Wheat/Gluten:
Wheat is a big culprit in our “top 5 food allergens” list and often gluten intolerances turn into bigger problems because it’s IN EVERYTHING from ketchup to soy sauce to candy making for constant exposure even when we’re avoiding breads and pastas. While label reading is important (or IMPERATIVE if you have Celiac Disease or Hashimoto’s) there are more and more gluten free options in your grocery stores and favorite restaurants. Keep in mind that just because something is “gluten free” doesn’t mean that it is healthy or nutrient dense. Often gluten free convenience or store bought foods / snacks are actually higher in refined carbohydrates and will create a greater glycemic burden on the body. Begin collecting more nutrient dense flours such as buckwheat, almond flour, chickpea and coconut flour for recipes that you are wanting to try. There are also many good gluten free flour mixes on the market or you can mix up your own! In recipes calling for a thickener you can use arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or potato starch (sometimes I will mash up one of the potatoes in my stew to thicken the sauce.)
There are many gluten free alternatives for pasta as well! Once again not all gluten free pasta is healthful because it adds so much rice flour or corn and is really only adding a bit of fiber and protein. Check out some of my favorites in the list below that are a yummy and nutrient dense alternative to regular pasta.
Gluten free healthful alternatives:
- Lettuce wraps
- Spiral “veggie noodles”
- Chickpea pasta
- Buckwheat
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Arrowroot powder
- Tapioca starch
- Brown rice pasta
Dairy:
From bloating and gas, to loose stools, acne breakouts and excessive mucous production dairy sensitivity is very common. Some may argue this is largely due to farming processes, sourcing and quality (which I don’t disagree with!) but unless you have easy access to farm fresh dairy from happy, healthy cows it likely doesn’t really matter. As I help clients heal their gut and reduce reactivity we often reduce dairy for awhile to ease the burden of inflammation on the body. Less chronic inflammation = faster healing. Luckily butter isn’t typically such a culprit with these concerns (especially grass-fed butter) but if you suspect a true dairy allergy it needs to get kicked out as well.
Dairy free alternatives that can make your soups creamier and your sauces “cheesier”:
- goat cheese
- nutritional yeast
- coconut cream
- cashew cream
- nut milk
Want some recipes on how to make or use these? Comment below and we’ll publish some!
Sauces/packaged foods:
Sauces, seasoning mixes and dressings often contain many not so desirable ingredients. These are often the most challenging things to avoid when limiting gluten and dairy because it’s just so much dang work to make your own stuff all the time. Convenience is king so making the easy choice the healthy one is your best bet. Don’t sacrifice flavor and having fun with food because you’re working on specific health goals. Be on the lookout for packaged foods that are marketed to appear “healthy” with labels like gluten free, natural or sugar free! It’s always best to eat foods in their original, whole form but sometimes you just want to dump a jar of teriyaki sauce on some cooked chicken and call it dinner….and that’s OK!
Our favorite lower allergen alternatives to conventional sauces/packaged foods:
- Coconut aminos
- Tamari (limit soy based products that are non-organic)
- Primal kitchen has some great clean sauces: Dressings, Buffalo, Teriyaki and more
- Make your own seasonings; here is our Mexican Seasoning recipe
- Check your labels. If there are more than 5 ingredients or ingredients you cannot pronounce take a PASS on it
- When in doubt just eat REAL food!
Do you have a favorite sauce or seasoning that makes your life easier and has amazing ingredients? Share the love and post a shout out for it below.
A note about dyes and artificial sweeteners:
Food dyes, especially red 40, can be a common contributor to food sensitivity reactions such as hyperactivity, migraines and other behavioral symptoms.
If you haven’t stopped using artificial sweeteners, please do so immediately! What many people don’t realize is that artificial sweeteners trick the body and throw off our systems including our metabolism, gut microbiome and general inflammatory responses.
Alternatives to dyes/artificial sweeteners:
- banana/pear/applesauce in baking
- plant based food color
- raw local honey/pure maple syrup in moderation
- stevia
- coconut sugar
- dates