Going Gluten-Free (and praying I don’t feel better for it)

Posted on by HermitCrab

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Oh, god, just look at it…The fresh crispy exterior, the crunch of a freshly grilled sandwich, the smell of buttery croissants…

Have you ever tried gluten-free bread? It’s sweet. Sickly sweet, strangely dense and horrifically tasteless. It turns into a silty mush the second it hits your tongue. Have you ever tried to fold a gluten-free wrap? I used to work at a healthy salad shop which offered to make all its salads into wraps for only $2 extra. The person at the end of the wrap-creating line would deflate internally at the voice of a gluten-free customer at the till. It’s like wrapping a juicy salad in a sheet of ice. Which shatters the moment you try to fold it.

Wheat really must be magic. I mean, what’s in it that’s so deliciously flexible and versatile? And why have so many people today developed an intolerance for it?

I am lucky that I have not been diagnosed with hardcore gluten-intolerance, such as celiac disease. I’ve been experiencing regular stomach pain, discomfort and bloating over the past five months, so my doctor suggested I try cutting common irritants such as gluten or lactose from my diet. So I’m going gluten-free for the next little while, and hoping I don’t notice a difference.

I don’t think I could survive without spaghetti. Or cinnamon buns. Or other pastries. 

I don’t know much about the myriad of great gluten-free foods I’m sure are out there! Please share your advice with me — meal ideas or your own gluten-free experiences!

Cheers,

Trin

19 thoughts on “Going Gluten-Free (and praying I don’t feel better for it)”

  1. I loved your title too. I was diagnosed as being wheat intolerant and dairy intolerant around 7-8 years ago now. I’ve had a few tantrums when I wanted pizza and couldn’t but my partner could. I’ve even tested myself a few times to see if I still am intolerant and I definitely am.

    I now make my own pizza dough, can make my own pastry and buy vegan cheese. Next up is to learn how to make bread myself as many of the high street brands are ok but don’t taste of much and many have holes in them or fall apart when you add something wet like a tomato to a sandwich.

    It may be worth experimenting on making bread so you end up with something even better than what you can buy on the high street.

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    1. Thanks for sharing! 😜 Glad you’ve become a better chef from the experience, at least! I’ve never really tried making my own bread but I think it could be an excellent idea.

      To be perfectly honest, I still haven’t really figured out my dietary issues. I stopped eating gluten free a while ago, without much effect. I’m now vegan (which I love health-wise!) but still get a fair amount of stomach pain despite eating super clean and healthy. Perhaps there is some vegetable or nut allergy I’m overlooking…I think I’ll go consult consultant doctor soon.

      Cheers!

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      1. That’s great news that you can still eat bread then. I’m looking into buying flour made from ancient grains like Spelt and Einkorn as I think it’s the modern wheat that is causing my problem. I have no problem eating Spelt bread so at least I can have some crusty bread. 🙂

        Congrats on going vegan. I am so close but not quite there yet because…… chocolate. 😉

        I wonder if you have a sensitivity to FODMAPS. It’s only recommended to investigate it with the support of a doctor or dietician but at least you have removed gluten and dairy from the list so they may support you in looking into it. 🙂

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      2. Spelt bread is delicious…I’ve had it a couple times. I’ve also discovered some vegan chocolate brands (luckily for me I’ve always loved rich dark chocolates so they’re perfect for me) 😊
        Wow, never heard of FODMAPS! I shall look into it…

        Thanks Dayzee 😉 Cheers

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  2. Glad to hear it’s going well for you. I’m so grateful for all the great advice all of you guys have given me! Turns out there’s a whole community of gluten-freers out there 😊
    Cheers!

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  3. I was overwhelmed when I found out I had to go gluten free, but it’s not as bad as you think it’s going to be. I found this resource to be very valuable. Very informative and lots of great ideas.

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  4. Well I certainly hope you feel better soon, but eating gluten free isn’t that bad. My son is sensitive to gluten so I just naturally don’t eat much myself because I don’t keep a lot of wheat products around. And just think of all the potato and rice dishes you can make. Who doesn’t love breakfast potatoes?

    And for me all of that worked out pretty good because I started making gluten free energy granola bars for him to snack on and that blossomed into a small business selling them to my climbing friends and locally here in Michigan. So who knows what this might lead you to.

    But I truly do hope you get to eat croissants again. 🙂

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    1. Oh, sweet. Thanks so much for the comment! The energy bar business sounds superb…I’m glad to hear it’s not all bad. I certainly have discovered lots of delicious quinoa/rice dishes.
      Cheers to croissants and energy bars!

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  5. I think it’s Michael Pollan who hypothesizes that it’s white, processed flour that is more likely contributing to the stomach bloating, pain, etc. than the gluten itself.

    But I hope you find some relief, either way!

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    1. Interesting, yeah, he seems to be more concerned about processed foods than anything. Which I’m sure is a real concern. GMO foods especially freak me out. I’ll see how this goes, I’m guessing I’ll have to play around with different eating habits to find what works best for me.
      Thanks!

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  7. Ha ha – your title made me laugh. I have been gluten free now for the better part of two years and will never go back – once it’s out of your system the pain is too excruciating. There are some good blogs out there and many great cookbooks. I have learned to do without bread for the most part (you are right, it’s awful) but Udi’s makes a good cinnamon raisin loaf – found in the freezer section. I also like the gluten free English Muffins from Glutino. So many more choices are now available. Biggest thing is to know is what to look for in terms of ingredients. Gluten shows up in some unexpected places, so make sure you know what to watch out for. Good luck.

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    1. Wow, thank you so much for the advice! I’m glad to hear it’s livable, and I’ll have to try out those brands…luckily gluten-free products are much more popular and available now.
      (Yikes, I do hope gluten isn’t the culprit for me, and that I can go back soon…I have indeed heard it becomes quite impossible once you’ve cleared it from your system.)
      Cheers!

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