Gluten Free Diet. What in the world is that?
You have just been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance. In one way you are very relieved to finally know what has been causing all of these previously mysterious symptoms. On the other hand, you do not have a clue about the food choices you will now have to make. Or should I say GET to make, because if you don’t make the necessary changes you know you are destined to go right back to those uncomfortable symptoms. Let’s take this healthy food choice adventure together and see how some new eating habits can not only help you stay symptom free but balance your immune system and start you on the road to a cleaner, more toxin free body.
To keep it simple a gluten free diet contains no Wheat (Durum, Kamut, Semolina, Spelt) Rye, Barley and Triticale. When people with a gluten intolerance eat foods that contain the allergen, gluten in this case, their body’s own immune system actually attacks the lining of the small intestine where most of the nutrients are absorbed
from digested foods. This happens because antibodies are formed by the gluten sensitive individual. These antibodies were formed to attack the gluten itself which is seen by the body as a foreign invader to be removed. The problem is, to these antibodies the lining of the small intestine “looks” like gluten. The result is the finger like projections called villi that were made to dramatically increase the absorbing area of the intestine are attacked and destroyed. When this happens the body can not absorb nutrients as efficiently setting you up for a malabsorption syndrome complete with nutrient deficiencies and gastrointestinal symptoms.
When you have a food allergy the obvious solution is to avoid the offending allergen. Let’s take a look at the foods that contain gluten: Beers and ales, breading, croutons, dressings, drugs, energy bars, flour and cereals, imitation bacon or seafood, pastas, processed lunch meats, sauces, gravies, soy sauce, soup bases, and stuffings.
In order for a food product to be labeled gluten free it must contain less than 20ppm (parts per million) gluten. There are actually several grains that are perfectly fine to eat while you are eating gluten free: Rice, corn, soy, potato, beans, quinoa, millet, buckwheat and flax. Distilled alcoholic beverages and vinegar (except malt vinegar ) are gluten free. Caution, products labeled wheat free are not always gluten free.
One sure way to have a great tasting gluten free snack which is also Organic, GMO free and Kosher is to eat an INBar everyday. INBars have only one forth the sugar of an apple with half the net carbs. An even bigger difference is three times the fiber of an apple and thirty times the protein! That’s why I say if an apple a day keeps the doctor away, an INBar a day can keep him away twice as long.