for him to burst out in song? This song: Give me some men who are stout-hearted men/Who will fight for the right they adore.

(I have to admit that when we were kids, we modified the lyrics slightly into: Give me some men who are stout-hearted men/And we'll show you some men who are fat. Belated apologies to Nelson Eddy, and the considerably classy composing team of Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, Laurence Schwab, and Sigmund Romberg, giants all.)

Puns are in the air (remember "Love Is In the Air" by John Paul Young? Bet you don't.) and I can't help throwing a title of Milk-hearted Stout over the whole subject, the subject being the weird brewing process of adding lactose to beer.

Blame it all on Ferocious Fred, the name of the sweet porter brewed by Steve Urwin, the head brewer at High House Farm Brewery near Matfen, and named in honor of the original ferocious Fred, a very nasty bull.

The beer is somewhat milder:

Steve describes the nose as having chocolaty roasted, nutty toffee and spicy notes while the ale itself has a full bodied, smooth almost velvet texture.

So called sweet or milk porter/stout became popular in the years following the Second World War, but started to die out towards the end of the 20th century.

Now High House is leading a revival of interest in this nourishing stout which used to be prescribed for new mothers and invalids.

Milk stout is made from the addition of lactose to the beer, which gives it added body, sweetness and calories.

...

"The new beer is a delicious very dark porter, with a chocolaty flavour and a pleasing sweetness," said Steve.

"We wanted to create something a bit different for winter and Christmas this year, and decided on an old fashioned sweet porter, which we hope our customers will enjoy."

Milk stouts are coming back into favor in this country as well. Almost two years ago, I posted Lactose in Beer? which links to several American sources of the brew.

Salud!

There's Lactose in All Animal Milks, Dummy!

Over thousands of years, human cultures around the world have turned to large animals for milk. Not just cows, but horses, water buffalo, sheep, goats, camels, reindeer and many more mammals have been the choice for milking.

And they all share one major thing in common. They all have lactose in their milk. In fact, they all have about the same amount of lactose, some three to four perfect. See my Lactose Zoo for exact percentages.

There are a few mammals whose milk doesn't contain lactose (or very tiny quantities of it). Those are the primitive mammals like the platypus, which evolved before lactose did, and the large sea mammals like seals, which traded lactose for more fat for extra energy.

All the animals used for milking have about the same amount of lactose in their milks as cows do.

This is pretty simple to find out. There's my page for one, and any number of other lactose percentage charts can be found through the internet.

So why do the new agey-style idiots Suzy Grant -billed as an "expert nutritional therapist"! and Dr. Henry Clover, chief dental advisor for Denplan, who should be capable of some medical research, say this nonsense on FemaleFirst.co.uk?

Low fat milk and cheese: Calcium-rich for teeth and bones. If you are lactose-intolerant find alternatives made from ewe, goat or buffalo milk.

Is there something wrong with the entire British educational system?

I'll say it again. Ewe, goat, and buffalo milk have almost exactly the same percentage of lactose as cow's milk does. Nobody who is intolerant to the lactose in cow's milk should be drinking this milk.

Please, will somebody in that country get this right?

Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes

Who releases a new book on New Year's Day? That's not the marketing strategy I would use.

On the other hand, it got instant response from my blog on an otherwise slow news day, so maybe they had a good idea.



The book in question is Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free & Dairy-Free Recipes: More Than 100 Mouth-Watering Recipes for the Whole Family (A Cook's Bible) by Grace Cheetham. A hardback with a list price of $19.95, this appears to be Cheetham's first book.

Book Description

The number of people affected by allergies and intolerances continues to escalate dramatically: as much as 35% of the population suffers from food-related problems. And those who can’t eat bread, cakes, pasta, cheese, milk, or butter are in desperate need a cookbook that will provide them with truly delicious wheat- and dairy-free recipes. Here it is, with 100 mouthwatering dishes that everyone will love. The chicken and herb risotto, for example, is so luscious and rich, you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with parmesan, while the berry and almond tart tastes like real pasty…even without wheat. With everything from simple breakfasts and quick lunches to stunning dinners suitable for entertaining, no one need ever miss out on great food again.

New Dairy-Free Treats Stem from Scottish Science

NANDI Proteins is a food technology company that was created by the boffins at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

Nandi was the mother of Shaka, the Zulu King, famed as a warrior and for his famous victories, and immortalised in the film Zulu. Today Nandi translates as ‘something pleasant’.

They're doing remarkable things with protein modification. According to Scottish-Enterprise.com:

Nandi Proteins Ltd. specialises in natural modification of food proteins such as egg white, whey and soya protein. The products have improved functionality such as water binding and emulsifying properties in emulsions such as dairy cream and mayonnaise. This means that Nandi- products can be manufactured at low cost and can be utilised not only as fat replacements by the food industry, but also for the manufacture of innovative new products for the dairy-free and gluten-free markets. Key products:

1. Egg white powder with improved sensory and functional properties.

2. Whey protein powder with which is acid stable and has improved water binding.

3. Soy cheese fermented by lactic acid bacteria, with good sensory properties. Expertise in protein structure and functionality.

And in the major newspaper, The Scotsman, Jane Bradley reports that:

NANDI Proteins, a spin-out from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, has launched a new round of funding and is in discussions with a number of global food producers just months after clinching its first major deal with a Dutch dairy company.

Nandi earlier this year signed up with Friesland Foods to supply the Dutch firm with its protein technology in a deal which could be worth more than 2 million to the company in royalties.

The technology is used to add supplements to foods such as dairy free or low-fat products.

Neat stuff. The more firms that work to make better, tastier, and healthier non-dairy versions of milk products, the more choice there'll be for us.

Lactase Safe, Despite Newspaper's Mistake

I check through all the newspaper articles that contain the word lactose, just to see if there's any interesting news I can pass on to you.

Today I ran across Top trial lawyer wins big, spends big by Andrew Wolfson in the respected Louisville Courier-Journal.

The article is a big love letter to attorney Larry Franklin, a trial lawyer who gets big settlements for clients. His clients sound horribly hurt and terrifically appealing, like the little girl who got her legs severed on an amusement park ride. This isn't a rant against evil trial lawyers.

What drew my attention to the article was this eye-popping claim buried 29 paragraphs deep into the story:

And in 2004, he and Hance won a $19.2 million verdict against Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and other defendants for marketing a lactose suppressant that they showed caused 32-year-old grocery clerk Mary Gunderson to suffer a fatal seizure after childbirth.

A "lactose suppressant"? Could that mean lactase? I've never in history heard of a serious side effect from lactase. I didn't understand how I could have missed this, but this was huge news that I had to pass on.

Fortunately for you, I checked the claim first before repeating it.

The real story, as reported on the LouisvilleLaw.com site, is that Mary Gunderson had been given Parlodel, a postpartum lactation suppressant.

Mary Gunderson died suddenly in her sleep one week following the Caesarean birth of her second child. She had been given Parlodel, a postpartum lactation suppressant. The drug had a history of adverse reactions including seizures, strokes and heart attacks dating back to 1983. Plaintiffs prevailed at trial for a total judgment exceeding $19 million, including more than $11 million in punitive damages against manufacturer Sandoz. Sandoz and the prescribing physician appeal.

Parlodel is a serious drug for a serious problem. What's important for you in my audience is to remember that it has no, repeat, no connection to lactose or lactase or lactose intolerance.

Just another case of a reporter misunderstanding a fact new to him and having nobody in the chain of command above him noticing the mistake.

Happens all the time, unfortunately.

Remember. Doublecheck all facts and claims, even those made by legitimate reporters working for well-regarded news sources. They can't be expected to understand or transcribe perfectly every detail of every profession that they encounter, things that are new to them on a daily basis.

Don't let a trivial error panic you. Medications are serious, and problems do occur. Lactase, however, is not a drug. It is also about as safe as anything you can put into your mouth can possibly be.

That hasn't changed. Be happy.

Multiple Allergy Cookbook

The Dairy-free &/or Wheat-free &/or Soya-free BUT Always Totally Nut-free Family Cookbook by Clare Constant and Suzanne Wood was published last month by Strategic Business Transformation Ltd. press. (Strategic Business Transformation press?)

It's an expensive paperback with a $30.00 list price while being only 264 pages. But it appears to have a unique slant.

Book Description
At last an easy-to-use restricted diet cookbook with 100+delicious recipes that everyone in your family can enjoy whether it's dairy &/or wheat &/or soya and nuts that individual members have to avoid. The book's 'every recipe for everyone' system allows you to choose how to cook each recipe safely for your family - with or without dairy, wheat or soya, but always completely nut-free and always using readily available supermarket ingredients. You'll be spoilt for choice. Not only are our 100+ easy-to-follow recipes delicious but we also suggest numerous tasty flavour variations. Recipes include: crispy chicken bites, fishcakes, pizzas, traditional roast beef with Yorkshire pudding, home-made pasta, gooey chocolate and pear pancakes, lemon tart, quick snacks, lunch-box fillers, tea time treats such as scones, biscuits, muffins and the all-important chocolate birthday cake. . Easy-to-follow, safe and delicious recipes . Information about dairy, wheat, soya and nuts . Clear explanations of food allergy and intolerance . Discussion of diseases linked to these key ingredients . Advice on making sure a restricted diet is healthy . Busy cook's shopping and cooking tips . Separate baby and toddler recipe sections . Recipes that children on restricted diets can learn to cook for themselves Bestselling educational writer Clare Constant has teamed up with former Home Economist of the Year and Cordon Bleu trained Suzanne Wood to produce this Family Cookbook. 'My toddler, Sophie, is allergic to dairy, wheat, soya, fish and nuts. When she was diagnosed I longed for a cookbook to help her thrive and me, a working mum, to survive. There wasn't one, so I wrote one.' Clare Constant 'We have food allergies in our family but my kids demand to be fed "normal food" like their school friends - so I developed these recipes to make sure they can. Now, when their mates come home for tea, they can't tell the difference!' Suzanne Wood '... the author's offer very practical, ingenious and creative solutions for the preparation of nutritious, healthy and tasty meals, while staying away from the various types of foods that allergic members of the family should avoid.' Dr Diab F Haddad MD MRCPCH Consultant Paediatrician St Peter's Hospital, Surrey.

From the description, my guess is that this is a British cookbook, which may be useful to the many Brits for whom getting special diet foods is not as easy as it is for North Americans.

Gas Guzzlers Unite

Flatulence. That's the medical term for farting, to be used in polite company and newspaper articles.

There's no good polite way to talk about farting, but the science of it is important.

The Canadian Press interviewed Dr. Michael Levitt, the world's foremost expert on gas. (Levitt is probably better known as the father as Steven Levitt, the "Freakonomics" guru.)

So what wisdom can Levitt impart? Here are some pearls.

Studies in which volunteers tracked their gas passage suggest people fart 10 to 20 times a day, with some hitting the 30, 40, even 50 mark...

In the main, flatulence is made up of five gases -- nitrogen and oxygen, which are swallowed while talking, chewing or drinking fizzy beverages, and carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane, which are produced in the gastrointestinal tract during digestion of food.

Gas produced or trapped in the intestine only has three possible routes it can follow. Some will be absorbed into the body. Some will be burped out. And some will pass as flatulence.

People who lack bacteria that break down certain food components -- say lactose, the sugar in milk or some of the sugars in carbohydrates -- may produce more gas when they consume those foods.

That explains the potency of beans. They contain sugars humans can't break down. "So it's automatic that they're delivered to your large intestine, these sugars, where they churn out and make gas," Levitt says.

Levitt noted that there's really nothing you can do to cut down your normal production of gas. Swallowing less air would help, but swallowers generally don't know that they're doing so. Extremely low carbohydrate diets produce little gas, but those can be extremely unhealthy.

Of course, those with lactose intolerance can take lactase pills. And its chemical analog, Beano, will help reduce flatulence from beans.