Gluten-Free Junk Food

 Just Because it's Gluten Free

Doesn't mean it's Healthy!

A recent survey says that almost one-third of Americans are trying to reduce or exclude gluten from their diet.* Have you noticed the gluten free label on cake and cookie mixes, cereals, breads, and breakfast items? The big food manufacturers are all on board with Gluten Free. It's the latest fad and they aren't going to be left out. But just because they've removed the gluten, it doesn't mean the item is healthy for you to eat. It's still in a box or a package, it still lasts for months on a shelf, and it's probably still full of sugar, preservatives, bad oils, not to mention grains that don't have gluten but still cause the rise in insulin.


Several years ago my mother-in-law was diagnosed  with celiac. I've made a few gluten-free treats for her because I felt so bad that she couldn't eat  homemade cookies and muffins anymore. When Betty Crocker came out with a boxed GF Brownie Mix,  we all agreed the brownies were really tasty. Since then, I've made other GF treats when she has visited, most recently cranberry-orange scones made with almond flour.  I even started a Gluten Free pinterest board  with desserts that are safe for her.

Now I am seeing more and more blogs that have gluten free recipes, but most of the time they are still junk food. Here are just a few recipes from one blog:

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles
Gluten Free Coconut Frosted Brownies
Gluten-Free Brown Butter Harvest Cake With Vanilla Nut Creme
Peanut Butter Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies
Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake

On rare occasions a homemade GF dessert is probably ok if it's also very low in sugar. (This flourless chocolate mousse cake was quite tasty on Valentine's Day.) Just don't be fooled into thinking that it's healthy for you. GF versions of junk food are still junk.

Why not try this: stop thinking that you are being deprived of all those treats; don't even call them treats. Start thinking of them as slow poisons that are harming your health -- not worth the few minutes of a sweet taste in your mouth.

End your meal with a real treat:
serve a plate of several fresh fruits.







(*see Baking Industry Acknowledges the impact of Wheat Belly.)