Benefits of Adopting a Gluten-Free Diet

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Nowadays, people with Celiac’s disease aren’t the only ones going gluten-free. Over the last few years, gluten-free diets have grown in popularity because of the wide array of resulting health benefits.

On the most basic level, gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, and any mixture of these grains. But did you know that most processed foods also contain gluten? By cutting out fatty, sugary or fried foods that contain gluten, you’ll be more likely to make healthier mealtime choices that include fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, gluten-free whole grains, and lean meats. Maintaining a low-carb diet can lead to weight loss, increased energy levels, better digestion and even possibly lower bad cholesterol levels. Following a gluten-free diet can also eliminate bloating and other uncomfortable digestive symptoms.

Trying to come up with gluten-free meal ideas? Check out our list of naturally gluten-free foods.

Which Foods Contain Gluten?

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Looking to adopt a gluten-free diet? We’ve compiled a basic list of products and ingredients to avoid.

  1. Grains: Gluten is found in barley, rye, wheat, and any mixture of these grains. Gluten-free grains include corn, millet, rice, wild rice and quinoa.
  2. Cereals: Any cereal that has barley malt and/or sweetener listed on its ingredients label contains gluten.
  3. Pastas: Avoid pastas that are made from wheat or semolina, both of which contain gluten.
  4. Baked Goods: Many breads, bagels, cookies, cakes, sandwich or hot dog buns, pizza crust, and other baked goods are prepared using wheat contain gluten.
  5. Pre-cooked or processed poultry or meat: Although meat and poultry are gluten-free in their natural state, gluten is usually added as these foods are prepared. Any time a food is breaded or fried, gluten is added. Also be wary of products like hot dogs, which sometimes utilize gluten as a binding agent.
  6. Sauces and soups: Avoid soups or sauces made with wheat-flour or ones that contain barley or pastas that aren’t gluten-free.
  7. Spices: Spices that contain wheat starch or wheat flour aren’t considered gluten-free.
  8. Products containing triticale: Triticale is a cross between rye and barley that contains gluten.
  9. Wheat starch: While most products contain corn starch, which is considered gluten-free, check a product’s label to make sure it doesn’t contain wheat starch, which contains gluten.
  10. Beer and other fermented beverages: Wheat and malted barley are commonly used in preparing beer and other fermented beverages. Gluten-free beers like New Planet Beer are an easy-to-locate, delicious alternative.
Next time you’re at the local grocery store, we hope that you keep this list in mind and reach for a gluten-free product! For a list of other products and ingredients containing gluten, visit Celiac.com.

10 Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day + Win Swag!

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Are you as excited for March 17th as we are? To honor St. Patrick’s Day, New Planet Beer is giving away swag to help you celebrate! To enter to win a New Planet Beer T-shirt, pint glass or bottle opener, comment below with how you plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year.

Not sure how you’re celebrating, yet? Here are 10 suggestions to help you celebrate the fun Irish Holiday:

  1. Have a Green Feast. Add green food coloring to bread dough, a New Planet Beer, milk, or other parts of your meal. You can also supplement green foods as part of the meal, such pasta with pesto sauce or salad. Then, enjoy a festive dessert of shamrock cookies or cupcakes with green frosting – all gluten-free of course!
  2. Wear Green. Looking for a way to show your Irish pride? Wear a St. Patrick’s Day t-shirt, or if you’d rather take a more subtle approach, wear a green shirt, tie, scarf, or accessory with a funny Irish saying on it. The options are endless!
  3. Listen to Irish music. Use your favorite search engine to search for radio stations that play Irish or Celtic music. Visit their sites to listen live and sing along. Or, look up the lyrics to popular Irish folk songs.
  4. Attend a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Many cities hold parades in honor of St. Patrick’s Day! Watch your local news station or check the newspaper to find out if and when a parade is being held in your city. Or, check out this list of St. Patrick’s Day parades that are taking place worldwide.
  5. Eat Irish food. Go to a restaurant that serves traditional Irish cuisine like corned beef, cabbage, bangers and mash, lamb stew, and potatoes, or prepare the food yourself by looking up recipes online.
  6. Take step dancing lessons. Search online for Irish step dancing classes being offered in your city, or check with a local Irish-American organization to find out where classes are offered.
  7. Watch a movie. Pick up some New Planet Beer and invite your friends over to watch a movie that’s set in Ireland or is Irish-themed. Some popular suggestions include Michael Collins, In America, Once, The Field and Intermission.
  8. Irish Quiz. Test your Irish trivia by taking a quiz like the one found on http://www.irishtrivia.com/. You can also put together your own quiz to test your friends’ knowledge by looking up facts about Irish culture, tradition, and history, then writing out questions.
  9. Throw an Irish-themed party. Serve green food and beverages, quiz each other on Irish history and culture, or celebrate with a glass of whiskey.
  10. Do a New Planet Beer pub crawl. Create your own gluten-free pub crawl by visiting our beer locator and map out the restaurants and pubs that serve New Planet Beer in your area.

Don’t forget to enter to win New Planet Beer swag by commenting below with how you plan on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year. Three winners will be randomly selected and contacted by email on March 16th by 5pm MST. Good luck!

Have a happy St. Patrick’s Day!

 

What is Sorghum?

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As you might know, gluten is found in many grains, which is why those maintaining a gluten-free lifestyle avoid drinking beers that are made with wheat and barley.  But did you know that not all grains contain gluten?  Sorghum, rice and corn are three grains that are commonly used in gluten-free products. We brew our Tread Lightly Ale and 3R Raspberry Ale  with sorghum and Off Grid Pale Ale with brown rice rather than wheat and barley.

What is sorghum?
Sorghum is a grass that is grown in warm, dry climates around the world.

Where is it grown?
Sorghum is grown in many different countries around the world, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Mexico, the United States, and Sudan.  In the U.S., sorghum is mainly cultivated in a crop belt that runs from Southern Texas to South Dakota.  It’s considered the fifth most important cereal crop in the world.

What products is it used in?
As a grain that doesn’t trigger gluten intolerance, sorghum is used in many different products:

  • In baking, sorghum flour is often used or mixed with gluten-free flours to make cookies, cakes, breads, and other gluten-free products
  • One type of sorghum, sweet sorghum, is used in sweeteners such as sorghum syrup
  • Sorghum is used to make fermented beverages

What industries is it used in?
Sorghum is also utilized in the production of:

  • Floral arrangements
  • Brooms
  • Fences
  • Building materials
  • Pet food

Enjoy your gluten-free beer!

 

Naturally Gluten-Free Foods

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On it’s most basic level, maintaining a gluten-free diet means cutting out grains like wheat, barley, and rye, and any mixture of these grains. But eating gluten-free doesn’t have to be as difficult or unhealthy as one may think! Here’s a  breakdown of twenty foods that are naturally gluten-free. Share this with someone who recently discovered their gluten intolerance or who’s experimenting with a gluten-free diet.

 

      1. Butter
      2. Eggs
      3. Water
      4. Fresh fruits
      5. Fresh vegetables
      6. Juices made of 100% fruits or vegetables
      7. Lentils
      8. Peanuts
      9. Seeds (such as flax seeds)
      10. Tree nuts (such as almonds)
      11. Corn
      12. Fresh fish
      13. Fresh shellfish
      14. Honey
      15. Milk that isn’t flavored using ingredients like malt, which contains gluten
      16. Soy
      17. Plain rice (glutinous or sticky/sweet, black, polished white, long-grained basmati, or whole-grain brown rices).
      18. Gluten-free flours made from rice, soy, corn, potatoes, or beans
      19. Raw Quinoa
      20. Tapioca

 

Gluten-Free Candy for Your Valentine

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Almost everyone loves getting candy for Valentine’s Day! Before you set out to buy your gluten-free valentine some sweets to enjoy after dinner and a flavorful 3R Raspberry Ale, check out some of our suggestions.

 

Necco:

  • Necco Sweetheart Conversation Hearts (Valentines only)
  • Necco Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses
  • Haviland Thin Mints
  • Haviland Peppermint Patties
  • Haviland Wintergreen Patties

For more information, please visit Necco’s Frequently Asked Questions.

Nestle:

  • Nestle Baby Ruth
  • Nestle Bit-O’-Honey
  • Nestle Butterfinger Bars (does not include Butterfinger Hearts, Butterfinger Crisp, Butterfinger Giant Bar, Butterfinger Snackerz, Butterfinger Medallions, Butterfinger Jingles, or Butterfinger Pumpkins)
  • Nestle Milk Chocolate
  • Nestle Nips (both regular and sugar-free)

For more information, please visit Nestle Consumer Services’ list of gluten-free products (updated 12/22/11).

Tootsie Roll:

  • Tootsie Rolls
  • Tootsie Pops
  • Charms Blow Pops
  • Sugar Daddy
  • Caramel Apple Pop
  • Junior Mints
  • Cella’s Chocolate-Covered Cherries

According to their website, all Tootsie products are gluten-free with the exception of Andes cookies.

For more information, check out the Gluten-Free Candy List provided by the National Foundation of Celiac Awareness and Sure Foods Living.

Santa is Coming Early – Kebo Beer Opener

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Win the perfect stocking stuffer for a beer lover. Tell us your favorite flavor of New Planet Beer in the comments below and we’ll pick a winner of the Kebo Beer Opener. Happy Holidays!

 

More states. More gluten-free beer.

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New Planet Beer is excited to announce that you can enjoy great tasting gluten-free beer in more states. See if your state is on the list and check out our beer locator for the store or restaurant nearest you. We’re waiting on some store and restaurant locations, so if it says limited locations or coming soon, we’ll have them entered in the next few weeks. Cheers to gluten-free beer!

New Planet Beer State Locations

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Florida
  • Kansas
  • Idaho
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota  (locations coming soon)
  • Missouri (locations to be added next month)
  • Montana (locations to be added next month)
  • Nebraska
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota (limited locations)
  • Oregon (limited locations, more coming soon)
  • Oklahoma (limited locations)
  • Utah (limited locations)
  • Washington (locations coming soon)
  • Wyoming

Find a store or restaurant near you.

Locate Beer >

 

Mix up your New Planet Beer

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Few people associate drinking beer with boredom, but even if your drinking is not boring it can be good to spice things up every now and then. And just because you have chosen to spike things up does not mean you cant drink gluten-free. Below is a fun list of mixed drinks that you can make with New Planet Beer.

Planet Top: Fill a glass 80% of the way with New Planet Beer, and then fill the last bit with 7-up. You can add more or less 7-up depending on how you would like it to taste. You can also do half 7-up and half New Planet if you wish. 7-Up is considered Gluten-free.

  • 10 oz of New Planet Beer
  • 2 oz 7-Up® soda

Planet Drill: Fill a shot glass 2/3rds of the way with Vodka and Orange Juice, add a splash and New Planet Beer.

  • 1 part GF Potatoes Vodka
  • 1 part orange juice
  • 1 splash New Planet Beer

New Planet Cider: Pour New Planet Beer into a frosted mug, leaving a bit of space at the top. Finish filling your mug with your favorite gluten-free cider.

  • 6 oz New Planet Beer
  • 1 oz soft sparkling apple cider

Planetmaker (shooter): Pour a shot of whiskey in a shot glass. Fill a pint glass with New Planet Beer. Drop the shot glass into the beer.

  • 15 oz New Planet Beer
  • 1 ½ oz blended whiskey

Creme De Planet: Just mix half a glass of New Planet Beer and half a can of gluten-free cream soda.

  • 1 bottle New Planet Beer
  • 1 can gluten-free cream soda

Planet Fog: Open a bottle of New Planet Beer and fill it to the brim with Tequila. Squeeze a bit of lemon on the top.

  • 1 bottle of New Planet beer
  • GF 100% Agave Tequila
  • Some lemon

Remember to drink and enjoy responsibly.

 

Get Your Guac On

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What are the two best things about summer, aside from the phenomenal weather?  Barbecuing outback and drinking cold beer with your friends and family has to be at the top of the list. So in the spirit of the last remaining weeks of summer, here’s another BBQ idea.

First and foremost when planning a gluten-free barbeque you need to be sure to have appetizers and dips to keep your guests occupied while you’re busy grilling. This summer time guacamole recipe is the perfect party starter.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 ripe avocados peeled and pitted
  • 1 garlic clove crushed and chopped
  • ½ onion finely diced (depending on how little or how much onion you prefer)
  • 2-3 Jalapeños finely diced
  • 1 small jar of salsa (Pace Chunky Salsa, medium is a good one)
  • 1 lime

Directions

  • Using a fork or potato masher, mash up the avocado until it’s at a consistency of your liking, add in all the ingredients in a large bowl, and finally squeeze the juice from the lime and mix it all together. It’s as easy as that!

If you’re feeling especially enthusiastic, or just happen to have some gluten-free tortillas lying around, you can make your own chips as well.

Ingredients

  • All you really need is some extra light olive oil and gluten-free tortillas (Food for Life has some good ones)

Directions

  • Cut or rip the tortillas into chip like shapes and put them aside.
  • In a skillet pour about ½ inch of oil and heat it up over medium heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, drop in the tortilla and let them cook for a few minutes.
  • Once they look done, using a spatula or tongs take them out and dab the excess oil off using a paper towel.

Now all you need is your ice cold Tread Lightly Ale and you’re good to go!

For more great gluten-free appetizer recipes check out: http://www.glutenfreely.com/recipes/appetizers

Photo credits: Sharon Drummond