Why You Should Eat Less Gluten

What is gluten and why are we eating less of it?

Gluten is a type of protein found in many grains, especially wheat, that can be hard to digest and irritating to your intestinal wall. Many people, even those who don't have Celiac's disease, have found that they feel lighter and healthier without gluten in their diet.

The thing about modern day wheat is that it's been crossbred and hybridized to have a higher yield per acre, also resulting in higher amounts of starch and gluten that wasn't present in wheat even just 50 years ago.  This newer wheat seems to be the culprit for many people who have discovered that they can lose weight, relieve digestive distress, and improve energy levels just by following a gluten-free diet.

With this new trend, however, many food companies are packaging a whole slew of gluten-free junk foods. Just because it's gluten-free doesn't mean it's healthy! The good thing about avoiding gluten is that you'll generally be avoiding empty starches like breads, pasta, cookies, and cake.  If you only switch to the gluten-free versions of these foods, your health will likely not make any major improvements.

At Provenance Foods, we prefer to use ingredients that are naturally gluten-free, like meat, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. We bake with almond flour and coconut flour and don't use any weird gums or stabilizers. The result is delicious, naturally gluten-free food.

Do you feel better without gluten in your diet? The best way to tell if gluten affects you is to eat 100% gluten-free for 3-4 weeks.  Then reintroduce gluten in a normal amount and gauge your reaction.

If you'd like help with going gluten-free, please don't hesitate to contact us!  Our health counselors can prepare customized meal plans to follow so you won't feel like you're missing a thing.  We'll guide you and answer all your questions as you begin your own gluten-free experiment.  You never know.  This one change may be the start of a brand new, healthier you!