One of the first things I did after going gluten free was to run out to every health food store I could find and start buying up every gluten free thing in site. Gluten free chips, check. Gluten free pasta, check. Gluten free tv dinners, yes, check. This was all part of the sudden uncertainty of what gluten free eating really entailed. I have since become very aware that none of this was necessary and that it can be a very unhealthy option.
That being said, I do still buy gluten free products. They are not all bad and some can be lifesavers. But there are just as many that do nothing but drain the bank account and add a billion grams of salt to your daily diet. There have been several shows, including Dr. Oz, that have stressed the downfalls of gluten free products, specifically frozen dinners. Making those things tasty takes a lot of unhealthy additions. Frankly, I have yet to find a gluten free frozen meal that I would actually eat again. But, why should I have to......
A lot of regular products in our grocery stores are naturally gluten free. Those gluten free chips that you saw a Whole Foods, totally unnecessary!!! Frito Lay has a full page of all of their products that are gluten free. (http://www.fritolay.com/your-health/us-products-not-containing-gluten-ingredients.html). Another great example is soups. While I have found the gluten free cream of mushroom and cream of chicken to be invaluable for cooking, Progresso has a handful that are listed as gluten free on their website (http://www.progressosoup.com/healthy-soup.aspx).
There are plenty of other products out there that are not branded as gluten free specifically, but a look at the label will tell you exactly that. (I will be reviewing a few of these in upcoming blogs). These are all things that are learned in time after getting a grip on how the diet works and by networking with others who have the experience to share. Of course, reading labels and knowing what to look for becomes the key to easy shopping, but it takes practice!
So, before you become best friends with your local health food store, take some time to look into what you are really buying and whether or not the same thing is available on the shelves of your local grocer. You will likely be surprised by how many things you have already been buying that are still ok!!!!!
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