“JP, are you gluten free?” Gluten free? You gotta be f*!#$%g kidding me! Ok ok let me calm down for a second and explain myself…
The latest “craze” in the nutrition world, exploited by the FDA, plastered across packaging, segregated in supermarkets, and even driving new fad diets is; “Gluten Free.”
As usual, I’ll throw my science hat on for a second, and kick you folks a little knowledge about what gluten is. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein found in wheat grains, as well as barley and rye. A heads up, as it can be used in imitation meats, or sauces as a stabilizing agent, and even sometimes found in cosmetics or hair products! Many folks experience issues with the breakdown or processing of gluten within the body, which is diagnosed as celiac disease. If you have celiac disease, you already know to avoid gluten like the plague… If you don’t, and don’t have any gluten sensitivity, stop wasting your time and don’t fall victim to common misconceptions.
“Gluten Free” diets are a joke for us “normal” folks, and can honestly lead to weight GAIN. When gluten is absent or removed from certain foods, they typically ADD sugar to make up for the loss of flavor! Folks who experience weight loss on a gluten free diet are realistically experiencing weight loss from giving up breads or excess carbohydrates and rapidly digesting, insulin spiking foods and not solely avoiding gluten.
JP is gluten free, but only because I eat whole foods, avoid breads and other simple carbohydrates, and never consume items that are processed or would possibly be loaded with gluten as some sort of flavoring… The next time you see “Gluten Free” plastered across the top of a Fruity Pebbles box, (and trust me it’s there), do NOT mistake this item as healthy!
Cheers!
JP