Since my food allergy diagnosis I have struggled to find foods that taste good and aren't going to make me sick. Unfortunately, most foods that are gluten free or dairy free have a lot of other things in them that aren't very good for you. Sure they'll keep me from spending my evening in agony, but am I harming myself in another way? Bottom line, most gluten free foods are gluten free junk food, and just like any processed food, they should be consumed sparingly. In my post "Where's My 7-Kinds-of-Fiber Cereal" I ranted about the lack of nutritional value in gluten free cereals. They're often full of sugar and have very little fiber. So what's a girl to do? It's a no brainer that I SHOULD eat fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts & lean meats. That's a pretty safe bet for most people. It's how we really should eat to be healthy, but if you're going to indulge in some bread, muffins, cookies, pasta, etc... I encourage you to at least educate yourself about what exactly you ARE eating. A little knowledge can go a long way. "The Price of 'Free' Foods" from the Chicago Tribune has great information and tips! Check it out before you snack on that $6 bag of gluten free cookies you just bought!Saturday, July 7, 2012
Are "Free From" Foods Really Better?
Since my food allergy diagnosis I have struggled to find foods that taste good and aren't going to make me sick. Unfortunately, most foods that are gluten free or dairy free have a lot of other things in them that aren't very good for you. Sure they'll keep me from spending my evening in agony, but am I harming myself in another way? Bottom line, most gluten free foods are gluten free junk food, and just like any processed food, they should be consumed sparingly. In my post "Where's My 7-Kinds-of-Fiber Cereal" I ranted about the lack of nutritional value in gluten free cereals. They're often full of sugar and have very little fiber. So what's a girl to do? It's a no brainer that I SHOULD eat fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts & lean meats. That's a pretty safe bet for most people. It's how we really should eat to be healthy, but if you're going to indulge in some bread, muffins, cookies, pasta, etc... I encourage you to at least educate yourself about what exactly you ARE eating. A little knowledge can go a long way. "The Price of 'Free' Foods" from the Chicago Tribune has great information and tips! Check it out before you snack on that $6 bag of gluten free cookies you just bought!
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Having a soy and hazelnut allergy as well as Celiac disease, processed food is pretty much OUT. My daughter is also allergic to soy and all nuts, so we do a lot of fresh food, and I do baking from scratch if we want something sweet. My go-to breakfasts are oatmeal (McCaan's Irish Oats are gluten free, they can't grow wheat in Ireland) and omelets, although I am looking to branch out for a bit of variety.
ReplyDeleteBeth R.
Thank you for commenting! I have allergies to wheat, dairy, eggs, oats, & rye. It definitely has made things interesting. I haven't done any "from scratch" baking yet, but I need to learn. Breakfast definitely is the hardest meal to accommodate I find. Fruit is definitely my go-to, but it doesn't keep me full for long. :/ I'll work on finding some healthy breakfast items to post! Watch for them!
ReplyDeleteOh man, that's quite a mixed bag. I would have cried after leaving that doctor's appointment. Do you like Quinoa? I have seen recipes for Quinoa Porridge (it's like oatmeal with Quinoa flakes).
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I was just happy to have an explanation for my symptoms. I was tired of feeling sick. It's not been easy, and a lot of times I've just give up and delt with the stomach issues. Keeping this blog and sharing information with people like you have made it much easier to keep plugging along. I have tried Quinoa. I cooked it whole, and it was very much like couscous, but I didn't do a very good job cooking it... so it wasn't much good. I'll have to look for the Quinoa flakes. I like oatmeal, but my body has other opinions. Thank you for the information!
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