By now, most people have probably heard of the term “Gluten Free,” especially if you live in a thriving metropolis like New York City. Everywhere you look, “Gluten Free” chips, cookies, pies and cakes, are available pretty much everywhere. The Gluten Free (GF) label is not only being used to inform those with allergies that the particular food is safe; it is now a term and label that is being thrown around everywhere. Even more interesting now is that some manufacturers find the need to even label bottled water “Gluten Free,” as if water ever had gluten.
In the past few years, we have seen an enormous boom with the Gluten free (GF) diet. No wheat, no barley, no rye, no oats (in some cases). That’s what you are not allowed to eat on a gluten free diet. This goes for individuals with Celiac disease, gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity. GF diets are also used for many other conditions such as autoimmune disorders, skin conditions, and neurological disorders, just to name a few. Symptoms of these listed above range from vomiting and diarrhea, joint pain, constipation, neurological disorders, bloating, gas, acid reflux, migraines, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, to little or no symptoms at all. Yes, some individuals actually won’t have any symptoms.
So everyone thinks going on a GF diet will improve their health, and for some, it can and it does. However, for others still having the same symptoms and acquiring new symptoms, it is an even bigger obstacle to face. Gluten Free food has come a long way from 30 years ago, it really has. The unfortunate thing is that when gluten is removed from the equation, starches, fillers, gums and sugar is increased in order to taste like “regular” products or “the real thing”. So, sometimes you think you may be solving the problem but instead you are causing another.
Here is a list of ingredients pulled from a GF food label:
• Sucrose
• Invert sugar
• Modified potato starch
• Corn starch
• Cultured corn syrup solids
• Sugar
• Resistant corn starch
• Xanthum gum
• Locust bean gum
• Rice flour
• Corn flour
• Soy lecithin
• Tapioca syrup
Now, we aren’t just singling out GF foods here. This includes all those non GF foods that have pretty much the same and even worse ingredient listings. The main issue here is that somehow along the path to health, we have gotten lost. We should be focusing on non-processed foods in their original state. We should be avoiding processed food in all forms, wheat or no wheat. Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan or carnivore, it is still better to avoid processed junk food. Instead, the ingredients or food you consume should look something more like this:
• Organic Grass Fed beef
• Organic pasture raised poultry
• Organic pasture raised eggs
• Organic fruits and vegetables
• Organic beans and lentils
• Wild fish
• Fermented vegetables
• Full Fat organic Coconut Milk
• Full Fat organic, pastured milk and cheese, raw if possible
• Organic raw nuts and seeds
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Avocado oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Natural sweeteners like Stevia, Xylitol or Lohan
Remember, when eating a diet full of fresh, unprocessed foods, you can never go wrong.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” -Hippocrates
