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Food Review: Home Free Cookies

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

When I first cracked open a box of Home Free's peanut-free, tree-nut-free, egg-free, and dairy-free cookies, I thought: what poor person has all of those food allergies combined? I couldn't quite figure out the target market. But now I think I have it figured out. These organic cookies are meant for moms who want to serve treats guaranteed safe for any kid, whatever her allergy.

I'm skeptical about how big that audience really is, but for healthy sweets, these were pretty impressive. I tried two varieties: the soft oatmeal cookies and the mini chocolate chip cookies. Both had minor faults, but they were also much tastier than I expected. For my thoughts, read more.

The oatmeal cookie was pretty sizable and had a nice, chewy-oat texture with just enough sweetness. One cookie has 120 calories and four grams of fat with almost all organic and whole-grain ingredients, so I felt good about eating them. Each box contains three pairs of individually packaged cookies (why? so wasteful!), and unfortunately, each pair of cookies stuck together and didn't look pretty when I pulled them apart.

The mini chocolate chip cookies had a totally different vibe: crunchy and sweeter, much like a Famous Amos. While the oatmeal cookies tasted more like health food (which I liked), the chocolate chip ones could easily be served to kids who probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Each serving of six mini cookies has 140 calories and six grams of fat, but you could also just eat one for a little sweet treat.

Home Free sells all of its cookies online here, including a chocolate-chocolate chip flavor (full size and mini) and a full-size version of the chocolate chip. If you have food allergies (or just lots of paranoia about them), these are definitely worth taking a bite of.

Do You Know Nuts About Food Allergies?

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 03:30:00 -0700

From peanuts to shellfish to wheat gluten to dairy, the list of foods that cause people problems seems to get longer every year. But while some people actually suffer from food allergies, others are just dealing with food intolerance.

Do you know the ins and outs of these potentially dangerous foods? Text your knowledge with my quiz.

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Possible Cure For Peanut Allergy Found

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Peanut allergies have become surprisingly more common recently, and it's scary to think that taking an innocent bite of an energy bar fortified with peanut flour could end with fatal results. Scientists have been trying to figure out the cause of this life-threatening condition, but it looks like now they may have found a way to cure peanut allergies.

A recent study at Duke University Medical Center helped five children, who previously suffered from severe peanut allergies, to eat peanuts with no reaction. Over several years, scientists gave the children small amounts of peanuts, and with time, their bodies learned to tolerate the allergen. Using oral immunotherapy, the kids started eating minuscule amounts of peanut flour equal to one thousandth of a peanut, and worked their way up to the equivalent of 15 peanuts. The results from this pilot study seem promising to the more than 3.3 million people who suffer from peanut allergies, but the scientists still need to track the children for a few more years to make sure the treatment cured them permanently.

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Do You Know Someone With a Food Allergy?

FitSugar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I suffer from seasonal and pet allergies, but I'm so thankful I don't have any allergies to food. Many people do, though, and it seems these allergies are more common than ever. It's evident when you go food shopping or to a restaurant, and food labels proclaiming products as gluten-free or nut-free are growing more and more prevalent. It's great that these foods are available since reactions can be fatal. So I was wondering . . .

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Label Able: Certified Gluten-Free

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:30:00 -0700

If you're one of the 3 million people suffering from an allergy to gluten then here's some good news. More and more products are donning this trademarked symbol that lets you know they are certified gluten free by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO). This group inspects products to ensure that they contain less than 10 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, which is an amount low enough not to cause a reaction in someone with this allergy. If a product passes the test, like this Stonyfield Farms yogurt then the manufacturer is allowed to add this symbol to their label.

Gluten is the plant protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some oats. People allergic to gluten suffer from severe stomach problems, and in order to avoid symptoms the only option is to avoid it. That's why it's imperative they know which foods are safe. If you're interested in seeing the complete list of products labeled with this symbol, check out the GFCO website.

Do You Have a Food Allergy?

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:13:33 -0800

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Have You Ever Seen a Dietician?

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Eating healthy is no small feat, especially if you are on the run, have special dietary needs, or are trying to lose weight. In all these scenarios, meeting with a dietitian can help. I think it is a great idea to have an educated eye sizing up your nutrition, which is why I've included having a session with a dietitian as a must have for October.

A dietitian will asses your diet and then provide advice and recommendations on how to improve your eating habits to help you reach your goals.

I was wondering if any of you have ever seen a dietitian, and what your experience was like. Were they helpful? Did you learn any valuable info or tips?

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 01:00:00 -0700

I have little kids and one of them breaks out in hives whenever she eats strawberries. Or I should say, when she used to eat strawberries because the hives just didn't seem like a normal side effect of eating fruit. Are those hives a sign of a food allergy or just a symptom of a food intolerance?

Lucky for me, the Mayo Clinic just answered my question. First off only about 2 percent of American adults and 6 percent of American children have food allergies. Many of us do have adverse reactions to certain foods, but those reactions are only considered allergic reactions if the immune system is involved.

With a food allergy, the immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food or a component of a food as a harmful substance and fights that food culprit by releasing antibodies. The antibodies release histamines and other chemicals into your bloodstream to fight the good fight against this food "enemy". Signs of a food allergy may include:

Tingling in the mouth
Hives
Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat
Wheezing or breathing difficulties
Dizziness or fainting

Lactose intolerance is one example of a food intolerance. People with lactose intolerance lack the enzyme lactase needed to digest milk sugar (lactose) in milk and other dairy products. This inability to break down lactose during digestion may cause diarrhea, gas, bloating and abdominal pain, but doesn't set off the immune system response.

It is important to know the difference, because with an allergy a small amount of the food can trigger a serious allergic reaction. With an intolerance, the body can usually handle a small amount of the food without serious consequences.

Hopefully my little one will "grow out" of her strawberry allergy. Until then, we are sticking to blackberries and raspberries.

What's the Deal With All the Food Allergies?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700

If it seems like food allergies are everywhere these days, that's because they are. According to a new study from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, food allergies are on the rise, now affecting more than 3 million kids. Approximately one in every 26 children has one, as opposed to one in 29 in 1997. The most common culprits include peanuts, shellfish, milk, and eggs.

Amy Branum, the lead author of the study, says that the 18 percent increase isn't just a fluke, but even the CDC isn't quite sure about the reasons behind the rise. To see the theories, read more.

Though about two in five Americans think they have a food allergy, only about one percent actually do. Most are merely food intolerances, which do not trigger an immune reaction like allergies do. But even so, food allergies are on the rise, according to the latest news:

A doubling in peanut allergies - noted in earlier studies - is one factor, some experts said. Also, children seems to be taking longer to outgrow milk and egg allergies than they did in decades past.

But also figuring into the equation are parents and doctors who are more likely to consider food as the trigger for symptoms like vomiting, skin rashes, and breathing problems.

"A couple of decades ago, it was not uncommon to have kids sick all the time and we just said 'They have a weak stomach' or 'They're sickly,'" said Anne Munoz-Furlong, chief executive of the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, a Virginia-based advocacy organization.

But why the rise in peanut allergies, and why are kids outgrowing their childhood nemeses later? Some folks in the medical community hypothesize that our culture has actually gotten too hygienic. Thanks to clean drinking water and antibiotics, our immune systems don't have as much to battle, so they're battling foods instead.

What do you think lies behind the rise in food allergies? Do you have or have you ever had one?

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Baby Wellness: The Basics of Food Allergies

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Lil Jayden James Federline was recently rushed to the hospital after suffering an allergic reaction to something he ingested. He is going to be OK, but food allergies are scary and can be a source of worry for parents - especially those with babies just starting to eat solids.

Luckily, there are a few ways to detect if your child is reacting to something she ate. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), symptoms of an allergic reaction include: Skin problems (hives, itchy skin rashes, swelling), breathing problems (sneezing, wheezing, throat tightness), stomach symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea), and circulation problems (pale skin, light-headedness, loss of consciousness). Some symptoms occur right after eating while others take a few days, but BabyCenter recommends that you call 911 immediately if your baby has trouble breathing, swelling of the face and/or lips, or severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating. In the case of less severe symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician who will most likely refer you to an allergist since food allergies can often be hard to diagnose.

To find out if you can prevent your child from getting food allergies and how to pinpoint the culprit, just read more.

Unfortunately there is not much you can do to prevent an allergy from occurring in your child; contrary to popular belief even breastfed babies develop allergies. One way to keep on top of allergies from the beginning is to introduce one new food at a time - then you'll be able to tell which food your baby is reacting to. On the flip side, the AAP recommends the "Elimination Diet," which involves removing all the suspect foods from your child's diet and monitoring to see if the allergic symptoms go away.

Even though there is no cure, the good news is that food allergies may not stick around forever. Arming yourself with the knowledge of what triggers the reaction will go a long way in keeping your baby happy and healthy.

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