Why I’m Not “Gluten Free”
Avoiding gluten is something every one of us will benefit from, even if you are not celiac or gluten intolerant. Why?
1) Saying no to refined carbohydrates in general is one of the best strategies for managing blood sugar and resetting your metabolism. When you’re avoiding gluten, you are dodging a huge category of refined carbohydrates found in the standard American diet.
2) Avoiding wheat is a great way to avoid pesticides like glyphosate. Many countries including the US, are drenching crops with glyphosate before harvest.
3) Modern wheat is arguably much harder to digest. It’s harder to digest today than it was even 50 years ago. This is not just because we have hybridized/engineered wheat to more efficiently factory farm it, but also because we have abandoned the traditional ways of preparing this grain properly before consuming it.
If a blood sugar disrupting, difficult to digest food is then harvested with chemicals intended to “kill” things, it’s a pretty straight forward conclusion to make that such a food is going to be inflammatory to anyone eating it. Yes modern wheat bread is soft, squishy, and accepted by every American as a staple food, but’s it’s making us sick.
Gluten Free Success
There are opioid type chemicals in wheat. I’m sure this is one of the reasons why many people can get fighting mad when there is a suggestion to avoid it. I have met plenty of folks who would rather stay sick than give up an unnatural food product. However, those who are ready to say goodbye to poisonous foods often will start by substituting their daily bread with gluten free products. I have absolutely no problem with this idea, so long as it’s temporary.
When giving up any addictive substance I’ve learned it’s best to not go cold-turkey. Success comes with planning change in stages. We are going to experience freedom from addictive foods like wheat by:
1) Substituting with an upgrade first, (i.e. GF sandwich bread)
2) Modifying the use of the upgrade, while practicing a different mindset (i.e. I don’t need bread. I will use a lettuce wrap instead of bread for my sandwich.)
3) Experimenting with replacement foods that we can enjoy even without the upgrade. (i.e. I don’t need to eat a sandwich. I can eat turkey with some vegetables.)
“Gluten Free” is Not the Answer
There are plenty of problems that come with gluten free products as well. In fact there are five solid reasons I am not a fan of them.
1) Gluten free products are in some ways just as bad and as inflammatory as processed modern wheat products are! Ever noticed your gluten free products are usually not organic? Yet many gluten free grains grown in the US are treated with as much glyphosate as wheat grains are. We just aren’t talking about it.
2) Many GF flour blends come with alternative ingredients that can wreck your gut. Flours derived from night shade plants as well as industrialized crops high in lectins and phytic acids are almost impossible to avoid in this category. If you are trying to overcome an inflammatory disorder, gluten free products are likely not assisting you in this process.
3) Gluten free baked goods are still processed, refined carbohydrates. If blood sugar management is your goal, replacing bread, cereal, pasta, cookies, cakes, pizza crust, etc with gluten free versions is not going to get you anywhere with this.
4) Gluten free products will never be able to replace the taste and texture of wheat/gluten grains. The proteins and starches are different. A gluten free dough will never rise the way a wheat flour dough will. You can search the world over for the best gluten free cupcake, but constantly seeking something you are comparing to your first love will be unfulfilling. Moving on from the cupcakes in general will be transformative. A never ending search for the ideal substitute is keeping you stuck in a toxic relationship pattern with food.
5) Gluten free products are considerably more expensive than wheat products are (even organic wheat products). The cost of “health food” is a huge barrier/excuse for so many people considering dietary upgrades. Yet considering all of the other drawbacks to GF products listed here, I could argue that a diet high in GF products isn’t health food at all! Pesticide free foods will always be the upgrade that matters most to your health. Spend the money on organic and leave the pricey GF stuff at the store.
We have to accept that we just don’t need either type of refined carbohydrate. I am not celiac but do have blood sugar issues I need to keep in check. Because of this, I personally have learned that baking with organic, heirloom whole wheat flour once or twice a year is much more enjoyable and much less sabotaging than consistently putting pricey gluten free products in my shopping cart.