Food Obsession Anyone?

[bakingbarb]

Guittiard milk chocolate chips and dried cranberries with a cup of earl grey tea. It is my addiction.

[MDRB]

The similarities are interesting!

So let me ask you this - what kinds of food did these replace? (as in, which foods were you addicted to pre-diagnosis?) Do you find that the addictive foods you eat now are more or less healthy than those you craved before? (I'm almost positive that most answers to this will be a yes, seeing as, for the most part, I would imagine the foods we originally craved contained gluten...)

I used to crave a lot of fatty things like hot chips, crisps, pastries etc before going gluten free however now that I am gluten-free I'm finding that I crave broccoli a lot, broccoli and just about any other kind of vegetable.

Not sure if this is a physical craving or a psychological thing: vegetables = healthy therefore if I eat lots of vegetables I will BE healthy....hmmmm... just a thought.

I noticed a lot of people have been craving salty foods, could be that eating less processed foods on the gluten-free diet means less salt = cravings for salty foods??

[Lux]

I also crave veges...particularly spinach leaves.

The salt theory is interesting; I tend to not crave salty foods so much, as I *add* salt to just about everything. I definitely think our bodies tell us when we aren't giving it enough/too much of of something. At the same time, I find that I start to actually crave many of the foods that I eat all the time (such as in the case of the veges)...

[JNBunnie1]

I also crave veges...particularly spinach leaves.

The salt theory is interesting; I tend to not crave salty foods so much, as I *add* salt to just about everything. I definitely think our bodies tell us when we aren't giving it enough/too much of of something. At the same time, I find that I start to actually crave many of the foods that I eat all the time (such as in the case of the veges)...

That's interesting, I actually get turned off from food when it's too salty. I rarely add it to anything, I use sea salt though, so it tastes better and stronger.

My addiction post-gluten-free? Whole Foods Choc chip cookies when I discovered them (in the freezer section), and the gluten-free pretzels! They're so much better than normal ones, I was never a big pretzel fan because they're so dry, now my boyfriend doesn't even eat normal ones if he can help it.

And eggs. Every day, lots of eggs. Like, six at a time.

[Lux]

Bunnie - I am dying to find some gluten-free pretzels as they are the one thing I truely miss before going gluten-free (even though one of my last unfortunate experiences with the big G was a result of eating pretzels. I was so blocked up I could barely breathe). I currently live in New Zealand (can't find any here), but will be moving to the UK within the next couple of weeks. Perhaps I'll have better luck over there?

[MDRB]

Bunnie - I am dying to find some gluten-free pretzels as they are the one thing I truely miss before going gluten-free (even though one of my last unfortunate experiences with the big G was a result of eating pretzels. I was so blocked up I could barely breathe). I currently live in New Zealand (can't find any here), but will be moving to the UK within the next couple of weeks. Perhaps I'll have better luck over there?

Does New Zealand have the same stuff as Australia? I get my gluten-free pretzels from the health food section in safeway or coles. Also have seen them in a few health food stores. Sorry can't remember the brand

Good luck in the UK, I lived over there for about 4 months before going gluten-free. I guess there is much more variety out there so you probably will have better luck.

[Lux]

Even though they are certainly expanding the gluten-free range available in NZ, I am yet to find any pretzels that I can eat

I would imagine (or at the least hope!) that the situation would be somewhat better in the UK, simply because there is a (much) larger population to cater for :-)

Pre gluten-free, I was obsessed with lollies. I was at the point where I could eat a bag a night. The thing is, I don't miss them at all...perhaps it's the dates taking care of the sweet tooth ;-)

[Guest hightop girl]

Well... dates were actually a replacement for snickers bars and Diet Coke before I was gluten free. Now I am at a loss. I love dates... they don't love me. I think I am just looking for anything that tastes good and doesn't make me sick... oh and doesn't make me fat. Tonight I had a granny smith apple with nutella. It just isn't the same.

[Lux]

Hightop girl,

I know what you mean. I simply refused to give up dates. They were causing me problems, but I love them so much...so I experimented, and finally came up with a way in which I can eat them. Do you find that it needs to be something quite sweet (as I do)? Before going dairy/soy free, I was completely infatuated with a particular brand of organic yoghurt (Cyclops) available in NZ. I miss it :-(

Maybe think of it as a mission...to find a replacement or "happy" food...try different things; see what agrees with you. It can be frustrating. I tried grapes for a while. I know what you mean when you say it's not the same...

[Guest hightop girl]

I am finding that high sugar/carb fruits really make me bloated, so I am giving them up for a little while, but not for ever... I am getting tired of giving up good stuff. I guess even too much of a good thing is too much.

[Lux]

You could maybe try replacing them with nuts (if you're not allergic??) I adore cashews. O, and seeds - pumpkin seeds, sunflowers seeds are fantastic...

[ConfusedLexi]

So I'm just wonderin - does anyone out there on the gluten-free diet have any particular food "addictions" - ie a specific food you practically subsist on? OR a food (that you can eat) which you crave?

I've cut out gluten, dairy and soy - and I have developed this strange obsession with dates (oddly, they have to be zapped in the microwave, or my stomach won't tolerate them). I can eat an entire 400 gram packet at a time. I know it can't be all that good for me, but I guess it could be worse...

Curious...

Peaches, I used to love peaches when I was pregnant but then for the last two or three years I haven't really been into them. But ever since I started the diet I love peaches with cottage cheese. And I can't eat a lot of spicy food. I love spicy, not too spicy but spicy, and I can't eat it. It hurts my stomach. I'm a sad panda. And I have been wanting a lot of black beans. LOL I love black beans but only ate them once in a while before. Ever since I got on the diet I have been wanting black beans alot. And I know all about cravings, having four kids. I went through a lot of them. LOL It's not weird I don't think. I think personally, based on my history with pregnancies and stuff, that cravings are just for foods that have stuff in them that your body wants. And maybe now, since your body is able to absorb nutrients, those dates have something in them that your body really wants. Cravings are cool, as long as they're not pickles and ice cream. LOL

I like having cravings cuz I always know what to buy!

Lexi

[babysteps]

not so much a craving, but if I start eating a salty, crunchy thing (corn chip, potato chip, nuts) I *keep* eating it! Same as pre-gluten-free (except then I would also eat saltine crackers). Carrots also - not salty, but crunchy, and must impose a serving size - one pound is *not* a serving

On dates, I have a reaction to packaged, dried dates from Whole Foods (perhaps some of that don't-stick-together powder has gluten?), but am okay with Lara Bars that have dates...go figure! Of course those can be pricey - for date-cravers if heating them up doesn't work, you *might* try drying your own.

[Lux]

OKay, I'm curious - when you say "reaction", I realize it could be any one of a hundred different things...but (and I'm sorry to be getting into the gory details here), what, specifically are you referring to? (this question is for everyone, but specifically for those who have a hard time with dates...) When I eat them, if unheated, I tend to experience a tight kind of discomfort in my stomach - nothing severe, but certainly noticeable. I guess for me it isn't really "extreme" enough for me to consider properly giving them up. But then, I do think that I have become extra sensitive to the way in which I react since being diagnosed...I'm just ultra aware of anything that could provoke a reaction (I'm plagued by the mere prospect of it...) Is this typical?

[Guest hightop girl]

For me I get quite bloated and gassy probably too much sugar in them for my system, but I hate to give up everything that I love. I guess I just will not eat when I want to wear tight jeans.

[JNBunnie1]

Y'know what's wierd, I've never liked spicy food much, but for the past few months I've been peppering the crap out of everything! What would pepper have in it that I would need, you know? Just wierd.