A Little About Roasting Chestnuts

 

Chestnut Memories

Each year, during my 15 years of living in New York City, that wonderful aroma of chestnuts would waft gently through the crispness of winter. Their mysterious steam added a layer of Christmas to the heightened senses of Big Apple dwellers. I was always surprised at how creamy they were, these chestnuts roasted on an open vendor cart.

Season & Harvest

Chestnuts are available from October through December, henceforth dubbing them a Christmas, not just a cool season crop. They are also, as I just found out from this WZZM13 newscast, a growing crop in Michigan. Michigan has about 50 working chestnut farms right now. How cool is that?

In the newscast, WZZM13 interviewed Winkel Chestnut Farms and I was so fascinated by this new agricultural trend that I decided to give them a call and ask a few questions. The first chestnut lesson that owners Dick and Leslie Winkel taught me was that chestnuts bloom in July and August, but are usually harvested in September or early October. They are then put into cold storage with high humidity for a few months. This type of storage actually acts as a curing process because chestnuts sweeten as they age. Perfect timing for December roasting.

Pesticides & Allergies

The Winkels and I also briefly discussed pesticides, gluten and other allergen cross contamination, and different applications to keep the chestnuts fresh. A common pest is the potato leaf hopper, and most chestnut pests appear in the summer, just as the chestnut flowers / burrs start to form. Some farmers use pesticides, but Winkel Farms keeps bees for pollination, so in order to save the bees, they don't spray.

One of the issues that shocked me in our conversation at first, is that bleach and water is a common anti-mold technique after harvesting and before storage. According to the Food and Agricultural Association of the United Nations, chestnuts are highly susceptable to mold and various techniques are used around the world. Commonly, farmers can dunk the nuts after they fall from the tree into water and bleach to keep fungus at bay. The trees drop the nuts with or without the outer burr, but in the shell, so the meat of the nut is protected from the bleach. How protected is unclear, but the shells are quite tough. There are alternatives to this technique, and not everyone uses bleach in the water. 

Allergy Note: Chestnuts belong to the same botanical family as oak and beech trees do. According to Kids with Food Allergies and FARE chestnuts are considered TREE NUTS. It appears that there are some folks who are only allergic to chestnuts and not other nuts, and others who are able to eat the chestnuts, but not other tree nuts. Tender Foodie will do a little more research on this.

No matter what, however, if you are ALLERGIC to TREE NUTS do not eat chestnuts without discussing with an informed physician and doing adequate allergy testing.

Also, gluten-free peops need to be mindful that cross contamination of nuts with gluten at the processing plant or at a vendor is a possibility.

I discussed with the Winkels how to find chestnuts that have not been cross contaminated with gluten. Their farm is a U-Pick farm so it takes the cross contamination question away -- you go to the farm and pick them up from the ground yourself. The U-Pick season is over, but something to keep in mind for next year. It's always good to develop a relationship with your local farmer and ask them questions about how they grow, store, pack, and process their products. This practice helps support local farms, biodiversity, and ourselves!

"I've been an aerospace engineer all of my life, and I didn't realize how complicated farming was until I started a chestnut farm! I worked my way through college as a crop dusting pilot and my love of light airplanes led me to aerospace engineering. The crop dusting gave me an interest in agriculture. It's been important to get the chestnut farm working. I don't know why except for the little voices in my head in the middle of the night. I had to pay attention to the call of the chestnuts."

~Dick Winkel, Winkel Chestnut Farms

Nutrition

Chestnuts have less fat and more starch than regular nuts, and are more like a sweet potato in starch content than a nut. They are relatively low in calories but rich in minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, phosphorous, and potassium. Chestnuts, like green leafy vegetables and unlike most nuts, are also rich in folates, B Complex groups, and Vitamin C. Like other seeds and nuts, they are also full of bad cholesterol lowering (and good cholesterol raising) monounsaturated fats, like oleic acid.

Additionally, these little nuts make a great flour for gluten-free or grain-free baking, if you can find it. Oh yes they do.

How to Roast Chestnuts

Because of my wheat allergy and severe gluten sensitivity, I no longer can partake of those great street chestnuts in those romantic cities around the world. The risk of cross contamination is too great. But, we can roast them ourselves, can't we?

Here's how:

Choose chestnuts from a local farmer with whom you can discuss the risk of cross contamination. Fresh chestnuts are heavy for their size, glossy (not moldy), and rich in color. Score them (create little incisions in them with a knife) before roasting at an oven temp of 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The nuts have their own oils so you don’t need to use any oils during roasting. Martha Stewart has a simple, beautiful set of instructions here, and suggests a 350 degree roasting temp. Peel, salt (or don’t salt), and enjoy.

Want to grow some trees? Read this cool article on how to do so from Mother Earth News. Interesting tidbit: you need at least two chestnut trees to pollinate and 40 feet around each tree!

Read More About Local

Two Advantages of Buying from Small, Local Farms

2014 Locavore Index: See How Your State Ranks

Check Out Winkel Farms

Website

Facebook Page

Order Online from Allen Creek Farms

Labeled as gluten-free and still available as of this post date

The Most Surprising Places for Hidden Gluten

 

The Way We've "Always" Done It

For years, food processors have gotten used to procuring, milling, making, packaging, and shipping our food in a certain way.  Marketing, science, operations have all jumped on board to make modern processes more efficient, food more "palatable" (sometimes more addictive), and shelf- and shipping- life longer. 

Progress.  It's a natural human response to ... progress.  However, in solving our business problems, we've forgotten the human equation. That wonderful, natural symbiosis of land, plant, animal, atmosphere, mind, body, and spirit is lost in the needs of mass production. It isn't the way we've "always done it".  It's new, and what affects our food supply affects us.

Take gluten, for instance.  Sometimes it's simply how something is made - with wheat, rye, or barley.  But often, we've added gluten as a thickener and a preservative.  We've floured our gargantuan machines with it so the coffee beans don't stick. We process wheat products along with other foods that have nothing to do with grain.  We've increased (genetically engineered) by 14% the protein content of gliadin, one of the proteins in the gluten grains we farm without realizing that human beings don't have the enzyme to digest it.  It's true. 

Read what a leading expert says about this.

So here we are, the food consumer, with health problems. Celiac disease has increased 4-fold (at least) within the last 50 years, and 90% don't know they have it.  A new food allergy called "gluten sensitivity" is affecting over 25 million people. Gluten is thought to trigger behavioral issues and increase symptoms of many other diseases.  There are several credible theories as to why, and all of them probably hold a great deal of water.  One of these theories is that we have more gluten in our food than our bodies can handle.

I use this list in different talks that I give to help illustrate the surprising places you can find a significant amount of gluten. Significant, meaning, it will make you sick. People ask me to put this list on the blog, so here you go.  I'll keep adding to the list and put it on a more permanently accessible place on the site as well.  In the end, it all comes down to reading the label and knowing your brands... and listening to you intuition and your body, as well as to the experts.

Read more about the labeling differences between the USDA & the FDA. 

The Surprising List

Add your own in the comments section and help other Tenders out! 

• Chicken/Beef/Vegetable Broth (thickener) - Make your own, see beef broth recipe here... and chicken broth/general recipe here.
• The Bulk Bin: any item that you find in bulk has a high risk of cross contamination - either during processing before it reaches the store, or at the store, as customers use, mix, and re-use the scoops.
• Tomato Paste & Condiments like catsup and mustard (thickener) - I like Annie's ketchup & mustards
  
• Soy Sauce (ingredient - get gluten-free tamari (like San-J), or gluten-free soy, or gluten-free coconut aminos, like Coconut Secret)
• Nuts (if processed w/ grains.  Blue Diamond almonds are generally accepted in the GF community as gluten-free)
• Dried Fruit (often processed w/ grains - I LOVE Made In Nature dried fruits)
• Flax/chia seeds (often processed w/ grains)
• Corn flour, tortilla, corn chips (often processed w/ grains.... flour cross contaminates easily and abundantly in factories)
• Rice Noodles (can be processed w/ gluten grains)
• Potato Puffs (sometimes coated with corn flour that can be processed with gluten)
• Hot dogs/ Bratwurst (as a filler)
• Processed hamburger patties (as a filler)
• Coffee (large processors often use a gluten-containing white powder to flour their machines, although this practice is changing, processors aren't talking...  get to know your local roasters.  Smaller roasters do not need this powder - read more here.)
• Commercial chicken & turkey (some use gluten solution as a "plumper")
• Cold Cuts (as a filler)
• Oats (processed w/ gluten grains... also some people react to a compound in oats... if you can eat them, get gluten-free oats)
• Pickles & Olives (malt vinegar is often made from barley)
• Smoke Flavoring (often derived from barley malt, or other gluten-grains)
• Caramel Coloring (can be derived from barley, although in the U.S. it is usually derived from corn - read the label, but it is best to be safe and avoid caramel coloring)
• Vanilla and all other extracts (distilled, grain-based alcohols are used in extracts... some people do react to distlled grain alcohols and vinegars. Also, some extracts contain caramel coloring derived from barley)
• Spices - especially spice blends (McCormick pure spices are gluten-free and generally accepted by the GF community.  McCormick spice blends, however, can contain gluten ingredients - so read your labels)
• MSG: read more about MSG here.
  
• Salad dressing - often contains gluten as a thickener and/or has grain-derived vinegars (malt vinegar especially). Many react to wheat/barley derived vinegars.
  
  
• Flavored potato chips (some non-flavored potato chips) - double check the label of anything that has a flavor coating or additive
• Low Fat Dairy: yep, can be thickened with gluten.
• Bacon: if it is made w/ smoke flavoring, the flavoring can be derived from various sources of gluten (including barley, and brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast is a by product of beer.)  A clue to safe bacon is that which is local, apple or hickory smoked - but call the manufacturer to double check.
  
  
• Personal Care Products & Toothpaste: Read more here
• Mouthwath
  
• Toothpaste & Flavored Dental Floss: Many toothpastes contain gluten, but there are gluten-free toothpastes, like Desert Essence, which I love. Minted or flavored dental floss are suspected of containing gluten as well, and I'm researching this further as it became clear that I was reacting to something in it. Unflavored is a much safer bet.  Here is a list of companies that are starting to claim a gluten-free status:
  • Oral B Dental Floss
  • Oral B Stages Toothpaste (does not say anything about other toothpaste lines)
• Dental gloves,  Polishing paste, Flouride, Topical Anesthetic: The gloves that your dentist uses? Make sure they are not powdered. They can be powdered wtih starch, usually starch that contains wheat or could be corn starch cross contaminated. Gluten is hiding in many common dental products, such as toothpaste and the flavored polishing paste, topical anesthetic and even the fluoride commonly used in many dentist offices. Check with your dentist before your next visit to see if they know if the products they use include gluten - it might not appear in the ingredients, since by law it does not have to. If they aren't able to or won't properly research the ingredients, ask for alternatives (or find a new dentist).
• Orthodontic Retainers & Dentures:  Really. Some plastics (many, actually) are made with gluten.  Read more.
• Surgical Implants: Intra-ocular implants to replace the lens in the eye, bone cement, dental implants, are often made from Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and this substance can contain gluten. So have your surgeon double check that the materials they are using for any implants do not contain gluten.
• Cosmetic Surgery: fluids used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or scars can also be made from PMMA, which can contain gluten. Check w/ your surgeon/doctor to be sure they are able to use a non-gluten material.
• Beauty Products: Read more here
  
• Medications & Supplement:  Read more here
• Cough Syrups
  
• Envelope glue UPDATE: Dr. Alessio Fasano had his team investigate this in his book, Gluten Freedom, and found that envelope glue does not contain gluten, but is corn starch-based (so if you are allergic to corn, take note.) This is according to the Envelope Manufacturers Association based in Alexandria, Virginia.
• Powdered / Confectioners Sugar: many (if not most) powdered sugars are mixed with a wheat or corn-based starch (and corn starch can also be cross contamintaed with gluten).
• Charcoal Briquets: Becky, from a local Celiac Support Center here in Grand Rapids, let me know about this. Many charcoals have a form of starch, usually wheat-based (but also could be corn, rice, or potato), that holds the charcaol in the briquette form, and allows a controlled burn. There is a risk that the gluten from the briquette could be inhaled, as well as get on the food cooked over it and digested. Your best bet is to use an all wood charcoal (lump charcoal) that can be found at major hardware stores chains and some grocery stores.
• Laundry Detergent
• Window Cleaner
• Kitty Litter (esp. the "natural" kind)
• Playdoh - & molding clays: contain wheat and can cross contaminate on hands, and easily get into a child's mouth or eyes from the hands.

A Note on Distilled Alcohols & Vinegars

There is a debate in the gluten-free community upon whether or not distillation removes all of the proteins from a grain-based alcohol or vinegar.  There are respected leaders in the community that say that all distillation removes all gluten proteins so that all vinegars, spirits, and alcohols are "safe" for the gluten-free, even if derived from a grain.  I have a great deal of respect for the research these leaders have done, but I've never heard them say, "we've tested this and the protein content is zilch."  I've also heard them say, "if you are really sensitive to gluten, like an allergy, then avoid gluten-based alcohols."  This is very confusing. Also, there are food processors, who pay close attention to the vinegars in mustard, for instance, and I wonder, if they are testing and using non-gluten vinegars and alcohols, why others do not.  These processors either test for the presence of gluten, or use vinegars that are derived from non-gluten sources.

I've also seen and received comments that gluten-free Tender Foodies DO REACT to distilled vinegars, spirits, and alcohols that are dervied from grains, but DO NOT react to vodkas, for instance, that are purely derived from potato; or to pure rum, or to pure tequilla (for example).  I am one of them, and it took me a long time, and great discomfot before I figured this out. There are many reasons to react to alcohol (yeast, sulfites, just plain drinking too much etc), but grains could be one of those reasons, and to me, experimenting is not worth the risk. There are some great, non-grain options out there, and even some beer that has been tested for gluten, but dervied from barley.  Confusing?  Yep. So the questions, creativity and debate continues. Please pay attention to your body and intuition as much as you do labels and experts.

I'll be doing more research on this and may come up with my tail between my legs.  However, I would like you to be aware of your options and possible pitfalls; and throw your opinonated hat in the ring in the comments below!  I'd love to hear about your experience. 

Do you react to distilled, gluten-based alcohols?

What are some of the most surprising place where you have found gluten?

Healing the Gut with GAPS – An Introduction

What is the GAPS diet?

The GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet is a gut-healing protocol developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to help heal her son’s autism, and later to help hundreds of other children with multiple food allergies and many overlapping psychological and immune disorders.

She discovered the SCD Diet (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) and changed it slightly to fit the needs of her patients. It was actually her patients who coined the term “GAP Syndrome” or simply “GAPS”. The diet that she prescribed for them became known as the GAPS Diet.

More Than One Condition - Always

In her book titled “Gut and Psychology Syndrome”, Dr. Campbell-McBride describes how after years of working with children in her Cambridge clinic, she hardly ever met a child who presented with only one condition.

“Every child has two, three or more of these health problems at once. For example, a child would present with allergies; at the same time the parents would describe a couple of asthmatic episodes and eczema and then would talk about their child’s extreme clumsiness (dyspraxia) and learning problems.…many autistic children have severe allergies, asthma, eczema, dyspraxia and dyslexia.”

Gut First

She further illustrates how the underlying condition of all of these disorders lies in the digestive system. She feels that the gut must be healed if any of the symptoms are going to be fully addressed.

Here’s the thing: knowledge about the connection between gut health and brain health is still not in the mainstream. Interesting, huh?

Does Insanity Lie In the Gut?

In 1807, the Father of modern psychiatry, French psychiatrist Phillipe Pinel concluded:

“The primary seat of insanity generally is in the region of the stomach and intestines.”

Dr. Pinel had been working with mental patients for many years, yet his knowledge has been virtually ignored by modern psychiatry. Dr. Campbell-McBride refers to Pinel’s work when she discusses that digestive symptoms begin at the time of weaning and when formula is introduced at infancy. Symptoms then increase as more and more foods are introduced to the already compromised digestive system.

As a nutritionist, and as someone who has used this diet to heal her own gut, this is very interesting to me. The success of this diet shows us how much more education is needed around how to care for our own health and the health of our children. What did our ancestor’s diets look like before modern “conveniences” existed like infant formula, pasteurized dairy or refined grains? Every traditional diet contains fermented foods…what are the fermented foods that your ancestors used to maintain good health year round?

The Purpose: Heal & Seal

The purpose of the GAPS protocol is to “heal and seal” the inflamed and irritated digestive system. There is an intro phase to the GAPS protocol that can last as long as one needs in order heal the gut. Fermented foods and a probiotic supplement aid in the colonization of good bacteria in the gut; while vegetable juice is used to help the body to eliminate toxins. The second phase of the GAPS protocol is a systematic re-introduction of foods that are on the list of GAPS approved foods, which includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, gluten-free grains, and fermented dairy products. If there are symptoms present when a food is reintroduced, then you go back to the intro diet until symptoms subside and another food can be “tested”.

Six-Stage Protocol (to Follow Diligently)

There are six stages of the GAPS diet. This is not a quick-fix, by any means. The diet takes time and dedication. If you don’t follow the healing protocol carefully and diligently then you won’t get the full benefit. You must remove all starches and grains, and purchase a very high quality probiotic supplement. You must also maintain a constant supply of bone broth/soup, which is time consuming (much less time consuming if you have a pressure cooker!) but which is a key ingredient for success. It can also take a good amount of time to heal the gut, since in many cases the damage has been done over a period of many years, although immediate improvement in many symptoms may be noticed on the GAPS diet.

What You Can Eat & Why

In the GAPS intro diet meats and fish, eggs and non-starchy vegetables are allowed. Bone, meat and fish stock soups are the staple of the intro part of the diet. They are soothing and healing for the inflamed gut lining and help aid in digestion. Probiotic foods are also very important during the intro and full GAPS diet, such as raw sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. Raw egg yolks can be added to soup if no egg allergy exists.  This provides excellent nourishment and protein.

After the intro phase of the diet, fermented dairy like homemade kefir and whey, yogurt and sour cream are gradually added if there is no adverse reaction and you are not allergic to dairy. Homemade ghee is also gradually added into the diet, again, if not allergic to dairy.  We can find alternatives for dairy allergies.

What to Avoid

• All grains and anything made from these grains (both gluten-containing and gluten-free grains): wheat, rye, rice, oats, corn, barley, millet, spelt, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.

• All starchy vegetables and anything made out of them: potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, cassava, arrowroot, etc.

• Sugar and anything that contains sugar.

• Starchy beans and peas: soybeans, mung beans, garbanzo beans, bean sprouts, fava beans.

• Lactose and anything that contains it: milk, dried milk of any type, commercially produced yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream, processed foods with added lactose.

There is a cookbook that goes along with the informational book that is excellent if you are going to be taking on the GAPS diet and are determined to heal your and/or you child’s gut. The intro diet is pretty straight-forward (though challenging!), but as you begin to heal the gut and are able to introduce more foods back into the diet, you may want to get the cookbook which I personally found to be a valuable resource.

Get Started with Bone Broth

If you aren’t ready to dive into the full diet, get started by changing a few habits (like giving up soda, or better, all processed sugar) and adding foods from the allowed list.

Here is my own personal recipe for a deeply nourishing bone broth, which can be used as a rich base for any soup. Bone broth is a key part of the GAPS diet. Give it a try, and enjoy!

Resources

To learn more about Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride and the GAPS diet, please visit the official GAPS website.

For a full list of foods to avoid, see the book:  Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia by Natasha Campbell-McBride

About Brooke

Brooke Kaufman is a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant who creates customized meal plans for her clients with multiple food allergies and intolerances, and for those who are on the GAPS diet. She enjoys helping people eat nourishing food that is easy to prepare and tastes delicious. She believes that having food allergies and intolerances can be a positive challenge that inspires creativity, and brings a higher level of awareness when it comes to what you put in your body. Brooke believes that when we deeply nourish ourselves inside and out, we can attain optimal health…which includes healing our damaged and inflamed digestive systems.

Brooke received her nutrition education at Bauman College, and has learned through her own personal experience with food intolerances, she also works as a cleanse coach for Cleanse Organic, a 28-day, guided whole food based cleansing program.

Find her at:  Balance Within Nutrition

Hidden Allergens Abound in Supplements & Medication

updated 9/30/2013

Your doctor tells you to get a digestive enzyme, vitamin/mineral or a probiotic at your local health food store.  You pick one up, take it and have an allergic reaction.  Oddly, many supplements, even digestive enzymes are made or processed with top allergens like wheat, soy or dairy (even egg and yeast).   Corn syrup is another highly allergic substance that is in many cough syrups and other medications.  Corn can also be processed with wheat, so those with celiac and gluten allergies need to be aware of this.  Even supplement companies that label their products as “free” of the top allergens may not be taking proper precautions during processing.  Trace amounts can affect you, especially if you are highly sensitive / allergic to a food or have celiac disease.

Those of us who need supplementation to combat malabsorption need to be especially careful.  For me personally, supplementation has been one of the most difficult areas of cross-contamination to uncover.

Take these steps to help uncover hidden allergens that may affect you:

1. Ask your doctor if the supplement contains your allergens.  Make sure you have a complete list of allergens and that you review it with your doctor EVERY time your physician prescribes something for you. 
2. Review the ingredient list on the bottle yourself. Look for trigger words like "starch" which can be derived from corn and rice (which could be cross-contaminated with gluten), wheat (contains gluten) as well as gluten-free items like potato, tapioca.
3. Before you purchase, call the company to see if the supplement was processed with your particular allergen(s). 
4. If a medication, have the pharmacist keep a list of your allergens on file and review it with them prior to ordering the prescription. 
5. If the medication is new, ask the pharmacist to get a statement from the medication company that none of your allergens are processed in their facility.
6. Contact your doctor if your research shows that the supplement or medication may contain an allergen on your list and ask your doctor to work with you to find something that will work for you.
7. Even medical grade supplements can pose a problem.  If you have a reaction to a particular supplement, contact your doctor immediately to let them know.  The only way to help solve this problem is by partnering with your prescribing physician, communicating through them how medications and supplements are affecting you, and finding dedicatrd facilities. 

There are supplement companies who produce their supplements in a dedicated facility.  Klaire Labs, for instance, is a dedicated dairy-free & gluten-free facility and one of the only places that I’ve found to get a dairy-free probiotic, and supplements that consistently work safely.  Their probiotics are very pricey, but their other supplements are quite reasonable and effective.

OTHER RESOURCES

Also, here is a fantastic article from a pharmacist that breaks down the different ingredients in medicatons that could affect people who are allergic to gluten and who have celiac disease. it also breaks down some of the fillers, what they are made of and why, including other allergens like corn, soy, tapioca, and dairy, as well as substances that are derived from tar and chemicals.  The one thing this article does not address is the cross contamination of normally considered gluten-free items like corn and rice. Sometimes these grains can be processed with gluten-based grains, and there are people who are allergic / sensitive to them.

I've been hearing rumors of studies that have been done on the amount of gluten in specific supplements, but I have not found links to these studies yet, nor studies on other allergens in medication.  We'll post when we do, and if you find any, please share them with The Tender Foodie - I'll check them out and give a shout out to the community if they are viable.

Can Spices in Our Food Relieve Inflammation?

Note from the Editor

Welcome to our newest guest blogger, David Fisher, R.D.  I'm very excited for David's contributions to the blog, he is a registered dietician who specializes in the application of autoimmune paleo and other similar protocols for managing autoimmune diseases.  Read his first article for The Tender Palate, and more about him below. Welcome David!

~Elisabeth Veltman

Chronic Inflammation & Foods

It seems that inflammation is the bane of modern existence. This nebulous state of the human body, or parts of it, is the body’s natural response to a foreign invader, be it an allergen, toxins, cancer or a virus, bacteria or parasite. Inflammation has also been linked to virtually all Western diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease. Inflammation is “good”, when it is a short-term situation that appropriately helps us heal (i.e. when we get a cold).  However, inflammation is “bad” when it becomes chronic (long-term), or is the result of a confused immune system.  Chronic inflammation is a sign of a deeper problem -- understanding the root cause through a trained physician is important - so if you are experiencing this, get yourself to someone that can help diagnose you.  The question we are exploring in this article is, simply: can food help relieve inflammation and help our bodies heal more quickly? 

If you read this blog you probably believe that foods not only have the power to improve health, but that they actually alter physiological processes like inflammation. It is true that foods, or specific compounds contained in foods, can influence inflammation in various ways. Omega-3 fats, and foods containing them, are commonly and appropriately called anti-inflammatory. Spices have also gained notoriety for the same capability and there appears to be some truth to this.

The Internet, TV, and even family and friends are full of passionate recommendations for spices, herbs, foods, or supplements (nutraceuticals) that help “cure” or reduce inflammation. Some of that information comes from cultural traditions (my mom had me drink echinacea tea to ward off a cold) and much of it is derived from modern science. Let’s review a few specific supplements and take a peek at the science behind them.

NOTE:  Please note that I will not be addressing fish oil and other omega-3 fats as I am focusing more on Western herbs and spices that we can use in our daily cooking, not the foods themselves.  For purposes of this article, I am also leaving out the thousands of years of practice that traditions like Chinese Herbal Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine gives us.  This is a powerful tradition that is best administered by a trained practitioner.  This article focuses on what you can do with cooking at home.

Herb/Spice Extracts and Inflammation

Here are components of specific herbs and spices that have shown scientific promise in reducing inflammation.

¥    Allicin and diallyl sulfide from garlic
¥    Curcumin from turmeric
¥    Gingerol from ginger
¥    Humulene from hops
¥    Eugenol in basil, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and bay leaf
¥    Piperine in black pepper
¥    Capsaicin from hot peppers
¥    Anethole in tarragon, anise and fennel
¥    Carnosol in rosemary
¥    Perillyl alcohol in caraway seed
¥    Quercetin in allspice, horseradish and onion
¥    Sulphoraphane in mustard

The first striking thing is the number of different compounds in a wide array of herbs and spices. Even more impressive is that this is not an exhaustive list.

The Studies

There are a few standard methodologies behind the studies of these spices and compounds. Most of the results come from either cell studies (in vitro) or animal studies.

Cell Studies

In cell studies a scientist examines how a specific compound affects the metabolism of a cell or group of cells. These can either use bacterial cells or human cells. In some cases in vitro studies look further, to components inside cells, such as using mitochondria to evaluate the effect of coenzyme Q10. The benefit to these studies is great control (minimizing confounding factors). The result, however, is greatly removed from everyday human life.

Most of the compounds listed above affect some part of the metabolic signaling that results in inflammation. You might be familiar with TNF-ɑ, or interleukins (IL) 1, 6 or 8, which are signaling molecules that help regulate the immune system by doing things like telling cells to ramp or up slow down an inflammatory response. Herbs and spices affect these and other compounds, and in this case reduce inflammation.

Animal Studies

Animal studies use any number of different critters. The results do not translate directly to humans, although they are one step closer. Research often follows this path: cell study, animal study, and then human study.

It isn’t until you reach the point of placebo-controlled, randomized human intervention trials that solid, scientific recommendations can be made to affect specific outcomes. For instance, only after a human trial would doctors be able to recommend that you take 500 mg of curcumin once daily for thirty days to reduce acute inflammation in a celiac patient who has been exposed to gluten* (this is a fictional example).

Not many studies have reached the point of human trial.  But this doesn’t mean that we can’t try using these herbs and spices, and potentially their specific extracted compounds (like curcumin from turmeric) to affect certain conditions. It just means that we have no proof it will work.

Cinnamon & Turmeric: Data From Humans!

The most extensively studied spices relating to inflammation appear to be cinnamon and turmeric. When I say extensively studied, I mean there have been some human trials done, but they are mostly small, and are largely preliminary in nature.

One research group showed promise in two studies with regard to cinnamon and postprandial (after-eating) glucose and insulin levels. One tablespoon of cinnamon with a rice pudding significantly reduced blood glucose and delayed stomach emptying (which might have been the mechanism for reducing blood glucose). A half tablespoon of cinnamon did not have the same effect in a similar trial, but it did decrease insulin levels. Reducing blood glucose and insulin (when elevated) could very well reduce inflammation. The best part? I know of no side effects of using cinnamon when making dessert. I certainly can’t say that for drugs used to lower blood sugar in diabetics.

Curcumin has been tested in real people with diabetes and shown to reduce blood sugar. It was also tested in a very small human trial on rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory autoimmune disease. The group of 18 experienced a significant improvement in morning stiffness and joint swelling, which is clearly represents a reduction in inflammation. Similarly, ten men with psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition, all found either improvement or resolution after eight weeks of applying a gel containing curcumin.

Enough With The Research – EAT REAL FOOD

The take away here is that we are beginning to understand some ways herbs and spices, and their constituents, affect inflammation. We have some good theories and we are slowly beginning to test them (no one said the scientific method is fast!). The nice thing is that one conclusion can already be reached: EAT REAL FOOD. Choose fresh food and prepare it with plenty of delicious herbs and spices. Doing so will give you all these beneficial ingredients and infinitely more that we’ve yet to identify and test on a mouse.

If you want to test some of these compounds in supplement format as well, you can give it a try. Just be sure to listen closely to your body to determine if you are helping or hurting. Check with your doctor to be sure that there aren’t certain herbs or spices that might interact with the medication that you are currently taking.  Also, make sure you watch for food allergens in your supplements.  Many supplements are either made or processed with common allergens like dairy, wheat, soy and yeast.  Start with high quality supplements and call the company to make sure that they are processed in accordance with your particular food allergy requirements.

I encourage my clients to approach herb and spice extract supplements (and really, all supplements) cautiously. Natural does not always mean safe, and with the limited research available it is difficulty to estimate appropriate doses required to see any benefit, assuming one even exists.  Real food is the best approach.

For the research lovers, I encourage you to dig around PubMed and Google Scholar for information on the supplement you’re interested in. Odds are you’ll find some sort of research that will help you with your experiment. These resources are incredibly easy to use, even for the lay person.

For the rest of you I encourage working with a healthcare practitioner or even seek the advice of a friend who has already experimented with the supplement in question. Start slow and listen to your body.

Lastly here is a delicious turmeric tea recipe to help you get started using some of these spices. Let me know if you like it as much as I do!

About The Author

David Fisher, R.D. is a registered dietitian with a deep interest in ancestral health. His own ongoing battle with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, an autoimmune condition, has given him a unique perspective and has allowed him to apply the principles of the autoimmune paleo protocol in order to maximize his own health. In his practice, he applies autoimmune paleo and other similar protocols to help patients manage autoimmune diseases.

David holds a bachelors in Management from St Louis University and completed my nutrition training, including dietetic internship, at the University of Nevada, Reno.  He is a Registered Dietitian with the American Dietetic Association.

Sources:

Aggarwal, B. B., M. E. Van Kuiken, and L. H. Iyer. "Molecular Targets of Nutraceuticals Derived from Dietary Spices: Potential Role in Suppression of Inflammation and Tumorigenesis." Experimental Biology and Medicine 234.8 (2009): 825-49.

Aggarwal, Bharat B. "Targeting Inflammation-Induced Obesity and Metabolic Diseases by Curcumin and Other Nutraceuticals." Annual Review of Nutrition 30.1 (2010): 173-99.

Heng, M.C.Y., M.K. Song, and J. Harker. "Drug-induced Suppression of Phosphorylase Kinase Activity Correlates with Resolution of Psoriasis as Assessed by Clinical, Histological and Immunohistochemical Parameters." British Journal of Dermatology 143.5 (2000): 937-49.

Hlebowicz, J., A. Hlebowicz, and S. Lindstedt. "Effects of 1 and 3 G Cinnamon on Gastric Emptying, Satiety, and Postprandial Blood Glucose, Insulin, Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide, Glucagon-like Peptide 1, and Ghrelin Concentrations in Healthy Subjects." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 89.3 (2009): 815-21.

Srivastava, Raghvendra M., Sarvjeet Singh, and Shiv K. Dubey. "Immunomodulatory and Therapeutic Activity of Curcumin." International Immunopharmacology 11.3 (2011): 331-41.

White, B. "Clinical Inquiry. Does Turmeric Relieve Inflammatory Conditions?" Journal of Family Practice 60.3 (2011): 155-56.