Ask the Nutritionist

by Melissa Diane Smith, author of Going Against the Grain

Saying goodbye to bread doesn’t have to mean giving up sandwiches.

Q: I maintain my weight and feel best when I avoid gluten and all grains. I don’t miss the taste of bread, but I do miss the convenience of making sandwiches for quick lunches, especially on hot summer days. Are there any grain-free substitutes that could help me fix easy-to-make “sandwiches”?

—Tamara R., Sacramento, Calif.

A: The short answer is: Yes! If you bake, try making grain-free tortillas or sliceable bread out of almond flour, ground flaxseeds, and/or coconut flour. If you don’t bake—or if you want a quicker alternative—think outside the box and get creative by using vegetables or fruit as alternatives for wraps and buns. These seven produce-based ideas can help you get started.

1. Lettuce wraps. For convenience and versatility, nothing beats using large lettuce leaves, such as romaine or Bibb, as tortilla or bread substitutes. Wrap burgers with them, or make BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato) “sandwiches,” taco lettuce wraps, fajita wraps, tuna salad wraps, or lettuce cups with Asian-based fillings.

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Though some people eat too much protein, others, especially many women, eat too little. Be aware of the following signs, conditions, and stages of life that signal that you may need more protein than you’re currently eating.

You frequently crave sweet or starchy foods. Protein is a slow-burning fuel that steadies blood-sugar levels and helps keep energy levels steady, making you far less apt to crave quick-fix carbohydrates such as grain products and sweet foods and drinks.

You have cardiovascular or diabetes risk factors. High-protein diets have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar. This leads to beneficial changes in a wide range of metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory markers, from insulin sensitivity to cholesterol and triglycerides to C-reactive protein.

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Avoid the carbs with these ready-to-eat, GMO-free, stabilizing snack options

Ask The Nutritionist

by Melissa Diane Smith

Q: I’m a recovering carb addict who does well if I eat a low-carb diet and if I eat adequate, good-quality animal protein throughout the day. Because of my work schedule, I often don’t have time to cook, which means I don’t have enough ready-made meat that’s handy to eat. Unfortunately, most easy-to-grab natural protein snacks, such as beef jerky, are sweetened with sweeteners or dried fruits (which can prompt cravings and bingeing!) or they have ingredients such as soy sauce that I can’t tolerate. Do you have any suggestions of no-fuss, unsweetened, “clean” sources of animal protein that can help me?

—Victoria M., Hartford, Conn.

A: I sure do, and many of them happen to be products that are either new to the market or that will be introduced in the next few months. So eating quality protein on the run is about to get a whole lot easier than it used to be. Here are a few to be on the lookout for:

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by Melissa Diane Smith, author of Going Against the Grain

Novak Djokovic, who has credited a gluten-free diet he adopted five years ago with dramatically improving his health and tennis performance to become the number one tennis player in the world, just won a career Grand Slam. By winning the French Open in Roland Garros in France, he is only the third man to win four consecutive major titles and the first man in nearly a half-century to hold all four major championships simultaneously.

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It’s another, little-known piece of information to understand about fructose and the health trouble it can cause.

Do you experience diarrhea, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, or other digestive symptoms after eating fruit or honey- or agave-sweetened foods ? If you do, you could have fructose malabsorption.

This condition involves an impairment of absorption of fructose in the small intestine, allowing excess fructose to pass into the large intestine, where fermentation causes intestinal distress. It isn’t the same thing as small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or FODMAPS intolerance (intolerance to sugars in addition to fructose), both of which can cause similar symptoms.

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by Melissa Diane Smith

Most of us get too much of this sugar, which is found in sweeteners and fruit. This can lead to bitter health consequences

Ask the Nutritionist

Q: I have been told that fructose is a healthy sweetener and that even people with diabetes should use it. I’ve also been told that some people are dramatically limiting fructose intake to reverse disease processes and protect health. What’s the deal? —Nancy S., Wichita, Kan.

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The Chalkboard Mag just named my Going Against the Grain book to its list of its 12 favorite holistic nutrition books to include in your wellness library of reliable resources. “These are your classics, your forever reference bibles and tried-and-tested holistic essentials,” the magazine writes.

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