The Gluten-Free Bandwagon

I have no sensitivity to glutens so, up to now at least, I haven't had any reason to worry about glutens in the food that I'm eating. But a lot of loudmouths seem intent on changing my behavior. So should people like me think twice about eating glutens?

This article at MSN's Delish notes that going gluten-free seems to be all the rage these days:

... shunning glutens -- it's in wheat, rye, and barley, and often in oats -- has become the diet of the moment.

Why? Lots of people swear they feel 10 times better when they don't eat gluten, celebs included: Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, and Jenny McCarthy are all rumored to be gluten-free.

... "gluten sensitivity" is a medical gray area. There are no tests for it, and although problems -- migraines, skin breakouts, irritability, even autism -- have been blamed on it, doctors haven't found a clear link.

The fact that some people claim to feel better after dropping glutens from their diet could be a classic case of the placebo factor. It's hard to say. Besides, eliminating glutens from my diet would deprive me of some of the things I love the best -- pizza dough, toast, English muffins and a nice crusty baguette.

This article certainly won't sell me on going gluten-free by showing a photo of beets with the silly caption: "Delicious cooked beets are a gluten-free side or snack."

Um, no. Trail mix, maybe. An orange, sure. But don't try to convince me that beets are a "snack." And when someone has to describe a food as "delicious," that's when you know it isn't. Do you ever hear anyone say: "Delicious chocolate is a good dessert" or "delicious buttered toast is a good breakfast food."

No, you don't. Why? Because everyone knows those foods are delicious.

The Cinnamon Oil Claim

In one of the more memorable episodes of the NBC sit-com "Seinfeld," Jerry tells Elaine that cinnamon babka bread "takes a bag seat to no babka." He added, "People love cinnamon. It should be on tables at restaurants along with salt and pepper."

Now, there may be a new reason to defend cinnamon's honor.

The N.Y. Times examined the claims that cinnamon oil is capable of killing bacteria such as E. coli and MRSA. These claims had all the sound of a pseudo-folk tale. But the Times reporter found that cinnamon oil has anti-microbial properties that make it capable of killing those bacteria.

In fact, reports the Times, one study found that cinnamon oil is "just as effective as several antiseptics widely used in hospitals."

Bananas Foster . . . . Bread

Bananas Foster is one of my favorite desserts, and I suspect that is why this recipe for Bananas Foster Banana Bread caught my eye. It sounds (and looks) wonderful.

By the way, the source of this recipe, Brown Eyed Baker, is a marvelous blog.