Are Gluten Free Products Healthier?

In the Los Angeles area, (where Peter’s Choice is located, and I reside), there are a lot of “health food supermarkets”. I have yet to see one that is truly healthy, (i.e. no GMO, all organic, grass-fed meat, etc.), but for the most part, they are considerably better than conventional supermarkets.

This morning I was in the store of a relatively small health food supermarket chain, (about 150 stores in the western states). I went to the freezer section to get some organic blueberries and couldn’t help but notice all the gluten-free burritos, pot stickers, dumplings and other frozen foods. I don’t usually buy much packaged food, even from health food supermarkets, but out of curiosity I thought I would check out the ingredients in some of the gluten free products. Though I did bring home an organic, gluten free burrito, I was pretty dismayed at the ingredients in most of the frozen meals.

Gluten Free Can Be Misleading

I totally get the “gluten free” movement. I stopped eating wheat (and other grains) years ago, mostly because of low carb diets. I also had a gut feeling that even organic wheat wasn’t very organic anymore. A few years later, in his book “Wheat Belly”, Dr. William Davis confirmed my suspicions.

Unless you are suffer from celiac disease where you have to avoid all glutens, you have probably given up eating gluten for general health reasons.  But don’t get fooled by the “gluten free” label on foods.  Many of them contain GMO ingredients and sugar. Take today’s survey of the gluten free packaged food in the health food store.  If gluten grains are removed, there has to be something to take their place.  The majority of gluten free packaged foods were not organic.  Almost every product contained some type of corn flour or corn starch. You know that is going to be GMO.

Another common substitute in gluten-free products is tapioca starch or flour.  Tapioca comes from the tuberous root called “cassava” and is mostly starch.  It contains very little nutrition and because it is so high in starch,  it is not recommended for people with glucose tolerance issues.

Healthy Gluten Free Eating

Delicious, healthy, gluten free food is abundant. And most of it is homemade . That’s right, do it yourself is best.  Gluten free recipes are everywhere, free of charge.  One of my favorite places to get a gluten free (or any other) recipe is on Pinterest. Now, in honor of my birthday in a few days, I will be going to a gluten-free bakery.

In spite of all the warnings I have given you here about gluten free products, I will be indulging in a few treats loaded with sugar and goodness knows what.  But, at least they will be gluten free, right?

To your Health!

Peter Gillham