Did you know that feeding your kids gluten free is actually unhealthy? Is how the conversation started. While the intent may have been well-meaning, their position was weak and misinformed. They pointed to a recent article that appeared in a local newspaper about gluten-free products. Right away, my spidy senses started tingling. I wondered whether the article was referring to whole foods or highly refined gluten free products.

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The Choice to Eat Gluten Free

Several years ago I cut wheat from my diet. I had been on a quest to become regularly active and to eat well. I wanted to have the energy I needed to enjoy life and I wanted to enjoy life by living it, not watching it on a television set. I had always imagined myself becoming a mom early in my life and when that didn't happen I swore that I would stay active so I could keep up with my kids instead of watching them from the side lines.

Am I celiac? No. Then, why did I cut wheat from my diet? At the time, there was information gaining popularity about the connection between gluten and inflammation. While my health was improving I didn't always feel well and I couldn't put my finger on the reason why. I decided something had to change and decided to tinker. Removing wheat from my diet was incredibly challenging; firstly, I am a carb-aholic, and secondly, I couldn't believe how many products contained wheat. Once, I even found it in a package of curry spice!

When I removed wheat from my diet my symptoms improved drastically. You might be wondering what my symptoms were and I am here to tell you it doesn't matter. The point is that I felt the best I had in a long time and my decision to not eat wheat didn't affect anyone but me.

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When people find out that I eat gluten free, especially as a non-celiac, they tend to get really worked up. Somehow, my choice to not eat gluten is offensive to them and they feel the need to assess whether or not I actually need to avoid gluten and inform me that gluten sensitivity isn't actually a real thing.

If gluten sensitivity isn't actually a real thing then why are there millions of people who claim they experienced health benefits after cutting wheat from their diets? We personally know one person who was able to eliminate severe gas, bloating, and IBS. Another person in our life completely reversed their markers for rheumatoid arthritis after eliminating wheat. Just because science doesn't have an explanation for why these occurrences happen doesn't mean there isn't something in wheat causing these ailments. In these two examples, clearly the symptoms alleviated aren't something you would expect from a placebo effect.

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After discovering how much better I felt without wheat in my diet, I made the decision that my kids would mainly eat gluten free as well. Shocking, I know. Since I don't eat wheat, and I am the chef in the house, I knew their diets would default to gluten free. But what most people don't realize is that I eat a minimal amount of refined foods. Our meals mainly consist of real food. We eat protein, vegetables, fruit, and dairy. People assume that I eat gluten free bread, and I do occasionally, but I don't actually buy gluten free bread for myself. I really only eat it when it's offered to me.

Now that I've shared a little bit about why we chose to eat gluten free, stay tuned for part two where I rebut the article in question.

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