gluten free

[Lucy1000]

I have posted before wondering about the effectiveness of following a gluten free diet. I have been working on it this summer and have been almost gluten free for two months. Honestly, there were a couple of lapses, but primarily gluten free. I went to Maine and couldn't not have a lobster roll. I tried the gluten free offering and it was not quite the thing...What I notice is when I am gluten free I lose weight. I should say, gluten free and bread free, because when I made gluten free bread, I had a weight gain week. I don't feel more energetic but I'm going to give it six months. As my wellness doctor tells me, healing leaky gut is one of the main objectives.

[puncturedbicycle]

Being gf is a v individual experience. Some people see a dramatic change. Other people have mentioned weight loss.

Do you think it's just a matter of cutting out the bread calories alone that allows weight loss, or is it because you eat fewer carbs altogether when you cut out bread? I'm not much of a bread eater so being gf was not a problem, but I didn't lose weight. I have recently cut what I think of as 'spare carbs' (the serving of starch I used to make with dinner, or a second piece of toast w breakfast) and seemed to drop some weight.

[puncturedbicycle]

hippocampal may I ask which bit is hardest for you? Do you do your own cooking? It seems like you'd get the best results by avoiding processed foods altogether, which would allow you to have a varied diet without worrying about all the ingredients you have to look out for.

[Hidden]

Hidden please repost this on gluten free guerrillas forum. There is lots of help and posts regarding gluten free and other intolerances on there.

[Lucy1000]

For myself, eating gf, I see little change except that digestion is a bit better. When I wasn't eating eggs or dairy it was even better but I would rather not limit my diet so much if it's not strictly necessary. I don't control how much I eat but do feel hungry without wheat. It's not about how much I'm eating...it may be related to carbs because as I said, I seem to stop losing weight again when I eat gluten free bread. I don't find gf bread satisfying, but I do have trouble doing without toast with egg. I've also made cupcakes with almond flour but those seem to give me a belly ache for whatever reason. Hippocampal, I feel your pain. I'm not really in a position to be able to help you much but what has worked for me is turning to Asian recipes with coconut milk, chicken or shrimp served with rice. Coconut aminos in place of soy sauce if you need it. The recipes I've found for cupcakes use coconut or almond flour so you might look into that. I usually have chicken or fish with salad or spinach and a sweet potato or squash for dinner. Gluten free pasta is okay for me but might have amaranth...you could probably find one without. I think quinoa is commonly used. It's not terrible. There are plenty of tasty things to eat without wheat, corn or soy. But of course I'd rather be eating wheat. I'll wait until the next time my antibodies are tested. If it has made a difference, I may continue. If not.........

[NatChap in reply to Lucy1000]

I have also recently gone gf and haven't noticed any difference in relation to my hypothyroidism (although not had antibodies tested since cutting out gluten yet). I did decide to have a burger with a sourdough roll the other day just to see if there was any reaction and I hate to say it but my stomach swelled up with 1/2 an hour so I reluctantly concede that I should cut it out permanently.

To replace bread with things like a boiled egg or sandwiches I eat Schar crispbreads, they're yummy whether you are gf or not! Gf bread is rank, I would rather not eat it! Buckwheat makes delicious pancakes and you can also get buckwheat pasta now. With a fry up I have sliced and fried new potatoes instead of bread and I make my own granola with oats and nuts or have porridge for brekkie. And with regards to cakes..flourless chocolate cakes are better than normal cakes

For a sweet, nutritious treat try these:

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cocoa powder or dark chocolate chips (I use a combo of both)

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put everything in a pan and melt on a gentle heat, mix well and pour into cupcake or mini cupcake cases and refrigerate. Absolutely delicious

[Lucy1000]

Thanks NapChap - a few treats in the mix do help survive the limitations!

[Lucy1000]

Natchap, rather...the other sounds like quite a party though...

[crimple]

going GF helped reduce my TPO's almost to zero. I had intolerance to wheat, chicken and eggs before hypo diagnosis. I now avoid GF foods with GF oats as they can still be a problem. Buckwheat must say it is GF otherwise it may be contaminated! I went dairy free for a while and now have Arla lacto free milk, butter, cream and cheese. I also cannnot tolerate soya or coconut, so everyone is different.I learned about my issues via a controlled elimination diet.

Hubby makes me gf bread in bread machine which is good on first and second day but then has to be toasted!

[Lucy1000 in reply to crimple]

Can you share the recipe?

[crimple]

Recipe for GF bread to make in bread maker with GF programme.

510gm Dove Farm GF Flour, 50gm linseeds, 25gm sesame seeds, 1 tspn salt, 2 tbspn sugar, 6 tbspns olive oil, 1.5 tsp cider vinegar, 1.5tspn gf free dried yeast (check carefully as some years have wheat in them!!!) 2 chia eggs ( 2 tbspns chia seeds mixed with some water and left to swell up! looks a bit like frogspawn!!) add with 16 fluid ozs of water into machine. Ours is menu 11 dark crust programme). It will not rise in a dome shape like normal bread but it should be well aerated with nice crust (it won't be a dark crust) It is quite dense. You can swap ingredients around a bit, such as linseeds, sesame for other things, say ground almonds. He also makes it with chopped dates/sultanas and walnuts for a fruit loaf.

GF Buckwheat is good for pancakes made with lacto free milk and mashed banana.

I am starting to experiment with an icecream maker for lacto free icecream, not perefected recipe yet though.

[Lucy1000]

great - thanks. Do you find chia seeds work better than flax seed, or is it just how that recipe is?