Removing gluten from your diet may seem nearly impossible, especially considering most people have no idea what gluten actually is.
It is a common assumption that people with gluten intolerance, allergy or sensitivity follow a keto diet because it completely removes carbohydrates from your diet; in fact, most gluten-free diets include carbohydrates such as bread, crackers, cereal, pasta and more.
According to nutritionist Jessica R Biesiekierski, “Gluten is the main storage protein of wheat grains. Gluten is a complex mixture of hundreds of related but distinct proteins, mainly gliadin and glutenin.”
As the general term ‘gluten’ encompasses the vast proteins that hold food together, it is often found in everyday foods beyond bread and carbs that you wouldn’t expect. Think of gluten as the glue that shapes and keeps your favourite carbohydrates together.
Although gluten intolerance is traditionally associated with Celiac Disease and Hashimoto’s Disease, there are countless individuals who have a sensitivity to gluten that go undiscovered. Some of the common symptoms of gluten sensitivity present themselves as ”bloating, flatulence, diarrhea, stomach pain, weight loss, eczema, erythema, headaches, fatigue, depression and bone and joint pain.”
As reactions to gluten are often categorized as random stomach pains or materialize as unrelated to food and internal digestion, the ill in which gluten causes within the body remains foreign to the majority of the population. If you believe that you have a sensitivity or allergy to gluten, contact your local physician to inquire about learning more about your health and body.
Whether you have been considering adjusting your lifestyle by following a gluten-free diet or simply want to discover if you have a gluten sensitivity that you were never aware of, here are some delicious foods and excellent food bloggers that can help you comfortably make this transition.
The first thing that you need to look for when shopping gluten-free is the Certified Gluten-Free label that must be present on the front of the packaging. As there are items such as Oats that are both gluten-free and include gluten, reading the labels on each new product you buy is essential. This also applies to buying ingredients to make gluten-free recipes at home; some alternative flours, such as Oat Flour, distinguish which are gluten-free.
Breakfast
Most traditional breakfast foods such as waffles, pancakes, granola and oatmeal all include gluten, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t just as delicious and satisfying options out there.
Nature Path’s Gluten-Free Waffles provide a wide range of specialty waffles and provide gluten-free and vegan options; the Pumpkin Spice, Dark Chocolate Chip and Maple Cinnamon come highly recommended.
As well, the Flourish Plant-Based Protein Pancake Mix is an undetectable substitute for regular pancakes and comes in two flavours: original and chocolate chip. Not only are you getting a high source of protein, but they are gluten-free, low in sugar and vegan.
If you enjoy a morning yogurt parfait, the Purely Elizabeth Granola Clusters has over a dozen different flavours of granola that you can buy including Coconut Cashew, Honey Peanut Butter, Blueberry Hemp and many more. Purely Elizabeth additionally provides delicious recipes on their website that you can use their products to create or replace with anything you have at home.
All three of these brands produce delicious gluten-free breakfast foods that will always leave you satisfied.
Bread & Snacks
When it comes to eating gluten-free, finding the best loaf of bread and a bag of chips is essential. Little Northern Bakehouse is not one of the most commonly known brands, but they have an array of gluten-free products including loaves, bagels, pizza crusts and buns. Not only do they offer a wide selection of products and fusions, but they have endless recipes on their website that you can follow.
Kettle Brand is a commonly known and sold brand in most grocery stores that sell gluten-free chips in a number of classic and unique flavours; they also have chips that are made with different oils, including avocado and almond.
Pasta
If you are a pasta lover, you know that the sauce is what makes the entire dish flavourful; the pasta itself simply defines the shape and weight of the meal. Barilla is a pasta brand that is sold in almost every grocery store and offers gluten-free pasta in five different forms: fettuccine, penne, rotini, elbows and spaghetti.
Another excellent gluten-free pasta brand is Taste Republic, commonly sold at Whole Foods. Taste Republic not only offers traditional gluten-free pasta, but they sell spinach and cauliflower pasta.
Completely moving away from gluten-free substitutes, Banza makes a delicious chickpea pasta that is high in fibre and protein; This company not only makes pasta but pizza crusts and rice. Like many of the other brands mentioned, Banza includes recipes on their website that you can follow to create gourmet-style gluten-free food.
Food Bloggers
Although buying gluten-free products is easy, the more difficult challenge is finding delicious gluten-free recipes that you can cook in your own home. Gluten-Free Goddess Recipes is one of the most informative food bloggers about eating gluten-free as she provides endless recipes that accommodate a number of food restrictions, a free email subscription and an eBook Cookbook.
Elena’s Pantry is another well-known food blogger who has Celiac Disease and has been creating healthy recipes for years. Her recipes are not only restricted to gluten-free eating, but she has recipes for almost every different food lifestyle you can think of, including paleo, keto, vegetarian and more. You can easily find more amazing gluten-free food bloggers on Instagram and TikTok.
You can still enjoy all of your favourite dishes and snacks even if you are following a gluten-free diet. It may take more time and effort to search for gluten-free brands and products that work and taste best for you, but the way that it can help improve your overall health is worth the work.
