Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Just having a look at this old thread. I have been diagnosed recently as coeliac and it's very hard for me to get used to.
I had no real symptoms other than extreme lethargy and low vitamin D and folates - am interested to know if anyone else has it and how they cope with the diet thing. It's hard to find much without wheat/gluten apart from fruit and veg!!

I've carefully read food labels for years, keeping in mind low fat and sugar and now have to avoid wheat - it's a pain, to be honest and all help appreciated..
If I have to leave out oats, not sure yet, that will be it as far as breakfast goes.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Im not sure if you are near an aldi but they now sell gluten free pasta and crackers at a very resonable price..
There are also some really good gluten free cook books around these days..

I know when my son was diagnosed as having a lactose allergy 30 years ago the only soya milk was on perscription and cooking was a nightmare how things have changed..

Dont let this hold you back, there are lots of shops now selling a good range of gluten free..

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

If I was diagnosed with coeliac disease,yes..for any other reason,no.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Thank you - I will check Aldi tomorrow, there's one quite near us.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Many supermarkets have free from aisles, you can all sorts of things, bread, crackers, biscuits and cakes even. Pasta is quite nice as are digestive biscuits, not keen on the custard creams they cream has an odd after taste. http://www.free-from.com/blog/

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Accepting that celiacs are definitely afflicted and must stay away from gluten, there remain, imo, a high percentage of other so-called "gluten-intolerant" people who most likely do not actually have a gluten problem, but who rather are intolerant of all the additives, chemicals and poor processing associated with products containing wheat or other gluten sources.

The fact that they suffer after eating "bread" creates the connection that the culprit must be gluten. Often it is not.

Remember such grains have been cultivated and used to make breads for 1000s of years. It is true that the grain types have changed since those times and we have lost a great deal of "ancient grains" (tho many are being revived by enthusiasts). We have the Chorleywood process to thank for this poor situation. The industrialisation of fast bread production. Factories needed grains that leant themselves to fast dough proving, that's where the money was, and so the ancient grains took a back seat.

That milestone in the history of bread making has much to answer for. When humans traded good grain, proper process and healthy bread for fast proved "forced" bread piling off a conveyor belt, they traded away their health and nutrition in the process.

Grains such as wheat, spelt, barley and to a much lesser extent rye (which has little gluten) are meant to be prepared/processed in a particular way for human consumption. That "proper way" involves LONG FERMENTATION which means that the natural yeasts and lactobacteria present in and on the grains have time to develop, grow and act upon the flour/dough. This alters the dough rheology and makes it easy to digest, more healthy and wholesome . . . and tastier to boot ! The rich flavours of bread come from that long fermentation process. That is why the poor excuse for bread that is a commercial loaf sitting on a supermarket shelf is bland, squidgy and doesn't last except and unless it is piled high with preservatives, additives and chemicals. It is these latter ingredients that cause many people's intolerance.

As you can tell, this is a topic I am familiar with being a passionate home bread maker and having been fortunate to be able to take some training at one of the best Artisan Food schools and spent weeks with a number of real artisan bakeries.

There is a bread revival going on but as with all such natural food movements it is often hard work because "good" costs more than poor mass produced fare.

Bottom line though is that I can bake tasty loaves using a variety of grains like wheat, spelt, rye and by using long fermentation and good technique the end product is palatable and tolerated by many who would consider themselves gluten intolerant. Simple bread made with just the 4 basic ingredients, flour, water, salt, yeast. Tasty, nutritious and healthy.

Without a doubt there are genuinely gluten intolerant people, but there are a great many who are not but think they are. If we revive the long standing traditional methods for making breads and other products then we can I believe correct much of this problem.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

After many years of pain and discomfort and various symptoms I have also gone gluten and lactose free and have noticed a marked improvement.
I am lucky in that I ate very little bread or pasta etc anyway as they caused so much discomfort.
I do eat oats but rye doesn't work for me either.

There are quite a lot of gluten and lactose free products available now though they can be expensive. Almost all the supermarkets sell them.
I agree that using natural ingredients and additive and preservative free food is the best way to eat and the tasty treats which we like to buy are doing us no good at all.
The other thing that helps is a course of probiotics as we can be very low in the good gut flora and again when I take a course of them I notice an improvement in how I feel.

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

Thank you Julie, I have saved the website. The other thing about all this is the price of gluten free food, as mentioned by Anita, but I think staple foods are available on prescription, I hope so..

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

I stopped eating grains about a year ago on my doctors advice. I was suffering with diverticulitis and many other aches and pains and discomfort. I am 30lbs lighter and have had no recurrence of the diverticulitis and a lot of the aches have eased. I'm in my 60's and feel considerably better, so yes...I would and have given up something that made me ill. I will add that I do not eat "gluten free" food from the supermarket because it is packed with sugar and other "chemicals" that are not good. I eat fresh veg and fruit and all kinds of meat and fish. I'm a bit dairy intolerant so limit cheeses, etc. I don't avoid fats, except the manufactured ones, like margarine, but I use coconut oil, butter and olive oil. I'm very happy with my diet...in fact I'm just about to make breakfast....bacon and eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes and fried potatoes.....and seeing as it's a Sunday....Bucks Fizz.....lol
And yes, my cholesterol level is way down!😉

Re: Would you give up wheat to feel better?

The price of gluten free flour is the problem I think when you look at it in the supermarket that certainly makes me wince. It doesn't cook like traditional flour either so you have to adjust recipes.
I have learned a hell of a lot about cooking with it, not that we are gluten free but we have had 3 dogs including one currently who have been very intolerant of gluten.