When a person is faced with having to expel gluten from their diet, it's not uncommon to feel a little daunted, a bit cheated and even a little left out - after all, no one wants to be the only one not eating pizza! We've been raised in a society where eating bread and cereals for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner is the norm. When gluten is found in so many foods we eat, it's not surprising that it can seem almost an impossible task to figure out how to cook without it. However learn the basics and you’ll soon find, it’s not that hard at all.
1. It's a great reason to get back to basics
There's no reason at all to find the prospect of gluten-free cooking daunting. In fact it's super simple when you look at what your body needs to survive (proteins, fruit and vegetables) versus the ingredients you have to work with once gluten is taken out of the equation.
2. It's a chance to revamp your diet
Look at this as a blessing in disguise. There are loads of amazing gluten-free products on the market these days, so perhaps take the opportunity to change your thought process around your diet. Try new things and switch up your routine. Check out gluten-free blogs for recipes and learn something new.
3. Making substitutes isn't hard
Just because you're cutting out gluten doesn't mean there’s nothing left to eat! Toast in the morning can be replaced with a smoothie, gluten-free muesli, fruit or a mixture of both. Lunch can be a salad with a protein such as chicken, turkey, tuna or salmon (and make this the biggest meal of the day so that your body doesn't have to work so hard digesting a large dinner). Dinner can be a light combination of proteins and vegetables that will satisfy you without leaving you feeling stuffed.
4. Gluten is found in some unexpected foods
Wheat these days is a very different product to 50 years ago and many food types you wouldn't expect contain it. New wheat contains a style of super starch that is very fattening. It's even been reported that this starch can have addictive properties promoting us to buy and eat more and more of it. So beware!
However, it's not all doom and gloom! Armed with a bit of knowledge and a wealth of gluten-free products, you can make educated dietary decisions that will have you feeling amazing in no time.
