What Really is Gluten?

This new food sensitivity diet that I have been on for the past 1.5 weeks has really opened my eyes to what I am eating. I mean, I know what I am eating, but more so what is inside what I am eating. I scored high on the scale for wheat and both baker’s and brewer’s yeast, which seems to be the hardest hurdle for me.

Gluten, a buzz word these days, is a protein found in some grains – wheat, barley, and rye are the most common. Gluten is not only called “gluten” –

It is also found in the following foods:

Wheat
Barley
Rye
Spelt
Bran
Flour
Graham flour
Couscous
Farina
Durum
Semolina
Matzoh

Here are some food additives derived from wheat:

Malt
Malt Vinegar
Glucose
Vitamin E
Modified Food Starch (in soups, sauces, and gravies)
Tocopheryls (watch for these in beauty products too)
Beer (it’s made with barley)
Some Alcohol (like rye and Irish whiskey)
Natural flavors
Hydrolized vegetable protein (also in shampoo)

This past week and a half I have stayed away from anything bread, pasta, and white potato-related. This may be why I lost 3 pounds (unintentional perk)! I did fall off the wagon when we went to Islands of Adventure last Saturday – I was holding all of the bags while my husband and the kids were on a ride. I was super hungry and all that I had to snack on was a bag of Goldfish crackers. I savored the moment.

Here’s a list of the foods that gluten-sensitive people CAN eat (focus on the positive, right?):

Meat
Eggs (I tested positive for this so no eggs for the full 90 days for me!)
Milk (Same with milk…although I substitute cow’s milk with almond or soy and am totally fine.)
Cheese (aside from blue cheese)
Fruit
Vegetables
Potatoes (I tested positive for white potato, so I opt for the sweet instead right now)
Corn
Rice
Coffee
Tea
Sugar
Honey
Peanut butter

I have a long way to go till the 90th day of this diet – which just so happens to be MY BIRTHDAY!! Wow, I didn’t even plan it that way, but what a great birthday gift to give myself – to make myself healthier!