Everyone has problems. Apparently, some people’s problem is gluten. I was talking to a friend that was SUPER excited to tell me about this SUPER HEALTHY cereal they had eaten and I just HAD to try it.
“OMG CAROLYN, it is SO healthy. It’s vegan and it has nuts and no trans fat and no soy AND it’s gluten-free!” (We’ll get to the demonization of soy in a future post).
I am use to hearing stuff like this now, but at the time, I wasn’t sure how to process what I was hearing. Gluten-free; I had started to see it more often, but I still wasn’t 100% sure why gluten was “bad.”
Shouldn’t people only avoid gluten if they’re allergic? I thought to myself. So I asked, “What’s wrong with gluten?”
“…I don’t know… It’s just not good for you.”
Looking back on this situation annoys me, not because of my friend, but because people just need to stop and think about why they do the things they do. Problems stem from people being incapable of thinking for themselves... Which leads to bad decision making. This is really unfortunate, but the norm for today’s society.
Gluten, found in its natural sources, is not bad for you, unless you have Celiac’s disease.
What is Celiac’s disease? It is an inherited condition that damages the lining of the small intestine. This damage is due to a reaction from eating gluten. It causes malabsorption of vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fats and other important nutrients. Your body can't function properly without these. (Who knew your body couldn’t function properly without carbs?!).
Gluten is a plant protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.
Gluten is found in a wide variety of food. It is used as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners. If you see any of the following in the ingredients list: flour, self-rising flour, enriched flour, graham flour, durum flour, gluten four, food starch or modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), or malt or malt flavorings, there is most likely gluten in those products, and depending on your sensitivity to gluten, you may have a reaction… IF YOU HAVE CELIAC’S DISEASE.
I met a young man who had Celiac’s disease, and I had a great time talking to him about what he eats. Gluten is found in a lot of things, and it takes a lot of hard work to avoid it. Having Celiac’s Disease is not easy.
On the other hand, I’ve met a couple of people who have not been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease, but claim to “feel better” when they avoid gluten. Okay, first of all, there is nothing wrong with this. If avoiding gluten makes you “feel better” go for it. The last thing I want is someone in agony because they had a wheat flake in their cereal. But let me say this, sugar pills make people feel better all the time.
Anyway, what I take issue with is when people say gluten is legitimately bad for you. Here’s why:
Gluten is found in whole grains, and it is going to take an infinite amount of research to prove to me that something found in a natural whole grain is bad for you. Have we not learned anything from history? First, there was the prohibition of fat, but now there are HEALTHY fats. Then there was the carb crusade, but oops, only the simple carbs from processed foods are bad for you. Not to mention for the longest time, people thought being a vegetarian was unhealthy… and surprise, surprise, they were wrong.
Perhaps we should take a look at commonly eaten foods that contain gluten:
Breaded foods, breads, bagels, croissants, buns, cakes, donuts, and pies, most cereals, cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, sausage, crackers and many snacks bought at the store, such as potato chips and tortilla chips, gravy, pancakes, waffles, pasta and pizza, most soups, stuffing, beer, some candies, communion breads, croutons, marinades, sauces, soy and teriyaki sauces, some salad dressings, self-basting turkey, and many more…
Is it just me… or did I just list off a BUNCH of junk food. That’s crazy how when people avoid eating gluten… they feel better.
What does a gluten-free diet look like?
You’re gonna be eating a lot of grains like rice, corn, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat; as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Any processed foods you’re going to be eating are going to be made from whole grains, and when you go out to eat, you’ll be limited to only the healthiest foods.
Hmm… I wonder what it is about avoiding gluten that makes people feel good… Could it perchance be the fact that they CANNOT eat processed fatty foods, but instead eat “special” WHOLE grains like quinoa and amaranth as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts?
No, no, no! It’s not that at all! It’s definitely because they are avoiding Satan reincarnated in gluten form.
As I’ve stated before, gluten is found in a lot of food. I highly doubt that it is optimal for anyone to eat that much gluten. I always say getting a variety is the key to optimal health. If wheat is your ONLY source of grain, switch it up with some rice, buckwheat, corn, or quinoa.
Moral of the story? Americans probably do get too much gluten and from the worst sources. Lower your processed food intake and everyone will feel better. That is all for today.
If you’re concerned that you may have Celiac’s Disease, check out these websites:
www.celiac.org
www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/index.htm
“OMG CAROLYN, it is SO healthy. It’s vegan and it has nuts and no trans fat and no soy AND it’s gluten-free!” (We’ll get to the demonization of soy in a future post).
I am use to hearing stuff like this now, but at the time, I wasn’t sure how to process what I was hearing. Gluten-free; I had started to see it more often, but I still wasn’t 100% sure why gluten was “bad.”
Shouldn’t people only avoid gluten if they’re allergic? I thought to myself. So I asked, “What’s wrong with gluten?”
“…I don’t know… It’s just not good for you.”
Looking back on this situation annoys me, not because of my friend, but because people just need to stop and think about why they do the things they do. Problems stem from people being incapable of thinking for themselves... Which leads to bad decision making. This is really unfortunate, but the norm for today’s society.
Gluten, found in its natural sources, is not bad for you, unless you have Celiac’s disease.
What is Celiac’s disease? It is an inherited condition that damages the lining of the small intestine. This damage is due to a reaction from eating gluten. It causes malabsorption of vitamins, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, fats and other important nutrients. Your body can't function properly without these. (Who knew your body couldn’t function properly without carbs?!).
Gluten is a plant protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.
Gluten is found in a wide variety of food. It is used as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners. If you see any of the following in the ingredients list: flour, self-rising flour, enriched flour, graham flour, durum flour, gluten four, food starch or modified food starch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), or malt or malt flavorings, there is most likely gluten in those products, and depending on your sensitivity to gluten, you may have a reaction… IF YOU HAVE CELIAC’S DISEASE.
I met a young man who had Celiac’s disease, and I had a great time talking to him about what he eats. Gluten is found in a lot of things, and it takes a lot of hard work to avoid it. Having Celiac’s Disease is not easy.
On the other hand, I’ve met a couple of people who have not been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease, but claim to “feel better” when they avoid gluten. Okay, first of all, there is nothing wrong with this. If avoiding gluten makes you “feel better” go for it. The last thing I want is someone in agony because they had a wheat flake in their cereal. But let me say this, sugar pills make people feel better all the time.
Anyway, what I take issue with is when people say gluten is legitimately bad for you. Here’s why:
Gluten is found in whole grains, and it is going to take an infinite amount of research to prove to me that something found in a natural whole grain is bad for you. Have we not learned anything from history? First, there was the prohibition of fat, but now there are HEALTHY fats. Then there was the carb crusade, but oops, only the simple carbs from processed foods are bad for you. Not to mention for the longest time, people thought being a vegetarian was unhealthy… and surprise, surprise, they were wrong.
Perhaps we should take a look at commonly eaten foods that contain gluten:
Breaded foods, breads, bagels, croissants, buns, cakes, donuts, and pies, most cereals, cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, sausage, crackers and many snacks bought at the store, such as potato chips and tortilla chips, gravy, pancakes, waffles, pasta and pizza, most soups, stuffing, beer, some candies, communion breads, croutons, marinades, sauces, soy and teriyaki sauces, some salad dressings, self-basting turkey, and many more…
Is it just me… or did I just list off a BUNCH of junk food. That’s crazy how when people avoid eating gluten… they feel better.
What does a gluten-free diet look like?
You’re gonna be eating a lot of grains like rice, corn, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat; as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. Any processed foods you’re going to be eating are going to be made from whole grains, and when you go out to eat, you’ll be limited to only the healthiest foods.
Hmm… I wonder what it is about avoiding gluten that makes people feel good… Could it perchance be the fact that they CANNOT eat processed fatty foods, but instead eat “special” WHOLE grains like quinoa and amaranth as well as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts?
No, no, no! It’s not that at all! It’s definitely because they are avoiding Satan reincarnated in gluten form.
As I’ve stated before, gluten is found in a lot of food. I highly doubt that it is optimal for anyone to eat that much gluten. I always say getting a variety is the key to optimal health. If wheat is your ONLY source of grain, switch it up with some rice, buckwheat, corn, or quinoa.
Moral of the story? Americans probably do get too much gluten and from the worst sources. Lower your processed food intake and everyone will feel better. That is all for today.
If you’re concerned that you may have Celiac’s Disease, check out these websites:
www.celiac.org
www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/index.htm
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