Gluten free eating has gained a lot of traction over the past few years. You don’t have to be Celiac or have gluten allergies to benefit from gluten-free meals. For those with these conditions, gluten-free living is super important. For the rest of us, gluten-free can still be more beneficial than you might realize. The wheat we eat today is vastly different than that of our great-grandparents, and many of our health struggles could be due to this. Symptoms like bloating, frequent diarrhea or constipation, headaches, joint pain, ongoing tiredness/fatigue, and brain fog are common indicators that gluten may be causing problems. Further more, issues like anxiety or depression, autoimmune conditions, neuropathy, cognitive decline, and iron-deficiency or anemia could be flared or enhanced by the presence of gluten in our diet.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or struggles, eliminating gluten from your diet could be highly beneficial. The obvious offenders include items like breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, pasta, noodles, and so forth — products made primarily of flour. However, gluten lurks in places you may not expect to find it. Reading the labels of all food products you purchase will be an important step in identifying and avoiding sources of gluten. Here are 3 places you may not suspect, but may be surprised to find gluten hiding:
- Spices. Double check your spice cabinet to insure that gluten {or other undesirables like sugar or preservatives!} aren’t lurking in what should be an innocent seasoning.
- Salad dressings, condiments or sauces. Often times flour is used as a thickener in these type of products, so be on the lookout. Between gluten, sugar, and inflammatory oils potentially in the ingredient list, these enhancements can take an otherwise healthy meal {like salad or grilled meat} and turn them side ways without us even realizing it.
- Soup. Whether restaurant prepared, made with love in a home kitchen, or store-bought in a can, many soup recipes use flour to thicken the texture.
These are just a few of the many places gluten can hide. For those with gluten-allergies or Celiac disease, avoiding gluten at all costs and from all sources, including medications, supplements, makeup, and cross-contamination is vital.
If you are looking to reduce your gluten consumption or already live a gluten-free lifestyle, I have compiled 5 of my naturally gluten-free recipes the whole family will love. You can download my Gluten-Free Made Easy recipe booklet for free. Give these recipes a try for yourself, and also share this article with someone you know that is gluten-free or may benefit from this information.
