Surviving Without Wheat in Your Diet
It doesn't have to feel as impossible as it sounds
Many people are discovering the benefits of a diet that doesn't include wheat. Not only because they feel better cutting out gluten, but also because wheat has become more and more refined, and the foods that it's included in have become more processed, to the point where it offers few nutrients and little value for health.
However living without bread and pasta isn’t easy at all. Self-control is often a problem for dieters, even those with the best motivation to change the way they relate to food. But there are tricks to surviving without grains. Trust me, it doesn't have to feel as impossible as it sounds. Of course, if you are ready to learn about cooking with new materials.
There are a lot of foods that you might not have experimented with that might become new favorites. The internet is full of healthy recipes that focus on proteins and vegetables, helping you to bypass the foods that can be causing problems.
Instead of pasta
Instead of wheat pasta, consider putting your cherry tomatoes and proteins on top of a zucchini spaghetti plate. Yummy! Add thick creamy sauce to make it even more delicious. Healthy, mild and resembling real noodles, they can trick you into thinking you're having a more robust meal than you really are.
A bed of spinach or boiled quinoa can also be a good alternative to traditional garnish. For sandwiches, make lettuce wraps instead of tortilla or consider homemade wraps using a different type of flour, like corn of rice flour. Sweet pancakes also can be made with different flour, or no flour at all, as banana pancakes have soared in popularity.
Cutting out wheat can help you become more adventurous in the kitchen and more attentive in the grocery store. Though gluten-free products are usually available at all local stores, it’s organic food stores like Whole Foods, Vitacost or Iherb that have the largest range. You'll be surprised at the amount of possibilities and new foods you'll learn to love. There is a whole section of gluten free flours at iHerb's Grocery department. Coconut flour, corn, rice, almond, tapioca flour to help you in the kitchen. They may cost a bit more expensive then traditional flour, but not much.
There are ways to cope
If you'd gotten used to waffles for breakfast, you don't have to give them up. Iherb sells gluten-free ready waffle mixes and a variety of those necessary syrups to go on top and make it a truly indulgent meal. Smooth peanut butter can jazz up your snacks or become the new normal for your lunches. You might be surprised at how the substitutes don't feel, or taste, like substitutes.
Take a look at iherb's snack selection. Kettle potato chips, popcorn and crackers are just some of the gluten free treats you can bite. If you still miss wheat pasta and don't feel full with zucchini spaghetti, there are gluten-free pastas out there from quinoa-based spaghetti to brown or white rice spirals. Try them all, until you discover the viable alternatives that you might learn to love more.
Gluten-free is becoming much more mainstream and more people than you realize are afflicted with gluten intolerances. But as grocery stores and other shops catch up with the demand, you know where to find the best deals and the easiest online shopping experience. And as always when living without wheat in your diet, just continue trying new things in the kitchen, stay creative and don't be afraid to get on the internet. There are endless recipes, advice and support to be found online. You don't have to be alone on your adventure to a healthier life.
There are also old favorites that can help you through.
There are still hearty, comfort foods that don't include grains, like potatoes, eggs, rice and meats.
