Q: How can I identify the veggies discussed in Breaking the Vicious Cycle, especially where we in Australia & New Zealand use different names for them?
Looking at a vegetable gardening website might help. This way you can see what artichokes, turnips, etc look like by their USA names. Go to burpee.com. If you look on the left hand side you'll see all the types listed.
Q: Is juicing your own fruit OK to drink?
Yes. You may want to water it down at first. For example, “I drink a lot of freshly juiced apple and peach and make it into jelly. Great for when I am experiencing a flare up.”
Q: Are sugar/lady-finger bananas legal?
"You know the small fat bananas. Are these the same as the Plantain (banana type fruit from south america etc.) which is not legal for SCD?"
Concern has been expressed that the small bananas may be too starchy for SCDers. It is recommended that you only use the standard larger bananas that you normally find in supermarkets - as long as you follow the usual rule that they must be very ripe and the skin covered with dark spots before you eat them. However if you are keen to try the sugar bananas and your gut is healthy, you could try letting them get plenty of dark spots on the outside skin, and then start out with a small piece, skip a day and then go to one half, skip a day, and then go to the whole one if all is okay.
For more information, the Composition Of Foods, Australia lists:
Banana, Common - glucose 4.1 fructose 3.2 sucrose 9.6 total sugars 16.9 starch 3.0 total carbs 19.9
Banana, Sugar - glucose 6.7 fructose 6.4 sucrose 5.1 total sugars 18.3 starch 6.8 total carbs 25.0
Q: Are kiwi fruit legal?
"Anyone having success with this? Seeds and all?"
Elaine said "Kiwi fruit is fine once the diarrhea is gone. In other words, it is a legal fruit."
Q: "Are swedes legal?"
Yes, their American name is rutabaga. From scdiet archive:
"Are rutabaga (Swede) allowed? They aren't on the allowable vegetable list but are in a recipe?" Elaine said "they are big turnips? [They] are ok."
Q: Are chokos legal?
Choko is a tropical summer squash and is also known as chayote. This mild-flavored squash looks like a wrinkled, pale green pear. It needs to be cooked before serving, and for a longer time than other summer squash. It has a very mild flavour, often likened to that of marrow, so is usually cooked with other stronger tasting foods.
Elaine said "I just used a search engine ...this one line seems to make it sound legal. Nutrition: Chayote is low in calories: only 40 calories per cup. It is also low in sodium and is a good source of fiber. Its nutritional value is smilar to that of summer squash."
Choko contains only 0.5% starch (from the Australian Composition Of Foods). There are also a couple of references on scdiet.org suggesting chayote is legal.
chayote = cho-cho = chocho = christophene = christophine = chuchu = mango squash = mirliton (in the South) = pear squash = vegetable pear = sousous = choko = custard marrow = pepinella = pepinello = xuxu = xoxo Pronunciation: chi-YOH-tay or chi-YOH-tee
Q: "Do we have 'dried white navy beans' in Australia?"
They are known in Australia as Haricot Beans. They are also known as navy beans, pea beans, soisson.
Q: What is 'half and half'?
Half and half, sold in North America, is half milk and half (heavy, or whipping) cream. It's often used over there for coffee. Paul's Extra Creamy Milk appears to be similar.
Q: What is seltzer?
Seltzer is carbonated water - like "club soda" or "sparkling water".
Q: Is packaged sliced ham with dextrose legal?
Elaine said "No, the packaged sliced ham is not OK. Although dextrose is theoretically OK, the word is being tossed around when used in food and usually is not only dextrose (glucose) but a combination of many sugars".
Q: Is Lactaid (lactose reduced) milk legal?
Today at the supermarket I discovered a new milk. The ingredients listed are "skim milk, whole milk, enzyme (lactase)". The lactose level is 0.9g per 100ml. Is this milk OK to use?
Elaine said "That milk is what I refer to in BTVC as LHM (Lactose-Hydrolyzed Milk). Do not drink it by the glass but you can use it in your coffee and tea provided you have no more than 2-3 cups of coffee and/or tea daily.".
See page 45 of BTVC for information on lactase treated milk.
Q: Is there an SCD legal icecream?
If you make your own icecream with SCD foods (like SCD yoghurt and fruits), that is fine! Have a look at icream makers on the market - such as the Breville Scoop Factory.
Q: What sacharine can I use in Australia?
Try sugarine, available in liquid or tablet form from any supermarket.
