Q: I am sensitive to gluten and dairy but find it challenging to find a variety of healthy food options. Can you help?
A:
Completely eliminating a food group is definitely a personal choice, but if you are sensitive to those foods, cutting them out is often the way to go. Many people find that these foods cause gas and bloating even in the absence of a positive allergy test. The trick to living without them is to choose whole foods that fill the same “need” or quench a craving without getting in the way of your weight loss efforts.
Gluten free products are typically “fake foods” and made with enough additives to bring weight loss to a screeching halt. It is best to focus on fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein and avoid processed gluten free foods. If you need a starch, think about things like:
- Potatoes (small, fingerling potatoes are lower glycemic than baked potatoes)
- Small sweet potato
- Wild rice (not just brown rice, but should have the entire outer shell on it)
- Butternut squash
- Mary’s Gone Crackers is a whole-food cracker made from seeds that is naturally gluten free without additives. They are a little plain but work well with something on top like a healthy crab dip.
- Blue Diamond also has a great line of gluten free nut thins. They are not nutritionally perfect, but they are one of the better ones we have tried.
Dairy free products are typically made from GMO soy and should be avoided when you can. Some alternatives include:
- Unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- Hemp milk
- Flax milk
- Almond yogurt
- Almond cheese