It seems that more and more people are going gluten-free these days. I’m sure all of you reading this have a friend, a colleague, or a family member who has made the switch.
But do you know what’s interesting?
I don’t even remember gluten-free being a thing when I was young!
I mean I’m sure it existed, but we didn’t have the aisles of gluten free foods in the supermarket like we currently do. And nobody was really talking about it.
Some people simply choose not to consume foods with gluten in them because of growing concerns that gluten is bad for us. As for others, consuming gluten can have a severe reaction, just like a dairy allergy.
With more people going gluten free these days, I thought it would be a good idea to look a little more deeply into what gluten is. And, also help you understand exactly how it affects our bodies.
Gluten is a family of proteins that are found in these common ingredients:
It makes sense the word gluten comes from the Latin word for glue since it’s what makes flour sticky when mixed with water. It also helps bread rise when baking and provides that chewy texture.
Gluten affects the digestive system and can make some people feel extremely uncomfortable if they have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Others who have celiac disease or a wheat allergy will be affected in a more serious way.
When sufferers of celiac disease consume gluten, it triggers an immune response which damages the lining of the small intestine. In doing so, the body is unable to absorb nutrients and can cause other symptoms and health issues.
Symptoms can include:
Some celiac sufferers can even have fertility problems, seizures, or osteoporosis. And some may not even have digestive issues. It affects up to 1% of people worldwide, and doctors can test for it using a blood test or small intestine biopsy.
A wheat allergy is when someone has a reaction to foods that contain wheat. It can often be confused with celiac disease, but they are in fact different. When you have a wheat allergy, your body produces antibodies to the proteins found in wheat.
Symptoms include anything from swelling of the throat, hives or itchy skin, difficulty breathing, cramps, and nasal congestion. More seriously, anaphylactic shock can happen.
People with non-celiac gluten sensitivity find that they get the same symptoms as celiac sufferers. But, without the intestinal damage.
There is some controversy around non-celiac gluten sensitivity as there is no test to determine that you do have it.
If your coeliac test comes back negative, the only way to know if gluten is a problem for you is by eliminating it from your diet for a number of weeks. Then you can re-introduce it to see if the symptoms return.
The benefits of a gluten-free diet include the following:
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Although going gluten free can certainly be beneficial, there are some disadvantages to a gluten free diet. These include:
A lot of people opt for processed foods when going gluten free, so they miss out on many important vitamins. Fortified bread is the way most people get their B vitamins, but obviously, bread contains gluten.
Have you ever browsed the gluten free section of your supermarket? You’ll probably have noticed how much more expensive everything is. Unfortunately, gluten free products cost more to make and pass even stricter testing. Those costs are passed onto us.
One of the negative side effects of a gluten free diet is the havoc it can play on your bowel movements. When you don’t get enough fibre, things get blocked up and can be very uncomfortable.
Going gluten free means cutting out many of those yummy treats that you like to indulge in.
Say goodbye to pizza night with your friends!
Sometimes careful planning is needed when dining out to ensure that you will be able to have a meal that is gluten free. You may not be able to go to your favourite Italian restaurant anymore, or grab your favourite sandwich from the local café.
Many restaurants now do offer gluten free menu but you’ll probably end up being the one constantly choosing the restaurant in your group of friends.
Going gluten free without celiac disease may be beneficial to you if you do get symptoms, but it’s best to speak to your doctor first. They will be able to advise you on the dangers of a gluten free diet if you’re not celiac. It’s important to remember that nutrition deficiency is a side effect and this could end up making you feel worse
Most people do find that they lose weight when going gluten free. This is because they no longer reach for the junk food like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, cakes, or pastries like they did before.
Just because you choose to live a gluten free lifestyle, it doesn’t mean that you are stuck with completely boring foods!
These are some examples of gluten free foods that you can eat – they are all good for you too!
You can use all the items listed above to create delicious and healthy meals for any time of day.
Knowing what not to eat when going gluten free takes a little bit of research and understanding. Basically, you want to cut out everything that uses wheat in the ingredients, as well as malt, rye, barley, triticale, and brewer’s yeast.
These are some obvious foods you’ll want to avoid, such as bread, cakes, cookies, cereals, beer, etc. But other foods and ingredients such as soy sauce also have gluten in them (see list below). So make sure you double check labels.
Thankfully there are also a ton of restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets that have gluten free versions of these items. Just remember you may have to pay a little bit more for the privilege.
Or, you can swap them for some healthier alternatives.
The list of foods to avoid doesn’t just stop there though. There are other foods and ingredients that contain gluten that you may not even be aware of:
If you are ever unsure, make sure to carefully read the labels on the foods you buy. This may take some getting used to, but you’ll get the hang of it and quickly learn what you can and can not have.
You can also try my Free 7-Day Meal Plan. It’s is free of gluten, dairy and refined sugars. You can try it out and see whether the gluten free diet works for you :)
Why did you? Do you suffer from celiac disease or for other reasons? I’d love to hear your experiences and tips for going gluten free in the comments below!
Tags: gluten free
I have been gluten free for almost two years now and it has been so good for me and rather easy. I did it for my health. I have an Auto-Immune disease and anyone with and auto-immune disease should avoid gluten because of its negative effects on our bodies.
Tips that I offer people starting up are to first clear your home of all gluten products. Purchase plenty of delicious veggies or jerky or nuts to have on the ready when you want a quick snack or have a craving. And stay away from the alternative breads and such for awhile, so you can completely get rid of your cravings. It may take 2-3 weeks, but after that, if you are committed, it’s a breeze. My main diet consists of meat and vegetables and I supplement when my doc has determined necessary. I don’t go out to eat as much anymore and prefer home cooked meals, but going out isn’t a problem since there are usually at least a few meat/vegetable options, just ask your doubt when in doubt and let them know you are gluten free. And when shopping, read all labels! Food manufacturers hide gluten in some unexpected places….
Good luck and happy eating!
Hi lovely,
Thank you so much for sharing about your journey! I’m sure you’ll inspire and motivate a lot of people. <3
Hi Rachael,
I have recently been diagnosed with cealic disease and I found it super hard to adapt to the change!
I usually don’t indulge in any of the gluten free products on the shelves as they are packed with sugar and fat! (Mostly cakes/ biscuits & breads) In my opinion these can be worse for you than wheat or non gluten free bread which usually has no fat but a lot of sugar!
My advise is to choose whole organic foods and make your own homemade meals!
One of my favorite healthy deserts is to melt two squares of 85% dark Lindt chocolate with two scoops of skyr Greek Yogurt (the yogurt and melted chocolate gives a nice mousse texture) covered with berries, linseeds & nuts! It’s GF and low in sugar.
Thank you for your advice and helpful workouts!! I felt so deprived when I was first diagnosed but your meal plans & tips for staying in shape motivate me every day!
Thank you, thank you, thank you ❤️
Erica xo
Hi lovely,
Thanks a lot for your kind words! Also thank you for sharing this recipe, it sounds amazing. :)
You’re right about commercial gluten free products, they can be quite unhealthy. So making your own meals from fresh organic ingredients is always the best choice! xx
Love,
Diana