I have two good friends who are on a gluten-free diet: one for his own health & wellness reasons, and the other because her son has an extreme gluten sensitivity, and it was easier for the whole household to go gluten-free than it was to teach a six year old what he can and can’t eat. Both friends always have great things to say about going gluten-free: they have more energy, they don’t get the mid-afternoon energy drain, etc. I decided to give this a shot for 30 days. Here is what I learned.
- I did feel more energized after about two weeks on the gluten-free diet. However, at around the same time I went gluten-free, I started waking up much earlier and exercising. I changed too many variables at once. When I reintroduced gluten at the end of my 30-day trial period, but continued with the rest of my new routine, I didn’t feel any more sluggish. Therefore, I don’t believe my increased energy was associated with the lack of gluten.
- Foods designated gluten-free tend to be more expensive and often taste pretty bad. So, rather than buying gluten-free bread, etc., I just didn’t eat foods usually containing gluten during July.
- Fortunately, there are other grains (rice, corn, potatoes) that are naturally gluten-free.
- Several ethnic cuisines are almost entirely gluten-free, including Indian, Mexican, and most Asian foods.
In short, it was an interesting month, but I doubt I’ll return to a gluten-free diet any time soon.