How To Get Your Gluten-Free On

 
The Gluten free trend is catching on from college campuses to the major chain restaurants. Even top Celebes like Gwen Stafani and Angelina Jolie choose the gluten free diet to stay healthy. Gluten free alternatives are not just catching the eye of the gluten intolerant, many people are making the decision themselves to go gluten free. The latest research shows how gluten is not beneficial in your diet and it can ultimately hurt your health in the long run.
 

Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s the added ingredient in pizza and bread that binds the dough together or the thickener in soup or sauces. Most of the time gluten products are over processed with enriched white flour and lack in nutrients. The white flour sticks to the inside of your stomach and intestines giving you a bloated or overly full feeling.  Like the heavy weight in your stomach you feel after eating a big bowl of pasta, it’s just harder to digest. Most people who stick to the gluten free diet simply say they just feel better and healthier without the processed flour in their diet.
 

You may be thinking that it is impossible to live on a college campus and eat gluten free. No more bagels in the morning or OHOP blue zones for a late night snack. But UMaine is catching on, gluten free wraps are now offered in the union and you can request gluten free pasta as well. These alternatives aren’t necessarily tastier then the real thing but you can fell the difference in weight when your stomach is digesting.
 
 I try to eat gluten free but I will admit it is not easy. I suggest that you start out slow. Eliminating the unnecessary gluten items like crackers and snacks- the processed foods on the shelf that do nothing for you. Just by eliminating those extra snacks you may start to feel a difference in your health.
 
Also try replacing daily sandwich bread with a gluten free wrap or checking out a local bakery that offers freshly baked gluten free bread, which I love with some peanut butter or honey. Gluten free pasta is one of my favorites. Try Quinoa gluten free pasta with some chunky red tomato sauce.
 
It’s hard to cut out the snack aspect in a gluten free diet, but think fruits and veggies. The sugar in fruit is a great pick me up for an afternoon snack. One of my favorite gluten free snacks is baby carrots with Cedars gluten free humus.

 
If your thinking about how painful it might be to cut out the junk food, go grab some Pirates Booty at the Union or in the natural food section at Hannaford’s, its like smart food but healthy and gluten free. However, I will forewarn you, some gluten free snacks, like the brownies or cookies end up adding more sugar to replace the gluten and turn out being not healthy at all. So if you see gluten free on the box make sure the check the sugar too. They try to fool you!
 
 If you start to focus your diet on eating things that are naturally closes to the earth I guarantee you will feel healthier and more energetic. Cut out those unnecessary gluten products and the diet villain sugar, and boost your immune system! If you want to try to go gluten free, approach it slowly and think “everything in moderation”. Once you slow down on the gluten products and start cutting them out of your diet you will notice that they simply just aren’t as attractive as they used to be. I used to eat a bagel every morning and now I cant remember the last time I thought about one. The best way to stay true to the gluten-free diet is to eat fresh fruits, vegetables and meats and to prepare most of your own meals.