Why Caesar Salads?

When your life is ruled by the limited food choices you can make, eating out can be a problem. Eating the wrong thing can result in certain unpleasant or damaging reactions in your body.

Julianne is ruled by such issues. She is gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, and has nasty reactions to salicylates and amines. What are these things that have such a high disregard for Julianne's body?

Gluten is a composite of proteins found in grass-related grains such as wheat, rye and barley. Nearly all breads contain gluten.

Lactose is a sugar that occurs in milk.

Salicylates are radicals of salicylic acid, an organic acid that functions as a plant hormone. Salicylic acid is also used in the manufacture of aspirin.

Amine is a compound formed from ammonia.

Salicylates are found in high amounts in foods such as berries, most citrus fruits, pineapples, avocados, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach.

Amines are found in high amounts in foods such as avocados, most citrus fruits, kiwi fruits, pineapples, raspberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, bacon, oysters, pork, anchovies, and some fish.

Small amounts of these foods are OK for Julianne, or at least the effects are less extreme. For example, a caesar salad with a few anchovies and some bacon is generally OK if her amine and salicylate intake for the rest of the day is low, but any croutons at all will make her very sorry later.

What this all means is that the safest option on a menu is often the caesar salad. A traditional caesar salad consists of cos lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, egg (usually poached), and bacon pieces. Anchovies and chicken are common extras.

With the exception of croutons, the caesar salad is safe for Julianne. Some cafes and restaurants add their own little bits and pieces that make it somewhat dodgy, but most places are agreeable to modifying the ingredients. This usually comes down to simply not including croutons. If Julianne ever finds a caesar salad with gluten-free croutons, she's going to be one happy lass.

This blog was created with the intention of recording Julianne's impressions of the caesar salads of which she has partaken. The views expressed in the reviews are hers (and occasionally Jeremy's) and have no affiliation with anyone else.

Enjoy.