Anyone gluten free?
Options
maddiestamp04
Posts: 3 Member
Hi!
I have decided to go gluten free, and i was wondering if there were any others that ate gluten free too! What are your favorite gluten free foods, and what are your tips?
I have decided to go gluten free, and i was wondering if there were any others that ate gluten free too! What are your favorite gluten free foods, and what are your tips?
0
Replies
-
I am. Having discovered the problem through being on this diet. When I cut out gluten, I felt better. When I added it back in, like a single slice of bread, wow, did I have a problem. I am also lactose intolerant. Although I am experimenting to see if my 30 year lactose problem has been gluten all along. But for now, I have a problem with both gluten and lactose.
IMO, I would not go gluten free unless you know you have an intolerance or allergy. It isn't necessary and if you choose to eat that way, you may train your gut not to manage it well and be unable to reintroduce it easily. But I am not an expert. The last thing you want is a seriously restricted diet. It makes being a guest and eating out very difficult.
I really do not buy gluten free products because they are expensive, and often have lactose or sugar and do not taste great. I simply do not eat breads, crackers, cereals, pasta etc. I have found that a slice of "The Big 16" fits into a low carb diet once in awhile and doesn't overly upset my stomach. I don't think it is strictly gluten free but maybe it is the amount of fiber that mutes the gluten reaction for me. Glutano is another brand but did not taste as good.
On low carb, I find gluten free is easy because wheat starches are avoided or substituted with other flours. The sticking point for being crackers but there are substitutes for them too (like cheese crackers or celery sticks).
My nephew is gluten intolerant and he likes "only oats" as a gluten free breakfast choice if you like oatmeal but again, he generally simply restricts his diet to avoid gluten. There are non gluten cold cereal like rice chex but on low carb, I find it isn't worth the carb count. I would rather eat veggies for my carbs. Gluten is in a huge variety of packaged products which we just don't eat. Glutano seems to be the biggest supplier of gluten free and it is available in health stores and some regular stores here. Normally, they taste OK, not great, but OK.
I hope that helps.3 -
maddiestamp04 wrote: »Hi!
I have decided to go gluten free, and i was wondering if there were any others that ate gluten free too! What are your favorite gluten free foods, and what are your tips?
I am! Most of us that are keto levels (or even slightly higher) are pretty much gluten free by default, because the very low levels don't really allow for grains in general.
My biggest recommendation is to not do the "gluten free!" foods -- or what I like to call "fake-wheat." They're generally disappointing, and the starch/sugar content will still get you. So, my favorite gluten free foods are ones that are gluten free by nature -- meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. Try a lettuce wrapped burger and you'll likely never go back, as you realize that it's so much more flavorful without the bun sucking it all up.IMO, I would not go gluten free unless you know you have an intolerance or allergy. It isn't necessary and if you choose to eat that way, you may train your gut not to manage it well and be unable to reintroduce it easily. But I am not an expert.
I whole-heartedly disagree with this. First of all, since a great many problems with gluten or grains are non-specific (ie - not even all Celiacs get the stomach issues commonly associated with gluten intolerance), the only way to determine if it's the cause is to cut it out for a month or more. (I kid you not, the Celiac foundation is excited to be able to diagnose even half of the people who have Celiac...3 years from now; as it stands, only 17% of people who have Celiac have been properly diagnosed.)
Cutting it out doesn't really "train your gut not to manage it well," but rather allows your body to not have to fight it all the time. Just as we adapt to the constant presence of certain sounds or smells, so does out body adapt to certain not-so-great foods. When we take it away for a while, we again become very aware of it, even if the input, itself, has not changed.The last thing you want is a seriously restricted diet. It makes being a guest and eating out very difficult.
Gluten free isn't restrictive at all. Oh noes! I can't have sugary cereal, or oatmeal that spikes my blood sugar and makes me hungry again in an hour or two, anymore. Oh, but wait! I can have bacon and eggs and steak and salad and avocado and chocolate and all these other wonderful, flavorful, rich foods.
It's all about mindset. If you convince yourself that you're restricted, then you're going to feel restricted.
Eating out, generally speaking, is not difficult at all. When in doubt, get a salad (sans croutons) with a grilled meat on top, and an oil or cream based dressing. Most places have a gluten free/friendly menu now, and the rest will usually make tweaks to a dish (when possible).
The worst time I've ever had is at family's houses, particularly my mom's, because her place is a grain-filled, low-fat minefield. Literally 95% of the food in her house is low fat and/or wheat-based. She often also suggests certain foods and I have to constantly remind her that there's wheat in it. The solution is pretty simple, though -- take my own stuff, since going to her house is guaranteed to be a multi-day endeavor. Being a guest for a shorter period of time (like a single meal), though? Just politely mention that you can't eat wheat, and suggest an alternative dish if necessary, or just opt out of the grain-based part of the meal. Most people are pretty understanding.4 -
Thanks @Dragonwolf for a different view. I have obviously be fed a load of *kitten*. What you describe as the 3 month trial was exactly what happened to me when I went low carb. Gluten was gone and when I introduced them back, I ended up with a real surprise. I was told by a nurse in my doctor's office, the load of *kitten* about 'training my gut'.
I keep experimenting because there is gluten intolerance in the family and I then got tested and it is there. Not celiac just intolerant.
I do find restaurants fairly easy. There is always something without gluten and without cheese. (Unless it is those mid range chains of Italian!) However, I do find people have trouble understanding when I am a guest. Family is in the same boat but many of our friends just don't get it. Also with a diabetic husband, and lactose and gluten free, their minds just blank on what to serve. They don't understand that I have happy to eat around the problem or not eat and just enjoy the company.
I do however find alot of the gluten free products expensive, sometimes high sugar and just not worth it.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »(...)
I am! Most of us that are keto levels (or even slightly higher) are pretty much gluten free by default, because the very low levels don't really allow for grains in general.
My biggest recommendation is to not do the "gluten free!" foods -- or what I like to call "fake-wheat." They're generally disappointing, and the starch/sugar content will still get you. So, my favorite gluten free foods are ones that are gluten free by nature -- meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, etc. Try a lettuce wrapped burger and you'll likely never go back, as you realize that it's so much more flavorful without the bun sucking it all up.
(...)
^^ This! ^^ @Dragonwolf explains everything perfectly, as always.
It is not difficult to go gluten free, it's just that most of us are addicted to the carbs in those gluten rich foods so we may feel deprived for a while. But you'll likely feel so much better once you remove gluten that you'll soon lose the wish to eat carbage. Best of luck!
::flowerforyou::1 -
My favorite gluten free foods are bacon and eggs.
I'm gluten free simply because I never eat anything with any grains at all in it.4 -
My diet consists of meat, veggies and dairy. There's no gluten in my life. I don't have any digestive problems with it, I just can't process all the carbs that come along with it as I have T2 diabetes.
I have scrambled eggs or an omelette for breakfast, salads with meat and cheese for lunch and meat and veg for dinner. My favs are taco salads, bunless burgers topped with bacon and avocado, sausages with peppers and pizza bowls (mince meat with tomato sauce, mushrooms, onions, peppers and shredded cheese).
I don't do any of the fake foods or low carb substitutions, i.e. fathead pizza, cloud bread, mug cakes, etc. A- I'm too lazy to bake, B- I'd probably eat all of it at once and C- it would just get me craving the real thing all over again and make me mental.1 -
I'm gluten free too. I'm a celiac so I need to be pretty strict. I rarely eat out because I find the chances of ending up sick for a few weeks is too big of a risk to take. Those who do not have a gluten sensitivity often are fine in restaurants with food that may be cross contaminated - like a crouton fell into a salad and they picked it out.
Going low carb was not a huge change for me because I already avoided most grains and did my cooking with coconut flour and flax meal already.
Gluten free substitute (refined and processed) foods really aren't that great. They texture and taste is a bit wrong, and the flours are inferior to wheat flour - usually higher in starch and aren't fortified with anything. Skipping those foods are usually best. Eat the burger without the bun. Use a lettuce wrap instead of a tortilla. Stuff like that.
If you want to be 100% GF, my advice is read labels. Gluten is in unexpected spots like boullion, soy sauce, worchestershire and BBQ sauces, and even some soaps, lotions and shampoos may have gluten (like Aveeno). Also, most of your baking suppilies could be cross contaminated by a double dipped measuring spoon from the flour to the sugar, or bread crumbs in the nut butters. Toasters, some cutting boards, rolling pins and sifters often need to be replaced too. Even scatched up pans that could retain traces of gluten.
But, if you are just cutting back, ignore that last paragraph. 2 -
Steak.maddiestamp04 wrote: »What are your favorite gluten free foods?
Remember that gluten-free junk food is still junk food. The fillers and alternative flours (nut flours, soy products, etc) often are gut irritants, too. Stick with meat, veggies, eggs, etc for the majority of your diet. Keep processed gluten-free foods as a treat.maddiestamp04 wrote: »What are your tips?1 -
I am gluten free to deal with my fibromyalgia (works like a charm - got rid of IBS, most joint aches, fatigue, headache, tinnitus, asthma - except from reaction to smoke)
I second dragonwolf and nvmomketo (also celiac, although I had been seriously GF for 4 yrs before testing showed inconclusive results - if you are inconclusive after 4 yrs of being strict, it's Celiac alright, lol).
Most GF substitutes are so very not worth it especially if you are LC. Once in a while I like a piece of toasted Glutino cheese bread. All GF breads need to be toasted to hold together properly if you are putting anything on them. I also like Mary's Crackers (seeds & nuts) but they are also quite high in carbs too and super expensive. Those and organic blue corn tortilla chips - too much carb and also a favorite if I go off the rails, lol.
Label reading is a huge chore BUT VERY IMPORTANT - do not just assume something is safe - this goes for ice creams, dressings, sauces, & even cosmetics like lipsticks and shampoos or skin creams with wheat/contaminated oat protein, as we can absorb through our skin (example: nicotine patch).1 -
I too am gluten free - grain free totally, egg free, lactose free...I eat meat and fat with salt. I am doing to heal my gut. It's just been a couple of weeks so far but I am feeling much better. I may add eggs back in after a while. I tried non gluten grains in the past and felt very bloated.1
-
I guess I can say I am gluten free as well. I do not eat bread, crackers, pasta, and I even found myself passing up the soy sauce because it had wheat in it. I am not sure if I am gluten intolerant as I have not been tested, but since going keto and getting rid of the carbs (except what's in veggies) aches and pains, headaches, and bg spikes are gone. And my tummy doesn't feel all bloated and heavy.2
-
Other than not eating the obvious - crackers, breads, pasta, cookies, cakes, pies (or their keto adaptation), I don't eat gluten. I've never read a label to determine wheat, soy etc. I just look at carbs and sugars. I use soy sauce and other things that have gluten.0
-
I have been GF for two years now due to gluten intolerance and IBS. LCHF makes it a lot easier. I don't buy much GF products apart from soya sauce etc as they are expensive and not all that tasty. I prefer to cook from scratch.
Since going GF my foggy brain is gone, no more bloating, no painful bones, the constant nausea has dissapeared together with the headaches.
However, when I accidentally have gluten, all my symptoms comes back with a vengeance. I am known to hug the bathroom for days. So if you need GF for health reasons, go for it. If not, you might find yourself struggle to reintroduce it later on.1 -
Being gluten free helps quite a bit with my joint and fibro pain and helps keep the carbs low, as well as the tummy calm. I ran across this article about gluten this morning and thought it was interesting....
http://expand-your-consciousness.com/maybe-arent-gluten-intolerant-maybe-youre-just-poison-intolerant/?t=HHL1 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »
Gluten free isn't restrictive at all. Oh noes! I can't have sugary cereal, or oatmeal that spikes my blood sugar and makes me hungry again in an hour or two, anymore. Oh, but wait! I can have bacon and eggs and steak and salad and avocado and chocolate and all these other wonderful, flavorful, rich foods.
It's all about mindset. If you convince yourself that you're restricted, then you're going to feel restricted.
LOL, that's like saying to your kid you'll buy them any new car they want, but it has to be a GM car....but don't worry there's tons of really great options in GM, you won't be missing out on anything.
I would reverse your statement...'If you convince yourself you're NOT restrictred, then you're not going to feel restricted"...that's a fair statement, but yours by virtue of the fact that you are restricting food from your diet is restrictive
0 -
I don't feel my diet is generally restrictive. Not because I have convinced myself that it is not restrictive but because it makes me symptom free and I really enjoy what I eat. The only thing I find restrictive is eating out. I guess the difference is I never chose to go GF, I was forced into it. I can choose to feel ill or I can choose to feel healthy. The choice was an easy one for me and I think I therefore do not feel it is restrictive even though there is a large variety of products I cannot eat without feeling ill.
If anything, LCHF is restrictive but it was a choice I decided to take after researching it.1 -
Ive been gluten free for so long I'd forgotten I was lol, I use nut flours, cashew almond coconut even banana, I dont buy specific gf stuff I pretty much make all my own food from scratch, if you are buying store bought check labels, gluten is added to so many things, yeah went gf years ago diagnosed with ulcerative colitus, polyps and flat illiums in bowel due to bread, so celiacs but not to sure about that as I dont think I was sick enough maybe just sensitive, so yeah I dont even think about it now. At that time storebought gf free foods weren't really available either.0
-
Two years ago I cut out sugar and all forums of all hoping to manage my joint and muscle pain. It did that and much much more to make life better. By default I have been gluten free for two years and plan to stay that way for 45 years.
2 -
Wheat gives me migraines, so I'm gluten-free...mostly I just eat non-bread type stuff, but I do enjoy the occasional replacement treat...my favorite bread is Udi's...Costco has a gluten-free thin crust frozen cheese pizza that is delicious...the tinkyada pastas are my favorite (brown rice pasta, yum)...and Martin's has a generic gluten free shells and cheese that tastes just like velveeta version...
I avoid the Amy's shells and cheese, it claims to be gluten-free but still gives me a raging migraine, so I don't think it's as gluten free as advertised, I pretty much avoid all the Amy's brand stuff as a result, I just don't trust it. Amy's makes organic stuff in addition to the gluten free stuff, so I don't know if it's cross contamination in the factory or sloppy labeling, but to me it's not worth the agony.
When looking at labels, I just look for the allergy warning and see if it has wheat listed - some of the wheat byproducts are such bizarre names that just reading the ingredients doesn't really identify it as a product with wheat in it.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »
Gluten free isn't restrictive at all. Oh noes! I can't have sugary cereal, or oatmeal that spikes my blood sugar and makes me hungry again in an hour or two, anymore. Oh, but wait! I can have bacon and eggs and steak and salad and avocado and chocolate and all these other wonderful, flavorful, rich foods.
It's all about mindset. If you convince yourself that you're restricted, then you're going to feel restricted.
LOL, that's like saying to your kid you'll buy them any new car they want, but it has to be a GM car....but don't worry there's tons of really great options in GM, you won't be missing out on anything.
I would reverse your statement...'If you convince yourself you're NOT restrictred, then you're not going to feel restricted"...that's a fair statement, but yours by virtue of the fact that you are restricting food from your diet is restrictive
Personally, I find constant headaches, cluster headaches, migraines, joint pain, and memory/concentration issues far more restrictive than being gluten free, so I don't find it "overly restrictive" in the meaning that was intended by the person to which I responded. For me, it would be like saying that I'm "missing out" by choosing to not get hit by a bus every day.3
