Going gluten-free has become increasingly popular over the last decade. It’s even considered hip to be “g-free”! But is it right for you? If you experience fatigue, headaches, bloating, gas or diarrhoea after eating wheat & gluten-containing products, you could be suffering from an intolerance & avoiding gluten will reduce these unpleasant symptoms. If your symptoms are very severe, you should be tested by your medical practitioner for coeliac disease, a condition that triggers an immune reaction & prevents the absorption of nutrients in your digestive system, causing malnourishment & damage to the small intestine.
According to Don Chisholm, author of “Have you got the Guts to be really healthy?” the reason why so many people have wheat & gluten intolerances is due to our current farming methods. Grains are quickly farmed with little time between harvest & planting. Crops are grown in soils full of toxic fertilisers & are genetically modified to be ‘tougher’ so they produce higher yields. These grains are full of toxins & anti-nutrients & contain little nutritional value. It is believed that grains grown in this way are causing gluten intolerances in so many people.
Many people are switching to cooking & baking with ancient grains, which are authentic grains that have not been manipulated by modern agriculture. Ancient grains contain higher amounts of amino acids, vitamins & minerals & fibre than today’s genetically modified processed grains. Some ancient grains are low in gluten & many people who are gluten intolerant can tolerate these such as spelt or Kamut. Teff is a gluten-free ancient grain & is safe to be consumed by Coeliacs.
If you think going “g-free” may be beneficial to you, beware of the gluten-free food market! Many products are packed with sugar, artificial ingredients & toxic transfats to make them flavoursome. Always check the ingredients list before you buy. Mojo Health has a huge range of gluten-free options for breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks, so visit us in-store & chat with our expert team or shop online.
Want to know more about ancient grains? Read What Ancient Grains Are