Going Gluten-Free: The Why and Tips and Tricks

Why go gluten-free?? Do what?? That fad??? Well, as you will see in some of my other posts, sometimes it is necessary as inconvenient as it is.

 

There are lots of reasons to go gluten-free.

Wheat contains a compound called zonulin, this compound can loosen up our tight junctions in our intestines and cause leaky gut (intestinal impermeability if you are looking for research studies on this). This combined with other things can cascade into many problems: increased food and environmental allergies and sensitivities, autoimmune diseases, inflammation, intestinal discomfort and disease, and ‘brain fog’, etc.

Wheat in most products have been stripped of the outer husk which has more of the fiber and vitamins. Most of our gluten containing products are also enriched with synthetic vitamins. Particularly folic acid, and if you have MTHFR, these can be damaging.

Wheat crops can also be heavily sprayed with Roundup which is the harmful pesticide glyphosate. There is currently a movement to determine if glyphosate is really as ‘safe’ as they say and to determine how much it accumulates in the body. Many people may have developed a sensitivity to wheat/gluten for just this reason alone.

Testing does exist for gluten sensitivity outside the scope of celiac disease. Some functional doctors use Cyrex labs. There is also Wheatzoomer. There are others.

Ok, so how to start…

First, don’t freak out! This is totally manageable.

Next, look at what you are currently eating that has gluten and find ‘good’ substitutes or remove it altogether. (When you feel you can manage that then think about meals that don’t contain wheat or gluten)

Usual gluten-containing foods: pasta, bread, cookies, cakes, crackers, breading, pizza, cereal, soy sauce, processed foods.

When removing gluten, one of the hardest challenges can be letting go of convenience foods. You can ease the transition into cooking more often by meal planning and batch cooking. Think of what you can eat instead of what you can’t eat. There is a super long list of vegetables, high quality animal products, beans, and other grains that you can eat. Quality does matter: see this real food blog post.

The hardest challenge can be the cravings. Accept that it is a real thing. It’s actually withdrawal. This article may help: How to Survive Wheat Withdrawal

Start with these meal based tips

Breakfast:

Find a good replacement bread to help you when you don’t have any other ideas. Gluten-free oatmeal with walnuts and butter. Eggs made a different way every day, sautéed veggies or crustless quiche (onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, peppers, etc). LOVE GROWN cereals are an option. Smoothies (green thickies, proteins, etc). Hmm, I should make a smoothies file 🙂

Lunch:

If you have a sandwich every day for lunch, you could replace the bread with gluten-free or you could try salads (greens, walnuts, goat cheese, cranberries, chicken or southwest flavorings with avocado and bacon) or leftovers from dinner the night before. If you go out, order the burger without the bun.
Snacks: move to veggies, nuts or fruits. Gf crackers and cheese. olives and cheese. hard sausage. pickles.

Dinner:

To make it simple, build a meal around a meat, a veggie and a starchier veggie. Soups made with homemade stock are not only easy to do gluten-free but also wonderful for your health. Crockpot or the increasingly popular instant pot can make preparing meals much easier. Substitute gluten-free pasta in recipes or leave it out altogether. Typical starchier sides to go along with a green or colored veggie are: other color veggies, sweet potato, rice, gluten-free pasta, salad, lentils.

Going out to eat?

Many restaurants are figuring out how to prepare gluten-free food or have a separate gluten-free menu. If you have celiac disease or have serious reactions, always order on the safe side. Do not just eat the chips that may have been fried in the fryer with the breaded mozzarella sticks. If they seem unsure, then don’t risk it. (I may have finally learned my lesson on this one…)

My favorite fast food restaurant is Chipotle. They will change their gloves if you ask them. You can have tacos or a bowl/salad.

Top hidden gluten: French fries, other foods fried in same fryer as gluten containing items, barbecue sauce, soups, marinated chicken, typical foods or sauces that contain soy sauce.

Common concerns

Wheat products are a major source of B vitamins (the processed products are fortified) but you can get essential and adequate B12 from eggs, milk, cheese, milk products, meat, fish, shellfish and poultry. You can also get folate from leafy greens, many other green veggies and beans.

Some recent articles indicate that going gluten-free without a diagnosis leads to diabetes. The assumption is based on the link to fiber. If you remove some whole grains from your diet that provide fiber then make sure to replace them other fiber sources (veggies, peas, beans, lentils, broccoli for example). Most gluten-free substitutes like bread or crackers are lower fiber and have a higher glycemic index, so use sparingly.

These are valid concerns. The key is to eat a healthy balanced diet.

 

So what should you do???????

Whether you start your day with coffee, tea, water with lemon, or just water…. just…

 

unsplash-logoDanielle MacInnes