As usual the “market” has jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon much like they did with soy, packing the aisles with gluten free breads, crackers, cookies, pretzels, pastas and even labeling naturally gluten-free foods such as brown rice and polenta as “gluten free”.
Five years ago there were no gluten-free sections even in health food stores and most people didn’t know what gluten and gluten-free meant. Now, everyone is talking about “going gluten free” and we’re overwhelmed with gluten-free products.
While it is great to have some gluten free-alternatives and substitutes for your pasta, crackers, cookies and breads, it is still processed.
Processed food, whether gluten free or not, is not real food.
It is also important to know is that while the products may be gluten-free, they are usually higher in carbs and calories and sugar. Think the “fat free” rage years ago.
If you suspect you might have a “gluten intolerance” (officially know at Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) whose symptoms range from moodiness, ADD, digestive problems to fatigue) and want to experiment but just can’t bear the thought of no snacks or pasta here are some of our favorites to help get you started.
Kame Original Rice Crackers (forget the other brands they leave a yucky taste). We’ve bought this brand since long before I’d ever heard the word gluten-free.
Bionaturae Pastas (in our house no child or guest has ever noticed the difference). Personally, most of the other brands/types on the market like the corn and quinoa and even the brown rice pasta makes me gag.
Glutino Pretzels. I’m not a fan of most of their products but these are delicious.
Trader Joe’s GF Chocolate Chip Cookies (the ginger snaps will do but have a funny texture and the meringues are great but you can easily make your own) are crunchy not chewy and really, really good.
Breads? Udi’s when toasted is definitely acceptable but “gluten free bread” is really an oxymoron (a combination of contradictory or incongruous words). Definitely the hardest thing to give up.
As Michael Pollan’s Rule #39 in Food Rules stated, Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself or find a restaurant/bakery that has created some wonderful sweets and “breads”. The factory/processed stuff just doesn’t do it for me.
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