| Myth |
Fact |
| It’s too hard to eat gluten free all the time. |
It’s not that it’s “too hard”, you are probably just confused as to what you can eat. Once you overcome the confusion and the thought of its “too hard” you’ll begin to see how easy it can be. Focus on what you CAN have rather than what you CAN’T and life will become a lot easier.
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| Gluten free doesn’t taste good. |
There is no substituting flavor. The biggest adjustment is the type of flour you are using, usually the spices are naturally gluten free (always read the label), and you’ll still be able to spice your food as you did when consuming gluten.
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| Everything has gluten. |
Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Most other grains and flours are gluten free, such as soy, rice, potato, tapioca, arrowroot, nut, bean, etc. Statistically, there are far more gluten free options than gluten containing when it comes to cooking.
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| It’s too expensive to eat gluten free. |
There are items that are higher in price, but not all. Buying online or in bulk is often more cost effective if you know which products you like. Glutenfreemall.com is a great resource for online ordering. The naturally gluten free foods, such as unseasoned poultry, meat, fruits, vegetables, and dairy items will not be affected by gluten free pricing.
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| It’s just a “FAD” diet. |
In the US, on average 1 in 131 people suffer from celiac disease and 83% of those people are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with a different condition. The only known treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten free diet. Which such a large amount of people needing to avoid gluten for the rest of their lives, it is obviously much more than a new trend or “FAD” diet.
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| It’s hard to find gluten free products. |
In some cases this can be true. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry any, order online. Glutenfreemall.com is a great resource for online ordering.
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| I won’t be able to go out to eat. |
Choosing your restaurant wisely, asking the right questions, and knowing before you go are the keys to successfully eating out gluten free. If you aren’t sure if the restaurant will have gluten free options, call and explain to the restaurant staff that you would like to eat there but need to know if they can accommodate your needs. Let them know what you can and cannot have.
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| I don’t want to give up my favorite foods. |
Chances are that you are making the switch to gluten free as part of health concern, so finding a new way to make your favorite recipes and eat your favorite food is only a small task to live a life without pain. Many gluten containing foods can still be made to taste delicious and gluten free with only a few ingredients changed.
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| My family won’t like it. |
As with any life change, it’s always easier with the support of your family. Gluten free meals can be just as delicious if not even more delicious than any other meal, so once you show your family how good gluten free can taste, then there shouldn’t be an issue. If you aren’t the one who cooks in the family, then make sure the person who is cooking is well versed and ready to help with your gluten free lifestyle. Every family is different, it’s all about communication and letting your family know what you can and can’t eat and why.
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| People only eat gluten free to lose weight. |
Stuffing your body with gluten free breads, cake, brownies, cookies, and other carbohydrate filled snacks, will not increase your chances of losing weight. However, if you adhere to a well-balanced diet, filled with clean protein, good fats, and complex carbs, then you are more likely to shed a few pounds. As with any style of eating, you can choose to balance your meals or continue to overeat anything that tastes good. Eating gluten free does not promote weight loss, eating a well-balanced diet does.
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If you do follow a gluten-free diet, make sure you include lots of high-fibre foods, and watch out for high-fat, high-sugar, gluten-free foods. If you have coeliac disease, you need to avoid even the smallest trace of gluten, even down to things such as breadcrumbs in the butter and jam.