Goodbye Gluten, The Flourless Facts

Presently, there are an abundance of resources condemning gluten and threatening readers that they may have celiac disease. In actuality, only 1% of the U.S. population has the disease according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Further, in the U.S. and Europe that percentage is estimated between .5-1.26% according to Medscape.

However, it is possible to have a gluten sensitivity where your body cannot digest gluten properly. Basically, the digestive enzymes in your body are not able to break down proteins found in the likes of wheat, rye, or barley.  You’ve probably heard of gluten as inflammatory, which creates an immune response to the proteins in the intestines during absorption. –Harvard Health Publications

A good way to self-test for celiac disease is an elimination diet, where you avoid all gluten for a month, then give your favorite bread or pasta a try and see how your body responds. If you choose to go gluten-free, it is important to not completely cut out all carbohydrates from your diet. A few non-gluten carb sources are oats, fruit (dried fruit included), sweet potatoes, and other starchy vegetables such as corn and peas.

After the elimination test, if digestive issues are still present, the cause may be the group of foods called FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols). Like gluten, these foods can also cause absorption problems. Examples of foods to minimize consumption of are honey, high fructose corn syrup, garlic, onions, rye, barley, milk, cheese, beans, lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, apricots, apples, and avocados. –Shepherdworks

At this point you may be thinking, “What can I eat?” Do not fret, as there are a number of ways to figure out what’s best for you. Everyone reacts differently to certain foods and developing allergies later in life is quite possible. A quick method to see what food your body prefers is a blood test that looks at your reactivity levels to certain foods. A good starting point is a 150-item panel that tests a variety of foods from each food group and even common chemicals used in food production. This test can set you back about $500, so eliminating food items yourself and keeping a food journal is another option. Also be cognizant of the combination of food groups consumed for each meal (fruits, grains, proteins, vegetables). For example, consuming fruit with protein in one sitting may be more irritable than eating fruit solo for a snack. Once you determine what food your body prefers, it can be interesting to note that some foods you’ve always disliked are on your bad list, and even some of your favorites can unfortunately wind up there as well. Best of luck on your path of discovery even if you’re required to say goodbye gluten or other favorite foods. Hello healthy is just around the corner. 

-Stephanie Krubsack