Day 37 - Mystery in the meat

First off, sorry for not posting every day.  This is rapidly turning into a "post when I can" type of thing with school and everything else.  I also have that tendency to wait until I've exercised (today excluded) and that slows me down a bit.

That said:

Did you know that there is gluten in deli meat???  I had no idea.  Apparently, parts of wheat are commonly used in preservatives and as thickening agents (think gravy/sauces).  Boar's Head over at Harris Teeter has a big sign stating they are gluten-free and it got me thinking.  How much gluten is in average deli meat?

It turns out that it is a decent amount.  Not only is it used as an emulsifyer, but it is used to "enhance flavor" or basically as an additive to the spice content of the meat as well as a way to replenish moisture in a base/broth additive!  Basically, if there is gluten in your deli meat, there is absolutely no way to avoid it because it is soaked into your meat in every possible way!  That doesn't even count all the chemical components they add.  If you're interested, read the article I posted to my Facebook page while I do battle with the Mystery Meat monster!

Me: *eyeing the off-colored mass of something on my plate that is supposed to serve as my protein and has been dominating any pre-packaged diet meals I've bought*
Mystery Meat: *bubbles ominously*
Me: What the hell??? Meat isn't supposed to bubble!  What ARE you?
MM: *bubbles again and this time almost sounds like laughter*
Me: *Grabs a fork and begins stabbing the mass over and over like some crazed Psycho reenactment*
MM: *speaks in a gurgly voice* That's right, get the fork.
Me: Gah! *hides under her chair and calls for hubby but is instead rescued by puppy*
Puppy: *gobbles down the MM happily and wanders away with a burp*
Me: *dreading the next time I walk with the puppy, picks up the plate with hazmat gloves and tongs to soak it in bleach for a week*

It is surprising how many things have gluten in them.  Almost ALL sauces/condiments have some component of whey in them and some have multiple types of gluten added to them.  Really, the only way you can be absolutely sure is if it is labeled "gluten-free".  The problem with it is that the ingredients are less common and therefore more expensive, making the final product more expensive.

My advice to you for the day is the same as it was when I was in elementary school and/or the Navy: Avoid the mystery meat people!  If you can't identify it, don't eat it.

Also, I have posted a list of good choices at the market on my Facebook page.

I'm also posting what I'm reading right now in cookbooks.  If you follow the link, it is a free download to Kindle!