Have you noticed all of the marketing these days around gluten? Gluten-free does not mean "health food". It is just another way for food manufacturers to ride the coat tails of the diet trends. Even products that have always been gluten-free are now adding this to the front of their packaging.
Instead of buying processed items such as gluten free bread, crackers, cookies, pies and cakes, turn to the gluten-free ancient grains that have supported our health and nutrition for thousands of years.
- Amaranth
- Rice
- Kasha
- Quinoa
- Cornmeal
- Oats (look for Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats)
and if your digestion or body doesn't do well with gluten, then avoid:
- Barley
- Couscous
- Wheat berries
- Bulgar
- Spelt
- Kamut
otherwise, these are nutritious grains that provide energy and are not processed.
Look for these grains in your grocery store and health food store. Check the ingredient label to be sure it is just the grain in the box or bag. Recently, with the popularity of quinoa (keen-wha), I've seen boxes packaged with spices, sodium, and other filler ingredients, like a Rice-A-Roni. Avoid these. Cook the plain grain and add it to salads, soups, or mix it with fruit and nuts for breakfast.
Be healthy!