Are you or someone you know eating gluten-free? Please keep reading.

You may have noticed the labelling on many products nowadays says ‘Gluten-Free’. It kind of reminds me of the days when food companies were sticking ‘low-fat’ on things to make people think they were somehow healthier! It didn’t matter if it was a bag of candies that of course had no fat, but were nothing but sugar, chemicals and food dyes!

I was the baker at a lovely little gluten-free bakery in Nanaimo called ‘The Blue Jewel Bakery and Cafe’. It is unfortunately closed now. I know a lot about gluten, what it is and does, and how to create things with gluten-free alternatives.

I believe gluten can and does cause a lot of havoc for many people and that even those of us without sensitivities or allergies to it could do well eating a little less in our diets. I will expound more on this in another article.

What I do want to say here, is that just because something says gluten-free, doesn’t mean it’s better for your health! You can buy gluten-free cookies, Nanaimo bars and pastries that are made with white rice flour, loads of sugar and bad fats! Some gluten-free breads have flours that are poor in nutritional value as their main ingredients.

I suggest that those who have wheat or gluten intolerance or allergies choose more whole-foods like whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, millet, and buckwheat (which isn’t a wheat), and fresh veggies and fruits as opposed to highly processed, low-nutrition gluten-free options.

For those who are avoiding wheat and other gluten grains for general health reasons, but don’t have real issues with it, sometimes something made with whole wheat or rye is a better choice than a gluten-free item made with poor ingredients!

Remember, companies are out there to make money. They use gimmicks to sell. Sticking low-fat, gluten-free, vegan or even organic labels on it doesn’t mean it’s good for your body! Don’t just look at the label for what it doesn’t have – check out what it does have in it!

Look out for more articles on gluten – what it is and why you might want to avoid it! Also, check out our recipe page for some tasty, healthy, gluten-free recipes