Let the battle begin!
Greetings Glutards! So it's been just about two months since I found out I have Celiac Disease and had to give up my favorite carbs cold turkey. I've had a lot of questions from people about what being on a gluten free diet is like. What are the advantages? Do you lose weight? Should I do a gluten free diet too? Why is gluten so evil? Is a gluten free diet healthy?
Well I figured I would answer your questions by weighing the pros and cons of being a glutard. Let’s get started…
The Pros:
- Let’s start with the obvious. If you have Celiac or a gluten sensitivity, going gluten free will help halt or reverse the damage to your intestinal tract.
- When there’s a bad snow storm coming and everyone is raiding the store for bread, you can just stand back and laugh at the carnage.
- Some people lose weight. It’s worked great for me. I’ve lost 2 whole pounds since October…
- Going gluten free makes your smarter! True story. You learn about fun things like quinoa. What is quinoa? Well, It’s a quality grain and your new best friend.
- You’re stomach doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode every 30 minutes, cutting down on those embarrassing races to the little boys room.
- Generally, you eat healthier. By going gluten free, you tend to eat less process foods and learn to read labels closely to really understand what’s in your foods.
- And finally, beer farts become a thing of the past…
The Cons:
- Look out for WEIGHT GAIN! Specialized gluten free products often contain higher levels of fats and sugars. Gluten free is not a “magical” cure-all diet, honey.
- Italian bistros become your personal hell. No more romantic dates at the Olive Garden for you.
- NOT ALL CARBS HAVE GLUTEN! A lot of people suffer from nutritional deficiencies from low carb intake and lack of education about the diet.
- You really crave sandwiches. Especially when you live a city that is built around an iconic sandwich. Did you know that Benjamin Franklin used to sign all of his important documents with Cheese Wiz?
- Your diet may be lacking in fiber. We all need nature’s broom. Gluten free diets can be lacking this vital component since it eliminates most of the traditional fiber sources.
- You have to resign yourself to the fact that you will never again have good pizza. I’m still mourning the loss of the Fra Diavolo pizza from La Fourno.
- Avoiding gluten is hard! Staying away from gluten is like trying to avoid all of the stupid f*cking memes that everyone posts on Facebook. They are everywhere and they are pointless.
- Gluten free is not cheap, girl. Since gluten free products are marketed as a specialty food, they can be really expensive compared to their gluten counterparts. I spent $20 at Whole Foods just on bread cubes to make stuffing for Thanksgiving. Blue Cross should cover that sh*t. Can I get a prescription for a nice gluten free baguette, please?
Let’s Wrap it Up: Basically, if you need to get gluten free due to Celiac or another gluten sensitivity, consult your doctor and educate yourself on how to do it right. Also, gluten is not some evil chemical being added to everything your put into your mouth. It’s natural. So if you don’t have any medical problems with gluten, don’t let fad diets and late night Google searches scare you into the gluten free void. Just do your homework and enjoy everything in moderation.
So what do you think guys? Does this help ya’ll with your questions about this exciting diet? What questions can I answer for ya next week? What would you like to see me cook? What should I try/review? Where is this relationship going? Stop… you’re smothering me…
But seriously, leave me comments below or on the That’s Glutarded Facebook page and let me know what you want to see! I love feedback. It’s all about you
Glutardedly Yours,
~Tim
