Gluten Free- Is it Healthy?

Gluten Free.. Everyone’s doing it. Some call it the new Atkins diet. Some Tout is as the new way to lose weight and to be Healthy. Well let me clear up a few little things..

If you are going Gluten Free to Lose weight.. well then honestly you have missed the ball completely. If you are going gluten free to create better digestion within yourself and to feel an overall lightness. To get rid of Joint/Muscle Pain Headaches, Seasonal Allergies and on.. well then we are getting closer on track.

Now here’s the real beef. When we go gluten free our common sense seems to get thrown to the wayside.  We are so hyper focused on throwing anything into our grocery cart that is labeled “Gluten Free” that we lose touch with the fact that our cart is full of WHITE rice flour products. White rice flour is the same equivalent in nutrition to regular White flour. White flour as Im sure you all know is REFINED. What does Refined mean? Anything refined has been processed and processed some more. In the case of flour- the Bran Fiber and Germ, vitamins and minerals are all stripped. You are left with a white product that will last forever on the shelves of the supermarket.. and a product with no nutritional value. A product that will do nothing for you but make you fat. Its as simple as that.

Now back to the Gluten Free.. While I am excited about the many wonderful products available on the market (and a growing amount) these days- I must note that MANY of the breads and waffles, baking mixes, cookies and snacks.. well they are made of refined Flour. Even the smartest of us that used to buy whole wheat bread will reach for that white rice flour bread and think nothing of it. I did. I made this silly assumption that I could eat giant servings of Gluten Free Pasta because I didn’t turn into a blimp anymore after dinner.

So here’s the deal- Bring back that common sense that has been instilled in you. Put more emphasis on Brown rice, On the Whole Grain Gluten free Pastas. More Importantly EAT YOUR VEGGIES! Eat your nuts and seeds, Beans and lean meats (if that’s what you dig) and TAKE IT EASY on the sugar. Treat the Gluten Free Cookies and Desserts just like (hopefully) you did before.. Only eaten on special occasion. Think moderation.

There is one MAJOR health perk at this point to the Gluten Free Lifestyle.. when you go out to eat you will notice that you are not able to order the Chicken Alfredo , or a Giant cheese Pizza. You are more often restricted to Vegetable and Meat Dishes. And Of course finding a Gluten and Dairy Free Dessert at a Restaurant is a rare thing. By nature avoiding the unhealthy Carbs will help loosen your pants.  But this will change- Restaurants everywhere will have Gluten Free Menus. So on that awesome day that you sit down and order a Gluten Free Pizza- Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are on a diet

So Is Gluten Free Healthy? That’s up to you! It can be as Healthy as you want it to be. Or you Can stuff your face with “white” bread and wonder why you cant seem to lose any weight. Take advantage of the energy that you may gain from going Gluten Free and head over to the gym and work out a little longer!

As always- best to each of you in your personal journeys!

Brittany