Diane Fennell

Gluten-Free Oreos Hitting Shelves in January 2021

If you’ve been missing your favorite sandwich cookie since going gluten free, we’ve got great news for you: regular and Double Stuf gluten-free Oreos will be debuting in January 2021! These new twists on the classic cookie will be permanent additions to the lineup and available wherever Oreo products are sold. What’s more, they’ll cost about the same as traditional Oreos and will be made with real cocoa.

“At Oreo, we take pride in regularly adding new choices and varieties based on what we’re hearing from our fans,” the brand noted in a statement to Food & Wine. “Oreo is always looking to welcome more people to experience the playfulness of Oreo cookies. We have been planning the launch of our Gluten-Free cookies for some time and are excited to give more fans the opportunity to experience the playfulness of Oreo cookies beginning in January 2021.”

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So get some milk ready and start counting down the days until 2021!

Looking for some gluten-free goodies to tide you over in the meantime? Try some of our delicious dessert recipes!

Mediterranean Diet May Protect Against Depression in Older Age

Eating a Mediterranean diet may protect against symptoms of depression in older age, according to new research from Hellenic Open University in Greece.

Researchers looked at data from 154 older adults in Athens, screening the participants for depression and sleep disturbances and assessing their adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet. Roughly 75% of the subjects screened negative for depression symptoms, 21% screened positive for moderate depression and 3% screened positive for severe depression. Also, approximately 30% were found to have sleep problems and about 64% adhered moderately to a Mediterranean diet.

Download a comprehensive free guide to the Mediterranean diet from Gluten-Free Living.

A link was found between depression diagnosed by a physician and not sticking to a Mediterranean style of eating. Most noteworthy, depression was 20% less common in those eating more vegetables, 36% less common in those eating less poultry, and 28% less likely in people drinking less alcohol.

“Although we should be cautious about the study findings, they represent another potential reason to adopt a Mediterranean diet,” says study author Konstantinos Argyropoulos, MD, PhD. Following a healthy lifestyle, which includes not only a Mediterranean-style diet, but also plenty of physical activity and drinking alcohol only in moderation, is linked to a reduction in depression.”

Want to learn more about the Mediterranean diet? Read “Five Reasons to Eat Mediterranean-Style” and find some gluten-free Mediterranean recipes here.

What to eat

Here are the key components of a Mediterranean diet.

Vegetables—and lots of them. Spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, eggplant, asparagus and peppers are just a few.
Fruits—berries, melons, grapes, dates, bananas, figs, oranges and pears.
Whole grains— amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, sorghum, teff and wild rice.
Legumes—beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas and peanuts.
Nuts and seeds—almonds, pistachios, walnuts, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds.
Fish—salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, oysters, shrimp and crab.
Poultry—chicken, turkey and duck.
Eggs—chicken, duck and quail eggs.
Fats—olives, olive oil, avocado, avocado oil and grapeseed oil.
Dairy—yogurt and cheese.

Red meats and sweets are limited. Beverages include water and a glass of red wine each day.

Getting started

Convinced that the Mediterranean diet is the way to go? Great. But how do you get started? It’s never easy to completely overhaul your diet overnight. Habits can die hard, and making any kind of dietary changes takes time and adjustments. Ease into your new eating plan with the following tips.

Choose olive oil over butter or margarine for sautéing your foods.
Mix up your own salad dressing using olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Aim to eat fish twice a week. Add some tuna to your lunchtime salad, and broil salmon for one of your dinner meals.
Include a few pieces of fresh fruit at your meals or as snacks. Worried about the carbs? Berries, cherries, apples, and pears have lower glycemic index ratings than other types of fruit.
Make a point to include at least two different vegetables at dinner.
Try a meatless meal at least once a week. How about black beans and brown rice? Or a tomato, cucumber and white bean salad served with a side of couscous?
Enjoy a healthy snack of plain Greek-style yogurt with a small handful of nuts.

Gluten-Free Granola Recall

Manufacturer Purely Elizabeth is voluntarily recalling several gluten-free, grain-free granola and bar products due to possible contamination with foreign matter such as glass, plastic or rocks.

The company was alerted to the issue by a customer, and no injuries or illnesses have been reported, according to CBS News.

The products all contain cashews and all have best-by dates starting in November and running through the end of the year. The recalled items include:

• 16-ounce packages of Coconut Cashew Grain-Free Granola (sold at Costco; UPC code 855140002946; best by 11/30/19, 12/3/19, 12/5/19, 12/4/19)

• 8-ounce packages of Coconut Cashew Grain-Free Granola (UPC code 855140002700; best by 10/19/19)

• Coconut Cashew Grain-Free Bars (carton UPC code 810589030073; 1.4-ounce single bar UPC code 855140002137; best by 11/27/19, 12/20/19, 12/21/19)

• Banana Nut Butter Grain-Free Bar (carton UPC code 810589030059; 1.4-ounce single bar UPC code 855140002090; best by 11/26/19)

• Peanut Butter Grain-Free Bar (carton UPC code 810589030042; 1.4-ounce single bar UPC code 855140002076; best by 11/29/19)

• Chocolate Sea Salt Grain-Free Bar (carton UPC code 810589030066; 1.4-ounce single bar UPC code 855140002083; best by 11/28/19)

• 8-ounce packages of Banana Nut Grain-Free Granola (UPC code 855140002724; best by 10/17/19, 12/12/19)

• 8-ounce packages of Pumpkin Spice + Ashwagandha Grain-Free Superfood Granola (UPC code 810589030158; best by 12/7/19)

Customers should not eat the recalled foods, but rather should contact the company for free replacements.

Purely Elizabeth’s products are sold at stores such as Target, Walmart, Costco, Publix and Whole Foods, as well as online on Amazon, Thrive Market and the Purely Elizabeth website. According to a company spokesperson, the recalled snack bars never made it to retailers, and the affected products were not sold at Target or Walmart.

To learn more about the recalled items, see the statement on the Purely Elizabeth website. And for more information, contact the company by phone at (720) 242-7525, extension 106 (9AM to 5PM MST, Monday through Friday), or by e-mail at [email protected].

Specific Run of EnviroKidz Gluten-Free Cereal Recalled

Nature’s Path has announced a voluntary recall of a specific production run of EnviroKidz Choco Chimps, Gorilla Munch and Jungle Munch cereals due to possible contamination with undeclared gluten, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Those with a wheat allergy, celiac or wheat or gluten sensitivity should not eat cereals with the “Best Before Date” listed below:

United States

Product Name – United States	Size	UPC	Best Before Date
EnviroKidz Choco Chimp	10 oz	0 5844987024 1	08/27/2019
EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch	10 oz	0 58449 86002 0	08/24/2019
EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch	10 oz	0 58449 86002 0	09/21/2019
EnviroKidz Jungle Munch	10 oz	0 5844987028 9	08/01/2019

Canada

Product Name – Canada	Size	UPC	Best Before Date
EnviroKidz Choco Chimp	284 g	0 5844987023 4	08/27/2019
EnviroKidz Gorilla Munch	284 g	0 58449 86002 0	08/24/2019
EnviroKidz Jungle Munch	284 g	0 5844987027 2	08/01/2019

The issue was isolated to a single facility due to “air contamination as a result of incorrect product scheduling,” and other Nature’s Path and EnviroKidz products are not impacted. Nature’s Path is removing affected cereals from store shelves and warehouses.

To obtain a refund, consumers should return the product to their retailer. Nature’s Path customer service can be reached at 1-866-880-7284 between Monday and Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm PST or by writing to [email protected].

“Making healthy, nutritious, organic food is our passion,” says Arjan Stephens, Executive VP of Sales & Marketing at Nature’s Path. “This failure to meet the gluten-free standard our consumers expect and trust from us is a deep concern. We have reviewed and changed our internal practices to ensure our gluten-free cereals are not impacted in the future.”

For more information about the recall, including product photos, visit the FDA website.

Steps to Support a Loved One With Celiac

Living with celiac doesn’t just affect the person who’s been diagnosed with the condition. Because food plays such a central role in our lives — and because even the smallest gluten-containing crumb can create issues for someone with the autoimmune disorder — partners, family members and friends may also need to make certain adjustments to their lifestyle.

Food writer Collier Sutter found this out firsthand when her 26-year-old boyfriend was diagnosed with celiac. Recounting what it’s been like on the website Greatest, she describes all the changes she made in her day-to-day life to ensure his safety, from brushing her teeth before giving him a kiss to double-checking labels.

With a year of supporting her boyfriend’s gluten-free lifestyle under her belt, Sutter outlines a number of ways you can support a loved one with celiac, including the following:

1. Check food labels.

Ensure anything you’re purchasing for your loved one is gluten-free, and follow up with a check online or phone call to determine the risk of cross-contamination in the production facilities.

2. Purchase new tools for food preparation and keep them separate.

This includes cutting boards, pots, pans, sink sponges and utensils. Labeling the gluten-free items to ensure they’re never accidentally used for gluten-containing foods is a good idea.

3. Consider purchasing a slow cooker or pressure cooker.

If gluten-containing foods are being made in the oven, this gadget will provide an uncontaminated space for cooking gluten-free meals.

4. Be cautious on nights out.

Make sure any restaurants you visit understand the seriousness of the condition and take measures to prevent cross contamination in the kitchen.

5. Consider adopting the gluten-free diet yourself.

This is certainly the most radical approach, but without any gluten in the house, your loved one can rest assured that home is a safe zone.

With Sutter’s advice in mind, what are some other helpful steps you can take?

6. Stay on top of celiac research to learn about new developments.

Studies are constantly under way to learn more about the causes of the condition and investigate possible preventative steps and treatments.

7. Keep an eye out for gluten-free products to try.

New gluten-free foods are constantly becoming available, whether on supermarket shelves, in restaurants or in the form of recipes you can make at home. If there’s a particular food your loved one has been missing from his or her pre-diagnosis days, there’s likely a tasty gluten-free alternative out there.

8. Prior to traveling, investigate the availability of gluten-free option en route and at the destination.

In addition, make sure any necessary steps are taken, such as communicating with airline, restaurant or resort staff beforehand, to ensure a relaxing gluten-free experience.

9. Consider attending a celiac support group with your loved one.

Sometimes, the emotional boost of hearing from others sharing the same lived experiences and trading tips can be just what the doctor ordered.

10. Lend an ear.

Finally, one of the most important things you can do is to simply listen, and understand that while maintaining such a strict lifestyle is necessary, it isn’t always easy.

You’re off to a great start by reading these tips. Give one a try today — your gluten-free loved one will thank you!

Want more tips and advice for living, or supporting someone with, a gluten-free lifestyle? Check out this roundup.