Disclaimer: By any means I am not a gluten expert but I have cooked for hundreds of people with either Celiac disease and Gluten Free (gf) diets.
For those of you who do not know what gluten is, let me explain. Gluten is a protein complex found in wheat, kamut, spelt, barley and rye that takes your body awhile to break down. This lengthy process could lead to more undissolved sugars in the body creating fat. People with Celiac disease are unable to eat foods with gluten because they are unable to absorb the nutrients do to inflammation of the small intestine. Then there are those gluten-free dieters that dont ingest it because of the sugars and empty calories that can make you a little heavier. There is a ridiculously huge difference between the two!!! One is chemically and physically allergic and the other opts to stay away from these sugars.
I have completely...okay almost nearly anihilated all glutinous foods in my diet. I have exchanged wheat bread for gf multigrain (UDIS is a great brand...kind of pricey). I have switched from chips to gluten free snacks like sweet potato chips and or rice crackers. I cannot live without my spaghetti bolognese but, eating regular pasta can add up to useless carbs and some extra fat around my midsection. Lucky for me there are gf pastas that are made with brown rice. When I have a sweet tooth, I eat gluten free oreos (or gf version of), gf chocolate chip cookies, and gf muffins. Working out and eating gf has enabled me to trim down leaner than my previous diet which was the same but included gluten in it. Most common supermarkets are creating a bigger gf section (Whole Foods has really dont a great job providing a variety of gf products...Just look even named brand cereal has capitalized on this growing trend.
Gluten free grains and starch include: corn, potatoes, rice, tapioca, quinoa, chickpeas, millet, chia seed, and yams. Soybeans and nut flours can be used in gf products to add protein.
I know it is hard to give up all the good stuff that you grew up with...trust me I know how hard it is. Not only have I had to give up my fat kid sanctuary (junk food) but, even in the kitchen I have had to change alot of methods to accomodate gf dieters. However, it has enabled me to push the boundaries and utilize products that I have never cooked with or for that matter, seen. I am a walking advertisement for gf diet success. I still ingest insane amounts of protein while making healthier decisions that taste the same. What will you do?
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