For the last three months I have experimented eating gluten free. At first I thought it would just be a fun challenge, but as time went along I found myself really not missing much.
Now it’s not to say I haven’t had any gluten at all, there were a few occasions when I had regular pizza crust and once when I had a few bites of pasta and one regular cookie. Overall though, day to day meals and snacks have been gluten free.
I personally have never had a problem ingesting gluten and now that I have tried not eating it for a few months I don’t necessarily feel any different physically. With that being said, it’s still been a very positive experience. Here are 4 of the main benefits I’ve noticed while eating gluten free:
1. I find myself checking the label of every single food item. As a Dietitian, I’ve always been a label reader, but once I started having multiple kids and less time to shop and peruse the labels. I got into the habit of grabbing stuff I figured was healthy. Now I am back to analyzing the labels. Luckily I tend to buy the same stuff over and over now and packaged foods is fairly limited in our house so it’s not too time consuming while shopping. It’s amazing how many products contain wheat flour.
2. I have cut back on nonnutritive snacks, for example the kids cheese crackers! I find myself ONLY having snacks that fill in the gap with my nutrition goals- maybe some protein like a small bowl of nuts or a hard-boiled egg, maybe an apple or homemade chocolate chip cookie ball. Gluten free eating equals a lot less grazing for me.
3. I have experimented with more products and recipes. I’ve found new ways to enjoy potatoes, I’ve tried some gluten free pastas that are great and discovered some favorite snack foods like seed crackers and dried fruit crisps. The kids have discovered that they like Udi’s bagels rather than the “regular” wheat based bagels they used to eat (topped with cream cheese and a hard boiled egg below).
4. I have increased my vegetable consumption. Whenever you eliminate certain foods you often look for a way to replace them with other items. I am definitely still eating carbohydrates, but have found myself eating somewhat smaller portions and increasing the vegetables.
Overall I have enjoyed the experience and like my new way of eating. I plan to continue experimenting and trying new things.
Learn more about living gluten free! Visit http://udisglutenfree.com/community
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Udi’s Gluten Free. The opinions and text are all mine.
Roasted Tomato Salsa
Easy Vegetable Soup
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Skillet
Baked Chicken Tacos
I’ve gone gluten free, soy free, and sugar free for 30 days. I’m actually not finding it as difficult as I thought it would be!
Divya @ Eat. Teach. Blog. recently posted..An [Almost] Silent Sunday in Salinas
Ive done my own little gluten free experimenting. I can’t say I noticed a huge physical difference but like you, it introduced me to new snacking and meal ideas. That’s always a good thing!
Angela @ Happy Fit Mama recently posted..A Healthy Gut with Florastor Probiotics
I think that the best way to control the ingredients in your food is to make them yourself. That way, you get to control what’s in your food, how it tastes and how nutritious it is. It could be time consuming at first, but it pays off a lot more than having a quick meal that contains empty calories. -Alice
FOR ME IT HAS BEEN A LIFE CHANGER!
20 years long and Im never going back 🙂
Carla recently posted..Three ways I’m Miss. Piggy’s doppelgänger.
I try to cut back as well, mostly because (as you said) it eliminates so much of the processed junk and forces me to look to real food for snacks. And I agree, isn’t it crazy how almost everything processed is wheat-based?!
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast recently posted..29 weeks + What does a 2nd baby need?
Yes, they truly sneak it in everything!
I tried gluten free for about three weeks a year ago. Like you, I don’t have problems with gluten, but it was suggested by a nutritionist as a possible help for my migraines. It didn’t seem to make a difference, and gluten free and vegan is quite a challenge, so I went back to eating my normal way. I like that being gluten free made you read labels even more closely. That is always a good thing!
Debbie @ Live from La Quinta recently posted..Best Words Ever: It’s Taper Time!
It is challenging. I started off trying to eat mostly vegetarian, but I found if I was avoiding all wheat products plus animal protein it was much more restricting. Plus breastfeeding and having such a hectic schedule with the kiddos caused me to cave a little. I have a friend who is vegan, gluten free and also has allergies to soy and corn so I think of her often when I struggle!
I have been gluten free for at least 12 years at this point. Even before going gluten free though, I have always been interested in the ingredients labels. I like to know what’s going in my body, it’s so interesting to see whether or not it helps me function at my best!!
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted..Exclusive Invite to the Party of the Summer
I’ve gone gluten/wheat/dairy/soy-free when I was breastfeeding my oldest (and I’m nut-free as it is). After the initial panic of “what in the world am I going to eat??” it really wasn’t that bad and easy to adapt. Like you said, I found that I ate more veggies and fruit and I didn’t eat so much junk! Since then, I’ve experimented a little here and there. It’s interesting to hear your story and experience.
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf recently posted..Trust the process / The journey is hard
Are you allergic to nuts? Or don’t like them? Did not know that and yes, any restrictions just take time getting used to them.
I started going gluten free early in the year after having ongoing stomach issues and having no luck. I discovered the FODMAP diet online and decided to try it. Life changing. It certainly is not always easy (read: when someone brings carrot cake to the break room), but I have awesome family members who are more conscientious of my diet than I could imagine. There are also a lot of great alternatives. Udi’s bagels are definitely better than regular!
Amy recently posted..How We Keep Our Diets on Track All Week
So glad to hear the low FODMAP diet has helped! It’s a bit harder to understand, but I am sure by now you’ve found some good print-outs.
What a great reflection! I have been gluten free for about a month now. I have always had terrible stomach issues that I always assumed was some kind of IBS and was worse with all the stress of school. Recently my hormones have been off and WAY off. Some of them almost undetectable. I started doing research and came across the idea of a non-celiac gluten intolerance. I read for hours how a gluten intolerance can cause hormonal issues too. I decided to try it out just to say. I have not been back to the doctor to get my levels tested, but for the most part I feel better. I had gluten this weekend and my constant headaches came right back, so for now I think I will continue on with my experiment!
Kim @FITsique recently posted..Running Sucks (If You Want To Lose Weight)