More on the Gluten-free Solution

The gluten-free diet can be frustrating at first when you think of all the things you can’t eat. Most of the things off the menu may taste good, but are not particularly healthy for you anyway: beer, breads, cakes and pies, candies, cereals, cookies, French fries, processed meat and seafood, most pastas (although a number of gluten free kinds of pasta are now available), processed sauces, oats, and vegetables in sauce, and some vitamins. If you have celiac disease, you need to avoid barley, rye, triticale, and wheat.

But focusing on all the new and varied foods you CAN eat can help divert your attention and increase success. In fact, many of the foods you can eat, you probably already are.  Many healthy and appetizing foods are gluten-free by nature, including seeds, nuts, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, eggs, and beans. Be sure to select varieties of these foods that are unprocessed and contain no additives. There are also a number of grains and starches that are gluten free, allowing you to still be able to bake some of your favorite treats. These include teff, tapioca, sorghum, rice, quinoa, millet, corn, buckwheat, arrowroot, and amaranth.

1. Quinoa, a member of the grass family, has cooking properties similar to grains. Quinoa is commonly used in salads, chocolates, and protein bars.
2. Millet is a great source of protein and rich in minerals.
3. Amaranth is a seed similar to quinoa and millet. It is also a good source of proteins and can help reduce cholesterol levels.
4. Flax is a nutritional powerhouse and rich in antioxidant. Flaxseeds contain omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and proteins. It also helps in reducing “bad cholesterol”—low-density lipoproteins—and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.

A gluten-free diet requires a change in lifestyle, but it is a powerful, positive change that can have enormous impacts on your overall long-term health.  The more committed you are about avoiding gluten, the easier it will become, and the more you will enjoy the food you eat.  Eventually, you will not even miss those processed foods that used to drag you down.  Take some small steps today, and enjoy the benefits for a lifetime!