My Take on Gluten Free Food and Diets
Many people ask me, “Yvette– what are your thoughts on gluten?”
I myself am not Celiac, but I do avoid the stuff as much as possible. I always felt very bloated and after many Dr visists, ( poop test included) I was found out that I do not have celiac disease. If you do not know what that is it is a autoimmune disorder that makes you intolerant to gluten, and it can appear at any age. Instead I was diagnosed as having a sensitivity to gluten. So I removed gluten from my diet and I can honestly tell you I feel much better. The two major contributors to an inflamed belly are dairy and gluten so I avoid them both.
Let’s discuss what the diet is like, who should pay attention, some signs of being intolerant and lastly how to integrate and apply this lifestyle in your life.
What on earth is the Gluten Free diet?
It is simply a diet that removes mainly wheat from your diet. Gluten is found in many of the processed foods in the middle of the grocery isles in today’s supermarkets. It is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and many other pastas, wheat products that contain it.What does Gluten do to the body?
If you have Celiac Disease that causes inflammation in the small intestines. If your like me I don’t have the disease, but I still have a sensitivity to it. Adjusting your eating habits, and eating a certain way allows people to control their signs and symptoms and prevent things from happening in the future that could negatively impact their health. Making the adjustments can be hard, I have many clients that I coach that really do not like avoiding gluten at first. They feel like it is such a large part of their diet and they wonder how they are going to give it up. I am here to give you a sneak peak at my personal shopping list, to show you there are many things you can eat, and many things that you can eliminate from your diet. I am not telling you it will be easy, change is hard no matter what it is, but once you make the switch in your diet, you make a plan and stick to it you will get use to it. I can guarantee you will find a new energy that you did not know you had before you cut out the gluten. Remember before you start a gluten free diet you should contact your family doctor.What can I eat on the gluten free diet?
There are a lot of healthy natural foods such as:- Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
- Fresh eggs
- Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)
- Fruits and vegetables
- Most dairy products (Although, I avoid this as well) I use almond milk
- Amaranth
- Arrowroot
- Buckwheat
- Corn and cornmeal (Most of it is GMO – Not cool)
- Flax
- Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
- Hominy (corn)
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Soy (I don’t eat this either.)
- Tapioca
- Teff
Food To Avoid on a Gluten Free Diet
No for that NO – NO list, always avoid drinks that contain Barley. Things sucha as malt flavoring and malt vinegar usually always have barley in them. Also many wheat products that should be avoided, are anything that is self-rising, enriched, has bromated or phosphated in it, check the label for that information. A few examples of wheat products to avoid:- Bulgur
- Durum flour
- Farina
- Graham flour
- Kamut
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Beer
- Breads
- Cakes and pies
- Candies
- Cereals
- Cookies and crackers
- Croutons
- French fries
- Gravies
- Imitation meat or seafood
- Matzo
- Pastas
- Processed luncheon meats
- Salad dressings
- Sauces, including soy sauce
- Seasoned rice mixes
- Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
- Self-basting poultry
My mother is a celiac so I suspect I am/will be too. Not yet tested. You’ve prompted me to cut back on some of those things on your “Avoid” list and try the other alternatives like quinoa. Do you have any recipes you can share with us?
I will post some gluten free recipes soon, I am glad the article was helpful!
This is a great overview and explanation of what the gluten-free craze is all about. I’ve already forwarded this on to a few friends. Do you have any recommendations on the easiest way to determine if you are Celiac?
Great article! Personally, I have not been officially diagnosed with gluten intolerance, but I find my body operates much more efficiently in thier absence. I am looking forward to learning more from you!
Thanks for sharing this. I don’t have celiac but i do like to watch what i eat so will reduce my intake of your no no list.
Cheers!