What’s In a Good Diet? Gluten Free or Not
● Protein – each meal had to contain at least one complete protein food (meat, fish, poultry, eggs) or a variety of partial protein foods (legumes, peas, nuts, seeds). Including a variety of these plant foods in your daily diet, will provide your body with all the complete protein it needs. This is a very fortunate thing if you’re vegetarian.
Okay, so you’re probably wondering, what’s so special about complete protein foods? Well, in a nutshell, they provide all the essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of all the protein in us (hormones, antibodies, bones, organs etc.).
The essential amino acids cannot be manufactured in the body (unlike the nonessential). That is what makes them essential. They must be obtained from dietary proteins. So, if a diet is deficient in essential amino acids then the body will most certainly suffer. Never forget, it is not the quantity but the quality of protein foods in your diet that is important.
● Fats – each meal had to be low in saturated fats (nine grams or less per serving). While the unsaturated fats could be much higher (thirty-six grams or less per serving). Unsaturated fats (obtained from olive oil) increase the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and decreases the level of bad cholesterol (LDL). Unsaturated fats help your body in many other ways.
Not to be outdone, saturated fats obtained from grass fed animals and coconut oil have important antimicrobial properties. They protects us against harmful bacteria in our digestive tract. Saturated fats also help your body in many other ways. Both fats are required for survival. What your body doesn’t require is a diet with more saturated fats than unsaturated.
● Carbohydrates – each meal had to be a good source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are vegetables and a good source of insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is that part of the vegetable which is not digestible. Insoluble fiber provides the bulk that contracting and relaxing muscles need to grab onto.
You see, food moves through our digestive system by a process known as peristalsis (the contraction and relaxation of digestive tract muscles). Like any muscle in your body, your digestive tract muscles work less efficiently without exercise. The lack of, results in food moving more slowly through the small and large intestine. When things slow down, digestive health problems arise.
Fortunately, this rhythmic contraction with the presence of insoluble fiber (which is mildly abrasive); gently scrubs your intestinal walls clean in the process. Insoluble fiber will help keep the colon muscles toned and your feces moving more freely.
Now, I’m sorry to say not all my recipes contain an adequate amount of fiber. On those days you can supplement your diet with some high fiber organic foods – like bean snacks or seeds between meals.
Why Not Eat This
● I decided to make all the meals dairy-free. Because anyone with an immune reaction to gluten might also be sensitive to the casein protein. Casein is one of two types of protein in milk, whey is the other. Whey is safe and a complete protein to boot.
Our body breaks protein down into a combination of amino acids called a peptide chain. Casein is a milk protein with a very similar peptide chain to the gluten protein.
Unlike the gluten protein – casein will not trigger an immune response. But, it may act like the gluten protein and cause digestive disorders of similar nature. Additionally, partially digested casein proteins turn into morphine like substances called opiates. Like opium it is highly addictive.
Dairy free means removing all cows’ milk, butter and cheese (anything made from cows’ milk). As with gluten, don’t forget there are hidden sources of casein. Casein is often listed as caseinate or milk protein.
● Now, it’s important that you know, I used only minimally processed foods in my recipes. Minimally processed foods are all free of emulsion stabilizers. They are added to all ultra-processed foods (gluten-free is no exception). Emulsion stabilizers give food a uniform look, texture and extended shelf life.