Bad Information

[MagpieWrites]

I'm not sure if this is the right spot for this, if not, can some smart soul whoosh it were it should go?

I'm actually kinda shaking. Peeved. Shrieked for a few minutes at the television screen, and am now stuck in what seems like the 7th ring of Hades trying to maneuver my way through a website to send a note regarding an issue of what seems like some REALLY stupid bad information.

Rachael Ray decided to announce on her show today that Faro is a great option for those with gluten issues because it is low in gluten.

Isn't that kind of like suggestion a wee bit of arsenic to make the dinner go down?

I'm rather shocked at how upset I am. Part of my brain is hammering - it isn't a big deal, maybe some folks can handle items that are low on the gluten scale and faro might be an option. But the other side... I have to work so HARD to make people understand this isn't some fad diet. That no, actually, I can't "just cheat just this once", and also - it IS possible to have great food while eating gluten free. She even talks about brown rice and millet - two GREAT options for people looking for gluten-free whole grains... but doesn't mention them once in regard to celiac or gluten intolerance. This seems like a rather huge issue at the moment, and I'm so annoyed I could scream. I KNOW we are all in for a celiac blitz in over the next month as May is Celiac Awareness Month - every show, periodical, and diet guru will be blazing their opinions on the subject. And I'm glad about that - heck, that's how I finally figured out the celiac thing and gathered enough info to go to my doctor and say "Test me. Now. Just... test me. Time to figure this out." Having it right upfront and in my face helped me find out why I had been so sick for so long... and how easy (well. More or less.) it was to get better. But it has to be the RIGHT information.

Oh... just....

Frell. And other words far stronger that I'm not going to post because even if I AM an adult, I live with the voice of my momma in the back of my head.

Still thinking it though!

[chasbari]

I hate not being able to talk back to my TV.. it never listens! Good luck with some sort of communication. I little bad information is worse, in some instances, especially when the person giving it is well liked...

[Skylark]

Take a deep breath and you can write a polite, constructive note to the show and producers pointing out the error. By the way, the offending grain is spelled "farro".

Here you go!

Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

Was it her daily show or a Food Network show? Maybe you can let us know & we all send a note that Farro is not gluten free & not appropriate for people with wheat/gluten issues.

[MagpieWrites]

Daily show.

Sent as politely worded email as I could (even made my husband read it through it make sure) and also posted a note on her bulletin board.

[WheatChef]

They additionally included the dangerously wrong information in their online representation of that episode Open Original Shared Link

"and is a good choice if you're wheat-sensitive because it's low in gluten."

Not that I was a fan of her before, but this doesn't help my opinion of her shows.

[sandsurfgirl]

I sent my email. My husband works in TV and he says that they do pay attention to emails like this, but if as many people as possible send a NICE email, not a screaming one, it will get more attention. So send your emails. That's a popular show and if we're nice maybe they will devote some time to us and fix the mistake.

[Lycopene]

I just sent my email as well. Ahhh. "Just one bite won't hurt you!"

Hah. Hope they rectify it. If not going on her show and explaining where she was incorrect, removing that comment about farro off the site.

[kayo]

Magpie thanks for brining this to our attention. If we all write nice and informative letters then maybe Rachel will make the correction.

I'm steeling myself for the bevvy of misinformation as celiac month approaches. On one hand I'm glad it's getting coverage but on the other hand there is so much bad information circulating. I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. Look at how many doctors and medical professionals gave us bad advice and we know what we're doing (for the most part). Also actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow don't help matters when she openly talks about her 'gluten free cleanses' as a weight loss method. Gluten free will be seen as a fad by many and that dilutes the seriousness of the issue. That's why it's important that folks in the spotlight like Rachel Ray get the facts right and dispel correct information.

So many people already ask me if I can have a little gluten, or whole wheat (which they think doesn't have gluten) and then they also confuse gluten with glucose. Oh and being dairy free too people ask me if I miss eggs. Eggs are not dairy! There was a food pyramid back in the day, maybe in the 70's, that had dairy and eggs in the same level and that's what people remember!

[tictax707]

So many people already ask me if I can have a little gluten, or whole wheat (which they think doesn't have gluten) and then they also confuse gluten with glucose. Oh and being dairy free too people ask me if I miss eggs. Eggs are not dairy! There was a food pyramid back in the day, maybe in the 70's, that had dairy and eggs in the same level and that's what people remember!

Oh, true that. People really just don't know a lot about food like we do, because they don't have to. I have to keep reminding myself of that. I've had the opposite where people "understand" that I can't have whole wheat flour but think I can have white flour (where do they think the white flour comes from?). And the dairy thing too is pretty funny - I have had the same thing. EGGS are from a CHICKEN for goodness sake! Also people think that margarine doesn't have dairy in it. Oh well...

While I too, am frustrated by the misinformation out there, I realize that it is a slow and imperfect process. We will have to spend time correcting this misinformation but it's part of the bigger movement towards increased awareness and better lives for all of us.

[MagpieWrites]

I'm so glad that others are writing as well. While I was more than pissy while watching the episode (came at a bad moment - I got glutened in the afternoon and than had to deal with mother in law... so I was a wee bit stressed, shall we say? lol) I promise, I kept my temper and stayed polite in my email. I also posted a quick item on her message board as well. We'll see what happens.

I think one of the reasons I was SO annoyed, is while Rachel Ray can be a tad bit... perky at times - I DO like what she usually tries to do. I'm not a huge fan of "get a little help from the store" but anything that starts people towards cooking real food again for and with their families, I can get behind. Heck - I have an embarrassing number of her cookbooks (with just a few changes here and there, I can make almost everything she writes about and keep it gluten free) and am slowly losing the battle against my yearning for her bubble and brown sets. (Sad but true - some woman lust for new shoes, I buy kitchen goodies and go grocery shopping.) So I was just caught off guard by such a HUGE no-no. And the sinking knowledge that I'm going to be sitting in front of farro over and over again in the next few months as well meaning family and friends think it must be dandy for me since Rachael said so.

And to just ram that point home to me... my mom called this morning. All chipper and wanting to let me know she had seen just something wonderful on tv yesterday and had gone out and bought something for our lunch together on Thursday. Yup. Mom saw the same episode... and figured a nice farro salad would be just the ticket.

And she wants to know why I'm so militant about having zero gluten if there are these "lite" gluten options that would be just as good.

Gonna be a Loooooonnnng week.

[Gemini]

I'm not sure if this is the right spot for this, if not, can some smart soul whoosh it were it should go?

I'm actually kinda shaking. Peeved. Shrieked for a few minutes at the television screen, and am now stuck in what seems like the 7th ring of Hades trying to maneuver my way through a website to send a note regarding an issue of what seems like some REALLY stupid bad information.

Rachael Ray decided to announce on her show today that Faro is a great option for those with gluten issues because it is low in gluten.

Isn't that kind of like suggestion a wee bit of arsenic to make the dinner go down?

I'm rather shocked at how upset I am. Part of my brain is hammering - it isn't a big deal, maybe some folks can handle items that are low on the gluten scale and faro might be an option. But the other side... I have to work so HARD to make people understand this isn't some fad diet. That no, actually, I can't "just cheat just this once", and also - it IS possible to have great food while eating gluten free. She even talks about brown rice and millet - two GREAT options for people looking for gluten-free whole grains... but doesn't mention them once in regard to celiac or gluten intolerance. This seems like a rather huge issue at the moment, and I'm so annoyed I could scream. I KNOW we are all in for a celiac blitz in over the next month as May is Celiac Awareness Month - every show, periodical, and diet guru will be blazing their opinions on the subject. And I'm glad about that - heck, that's how I finally figured out the celiac thing and gathered enough info to go to my doctor and say "Test me. Now. Just... test me. Time to figure this out." Having it right upfront and in my face helped me find out why I had been so sick for so long... and how easy (well. More or less.) it was to get better. But it has to be the RIGHT information.

Oh... just....

Frell. And other words far stronger that I'm not going to post because even if I AM an adult, I live with the voice of my momma in the back of my head.

Still thinking it though!

This is no way surprises me at all. Rachel Ray is nothing more than a celebrity who knows very little about real cooking and yet, in today's world of reality TV, has a cooking show! She opens cans and adds them to a protein in a fry pan and thinks this is cooking and nutritious eating. I wouldn't expect her to know that farro IS wheat. As long as we keep putting non-cooks on TV, masquerading as meal planners, this is what you can expect.

I was encouraged by the fact that you shrieked at the TV, though....good way to get the anger out!

[lynnelise]

I know how you feel about this! Our local paper had a article about how kamut is a good alternative for those on a gluten-free diet. Ummmm...no.

Rachael drives my husband crazy but I kind of like her. Hope she corrects the error ASAP! I'll email when I get home. Her website keeps shutting down IE on my work computer.