Would You Avoid Processed Gluten-Free Food?

[radley]

As much as I love the taste of baked goods, do you think they should be avoided even on gluten-free diet? Once I went back to gluten-free toasts, pasta (all we have ere is corn-based!) and heavy meals like kapsalon (like a duner without the bread) I have trouble with digestion and sometimes my heart races. I found that I do best on lean meat, fish, chicken, rice, potatoes, fruits and veggies. Would you go as far as to quit all processed foods, even your gluten-free treats, fat meat like pork? I'm starting to think that just because something is gluten-free does not mean it is healthy. I guess I have to kiss gluten-free pizzas and pastas good-buy, probably my Celiac did so much things to my gut that I should better stick to the aforementioned diet.

[kareng]

How are you with rice pasta? Rice or tapioca based flours?  Almond flour?  sounds like you think you have a problem with corn?   Chebe makes a nice pizza crust mix that is made with mannioc/tapioca.

 

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[radley]

Rice is good, but not too much as I can get constipated if I overeat on it. Here in the Netherlands rice pasta is hard to find as most varieties have also maize. I believe now that pasta and such should be like a once-a-month treat or only on spacial occasions. In fact I feel like my organism loves and organic, no-frills diet of potatoes, seafood, chicken and veggies.

 

I think the Celiac caused my gut to have very little tolerance to chocolate, sugar, most processed and flavored foods. I better stick to organic produce. On a positive note, it's better for me as I will start avoiding grocery stores ( always end up buying something junky) and go to open markets instead. Organic is not as expensive as people think. I can buy 1 kg of apples and some bananas for the same money as two packs of chips.

 

I am still undecided on dairy as sometimes I get no reaction and other times I do. I think I tolerate white (feta-like) cheeses the most, followed by organic yogurt and yellow cheeses. The more I avoid gluten and processed foods, the bette I tolerate dairy. So yep, a Paleo-like, but not full Paleo diet works best for me. I guess my gut is mad at me for the years of eating junk food in high school and uni and now needs a rest so I will munch on the last gluten-free crackers I have and go completely processed food and grain-free (save for rice). Are there people that feel bad even on gluten-free foods and feel better with whole foods?

[Waitingindreams]

I still have a lot of heath issues, even after going gluten, soy, yeast, and dairy free...which I am blaming on my persistent candida problem. Have you thought about making zucchini pasta? You can use a spiralizer if you can find/order one online, but they also have recipes that don't require one. There are tons of recipes online. I have noticed I do best with more of a whole foods diet (grilled vegetables and chicken, almond butter, olive oil, etc) They also have recipes for pizza with crust made from cauliflower, cauliflower rice (really easy, just grate the cauliflower into a bowl using a cheese grater) There are also recipes for paleo breads, but I don't know how easy it is for you to find the proper flour where you live (usually it's almond or coconut flour) 

 

I feel your pain...a few months after I was diagnosed my boyfriend and i picked up some gluten free pasta, and it made me crampy/bloated. It was a mixture of rice and corn. I don't have a specific problem with corn, but I think I have to go grain free to completely heal my gut. Some people only have to go gluten free, but others have to eliminate more food and go on other elimination diets to pinpoint other food intolerances. A lot of processed gluten free food contains soy in it, so I check labels carefully and avoid most of them. Good luck! Hopefully you will find a diet plan that works for you. It's been a process for me!

[radley]

Yeah, I've heard "Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself" many times but I hate cooking, especially baking and making so that's why I decided to go with farmer's market food only. Actually I might like cooking but with the help of a food processor. Right now I don't have one. For me it's also a process and a weird one. I am starting to believe that some food issues are caused by emotions and by the mind, e.g. I had terrible allergic reactions to some things that I've never ever had problems with, but now I can eat them.

 

Yet I am afraid and I avoid them. It's strange for allergies to appear for the first time after going gluten-free only to disappear again after a while. And I think actually avoiding supermarkets will be good for my health as I always buy something useless (latest purchase - banana-flavored yogurt, some processed gluten-free crackers). When I am bombarded by choice I cannot stop spending. I am a grocery store shopaholic and a junk food addict, so going into a supermarket is like going to a bar when you have problem with drinking for me.

[JodyM75]

I was spending so much time and energy stressing myself out trying to find the perfect gluten-free bread, rolls, treats, crackers, etc., that I gave up and went grain free.  I went Paleo and took out grains and veggie oil, too, but not dairy (yet).  I'm happier for it!

[radley]

You know what, I no longer find processed or grainy food that tasty. I ordered takeaway Subway smoothies only to find out it was 'enriched' with sugar and whatnot bottled kind and it tasted like spoiled fruits and milk or something. Later that day I made my own smoothie from fresh fruits and pure milk and the smell and taste was so refreshing, so natural it was surreal. It reminded me of when I would go to my grandparent's farm as a kid and would eat fresh raspberries from the bush.

 

I think the main reason we rely so much on ready-made food is we are too busy to prepare everything. But a food processor or at least a blender helps a lot imo, they save time and you can make almost everything (I had to smash the fruits by hand in a cup and shake them in a plastic bottle with the milk so with a blender I could do an even tastier smoothie)

 

I've come to the point that I no longer find breads and baked goods that tasty, even though I found gluten-free ones that are tasty and smooth just like the glutenous varieties. And though I've never been that much of a bread eater, I used to love pasta and cookies but now pasta feels like nothing to me and the moment I put anything sweet in my mouth my love for sweet things disappears. But when I go to the shop I have to buy them, it's based on habit I guess. Sometimes when I get the sweet tooth I wonder what can be a safe and healthy substitute of sugar, but so far I haven't found anything that is not controversial, even Stevia has cons.

[Waitingindreams]

Radley - Again, I feel your pain. I am not a cook. I don't necessarily enjoy cooking either, unfortunately...and I know that this will eventually have to change. My boyfriend has a food processor at his house, so I am looking into recipes I can start whipping up soon. I made us baked apples recently..it was super easy...the only ingredients were apples, butter, and cinnamon.

 

As for a healthy sugar substitute, maple syrup is paleo approved (but there is a TON of sugar, even in the 'natural' brands...I'm talking over 50g per serving), but they also make coconut sugar. Again, the problem is the availability where you live. I was going to do an online search for you (so that you could order the products online) but I don't live in the Netherlands and i don't want to link you to a site that is going to make you spend a fortune on shipping/handling (assuming they even ship globally) But I would do some searches for natural markets near where you live. I don't think I've really heard anything negative about coconut in general, as long as you don't have an allergy to it, of course. It's unfortunate that where you live makes this lifestyle change even more difficult for you, but I think that leaning more toward a paleo diet would be healthier in any case anyway. I can't wait to try cauliflower rice! The recipes usually call for a food processor, but they do have some that suggest you just grate the cauliflower into a bowl and heat it in the microwave. Much easier! Lol. 

[Serielda]

I myself do my best to avoid processed foods, even  before I had to go gluten free. Somethings in reality are unavoidable but I try to always pick the lesser of evils and see which of the most natural is the option. In the present I am even more mindful. That is not to say I haven't had anything processed as above stated, reality states it sometimes will happen.

[icelandgirl]

It seems like initially a lot of celiacs do best eating whole foods only. The good thing about that is that there is no long list of ingredients to read...A banana is a banana, etc. It's not as convenient as processed foods, but it's healthier and may be what your body needs. It's possible that after a good time of healing you may be able to add in some processed foods, but I think it's such an individual thing how we do with this new lifestyle.

[BlessedMommy]

Personally, I would not cut something out altogether unless I had a severe intolerance or true allergy to it. I think that moderation is key. I try to be very moderate on sugar and that is the main reason why I don't bake much these days. But I might have some on occasion.

 

For example, I limit brown rice in my diet, because of the arsenic issue. But I probably won't cut it out altogether, because the sheer amount of work to avoid all brown rice in a gluten free diet would be staggering. So I do have things with some brown rice flour in them. I do buy non-gmo corn pasta usually instead of rice pasta (it's a lot cheaper too) but I do make lasagna occasionally with brown rice noodles. 

 

I try to limit sugar to the amount suggested by the American Heart Association, which means that I plan my treats around that. If I have one treat for the day, I'm likely done. 

 

I think that the key is to listen to your body. For many of us, we feel fine with limited amounts of gluten free packaged foods and it makes our life that much easier to not have one more food restriction. If you feel totally lousy when you eat baked goods or pasta, maybe it's time to mostly avoid them for a time.

 

Everybody's healing journey is going to be a little different.

[Zebra007]

I still have a lot of heath issues, even after going gluten, soy, yeast, and dairy free...which I am blaming on my persistent candida problem. Have you thought about making zucchini pasta? You can use a spiralizer if you can find/order one online, but they also have recipes that don't require one. There are tons of recipes online. I have noticed I do best with more of a whole foods diet (grilled vegetables and chicken, almond butter, olive oil, etc) They also have recipes for pizza with crust made from cauliflower, cauliflower rice (really easy, just grate the cauliflower into a bowl using a cheese grater) There are also recipes for paleo breads, but I don't know how easy it is for you to find the proper flour where you live (usually it's almond or coconut flour) 

 

I feel your pain...a few months after I was diagnosed my boyfriend and i picked up some gluten free pasta, and it made me crampy/bloated. It was a mixture of rice and corn. I don't have a specific problem with corn, but I think I have to go grain free to completely heal my gut. Some people only have to go gluten free, but others have to eliminate more food and go on other elimination diets to pinpoint other food intolerances. A lot of processed gluten free food contains soy in it, so I check labels carefully and avoid most of them. Good luck! Hopefully you will find a diet plan that works for you. It's been a process for me!

Hi, Check out Candex, its a natural enzyme you can buy on online from Amazon, it basically digests the fungal cell walls, and over a period of time will get rid of Candida, it worked for me..obviously its gluten free.

[mynxr]

As much as I love the taste of baked goods, do you think they should be avoided even on gluten-free diet? Once I went back to gluten-free toasts, pasta (all we have ere is corn-based!) and heavy meals like kapsalon (like a duner without the bread) I have trouble with digestion and sometimes my heart races. I found that I do best on lean meat, fish, chicken, rice, potatoes, fruits and veggies. Would you go as far as to quit all processed foods, even your gluten-free treats, fat meat like pork? I'm starting to think that just because something is gluten-free does not mean it is healthy. I guess I have to kiss gluten-free pizzas and pastas good-buy, probably my Celiac did so much things to my gut that I should better stick to the aforementioned diet.

Part of the reason that some of the processed gluten-free treats ie cookies, brownies, etc. taste so good is because of the sugar and fat that are added. I gained back a fair amount of weight because when I was diagnosed with Celiac disease, it was easier to just buy processed foods online and have them shipped than it was to bake/cook everything from scratch.  Now, I rarely order anything online.  When I get tired of making my own flours, I will order from Bob's Red Mill because I know that there is no gluten in the plant and there's no added sugars or fats.  So, it's "safe" for me to use.  Other than that, I make my own flours and we cook everything from scratch.

[psawyer]

After a while being gluten-free, and when my gut had fully healed, I was able to eat these things. But during the healing phase (which can be many months), you may have trouble digesting many things, even though they are gluten-free.