Is it necessary to go gluten free?
Are you thinking of going gluten free? There's lots of debate out there about going gluten free and whether it's necessary, and I will say that personally for me it's something that I've found helpful as part of my thyroid symptom management.
Whether you have been recommended to go gluten free or want to try going gluten free for a while to see if it's for you, I've put together some tips to help you along the way. Try and stick to it for at least a couple of weeks to start with and see how you feel.
Note: I am not Coeliac, and these tips are not intended for Coeliacs, who have to be extremely careful when it comes to their gluten free die, particularly in terms of cross-contamination.
Here are 8 tips to help you on your gluten free journey:
1) Don't forget that lots of healthy wholefoods are naturally gluten free - think fresh fruit and veg, meat, fish, eggs and cheese.
2) Stay away from the processed gluten free bread, cookies, cakes .etc. Labelling something gluten free doesn't mean that it's healthy!
3) Read the labels carefully. It's surprising where gluten crops up where you least expect it! Check for wheat, barley and rye when it comes to identifying gluten.
4) You can still enjoy pasta! Try some alternatives (which often have more protein too). Examples include chickpea pasta, blackbean pasta, yellow pea pasta and buckwheat pasta
5) Be wary of pre-made sauces, where gluten can often crop up. Check the labels if you're unsure. One example is soy sauce, which often contains gluten, unless labelled gluten free- Tamari is also a good gluten free alternative. Marmite and mustard also contain gluten!
6) You can still bake things and eat bread. Opt for gluten free flour alternatives such as buckwheat, coconut, almond, chickpea, oat, lentil or rice flour.
7) Be careful when it comes to grains, there are quite a few that are not gluten free (e.g. barley, cous cous), but luckily plenty are gluten free, for example, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, teff, corn (non-GMO), oats, wild rice, brown rice.
8) Don't forget about gluten when it comes to alcohol. It's possible to buy gluten free beers these days, but generally, beer, largers, stout and ale contain gluten!
If you want to learn more about why going gluten free might be beneficial for you, whether you have a thyroid issue or not, reach out to me and book your free 30-minute call.
If you have an underactive thyroid, subclinical hypothyroidism, or even Hashimoto's and perhaps you are now taking Levothyroxine, yet you are still experiencing symptoms, such as on-going fatigue, lingering weight gain, brain fog and you don't know where to start, it's time to book a 30-minute no-obligation Health & Energy Review, so I can help you to break down this complicated condition and pave a way forward for you!
Amy Cottrell
Registered Nutritional Therapist
Please note that Amy Cottrell Nutrition does not claim to prevent, treat or cure any physical, mental or emotional conditions. These blog articles are written for educational & informational purposes only and are not a substitute for medical advice.
Do not stop or start taking medication or supplements without first talking to your primary health care provider.