The response I usually get from people when I tell them about my gluten allergy is "Oh, you must be starving!" or "What can you even eat?". That is actually an excellent question. If you had asked me that question two years ago, you would have found me sobbing in bed over my breakup with carbs. Just kidding, I'm not that dramatic. But really I find it normal for one to have at least a mild panic attack at the thought of never having pasta, cinnamon rolls, or cheeseburgers again.
Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients in food. Basically, a flattened small intestine cannot digest gluten. Gluten is a protein that promotes elasticity and "chewiness" of bread products, and it is found in wheat, barley and rye.
Only about one percent of Americans have Celiacs disease, but awareness for the disease is increasing thanks to a gluten free diet being so hip and healthy these days! The growing popularity is actually a win-win situation for all types of gluten free eaters. Food manufacturers are starting to sell more gluten free products and restaurants are catering to the celiac crowd. The promotion of the gluten free lifestyle makes dealing with celiacs a breeze.
So what happens when I do eat gluten? Imagine the worst hangover....and then multiply it by 1000. Seriously, it makes me so sick that the smell of fresh baked goods and the thought of cheese stuffed crust pizza isn't enough to make me cave! Don't worry about me though, I have my go-to foods.
Just in case you're still curious about what I can eat, here is a list of my grocery store favorites:
Other than fruits, vegetables and other naturally gluten free foods, that's about all the pre-made food I buy. I thoroughly enjoy creating and changing recipes into something safe and delicious for me to eat, so that's where most of my food comes from. I hope you'll swing by later to see some of my favorite recipes!
For more information on celiac disease, please visit
http://www.celiaccentral.org/
Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients in food. Basically, a flattened small intestine cannot digest gluten. Gluten is a protein that promotes elasticity and "chewiness" of bread products, and it is found in wheat, barley and rye.
Only about one percent of Americans have Celiacs disease, but awareness for the disease is increasing thanks to a gluten free diet being so hip and healthy these days! The growing popularity is actually a win-win situation for all types of gluten free eaters. Food manufacturers are starting to sell more gluten free products and restaurants are catering to the celiac crowd. The promotion of the gluten free lifestyle makes dealing with celiacs a breeze.
So what happens when I do eat gluten? Imagine the worst hangover....and then multiply it by 1000. Seriously, it makes me so sick that the smell of fresh baked goods and the thought of cheese stuffed crust pizza isn't enough to make me cave! Don't worry about me though, I have my go-to foods.
Just in case you're still curious about what I can eat, here is a list of my grocery store favorites:
- Vanilla Chex Cereal
- Daiya Veggie Pizza
- All of the Udi's products
- Ancient Grains Pasta
- Glutino Snacks (pretzels, chips, cookies)
Other than fruits, vegetables and other naturally gluten free foods, that's about all the pre-made food I buy. I thoroughly enjoy creating and changing recipes into something safe and delicious for me to eat, so that's where most of my food comes from. I hope you'll swing by later to see some of my favorite recipes!
For more information on celiac disease, please visit
http://www.celiaccentral.org/