While a gluten-free diet is not a new idea in the field of nutrition, it has gained popularity over the years.
At first, the concept of “gluten-free” was only something people suffering celiac disease were interested in, but they make a small part of the population. Then followed the 7% of people with gluten sensitivity. As more products were flooding the market and gluten-free diet was gaining more media popularity, other people decided to go with the flow as well.
In reality, in 2017, we could see the data that the number of Americans excluding gluten from their diet has tripled since 2009, even if the number of celiac disease patients and gluten intolerant individuals remained the same.
Regardless of whether you want to “break up” with gluten forever because you have to or because you want to, here are some things you need to know before going gluten-free.
Gluten isn’t the “boogeyman” of the nutrition
The most important thing to know before you continue reading is that gluten isn’t, by itself, a bad ingredient. On the contrary, the fiber in whole grain has many health benefits. These include promoting gut health, controlling blood sugar, and reducing the risk of heart disease.
You should talk to a doctor
If you want to give up on gluten because you think you may have celiac disease, first you should consult a doctor to run some blood tests in order to determine your condition. The blood checks will only show accurate results if you are eating gluten on a regular basis.
As for gluten sensitivity, you should know that it doesn’t manifest only as a stomach condition. It can also affect the brain, immune system, and other aspects of your health. So, even if you don’t suspect you could be sensitive to gluten, you can run some test to know for certain.
It is not a weight loss diet
Some people decide to ditch gluten from their nutrition so they can lose weight more easily. However, the chances are that it won’t make a big difference. On the contrary, if you embrace a gluten-free lifestyle based mostly on commercial gluten-free foods, you could even gain weight. This happens because so many commercial gluten-free products are lower in fiber and higher in carbs than their gluten-packed counterparts.
The wheat is not the only thing you should be avoiding
You will also need to cut out barley and rye completely (meaning that you won’t be able to drink most beers).
When considering going gluten-free, most people think that they will only have to give up on wheat, and nothing more. Unfortunately, that is not the case. In general, you should be careful when reading the label of most of the products, including oats, spice mixes, and other packaged foods, because gluten tends to pop up in the most unexpected goods. However, even the labels won’t always tell you the truth, so try to research the brands with online databases.
Going gluten-free doesn’t have to be a sacrifice
We understand you: what could possibly be as delicious as eating a loaf of bread and finishing up with a pint of beer? Well, boy do we have news for you, gluten-free bread can be soft and delicious, tasteful cakes and cookies can also be gluten-free. There also plenty of brands producing refreshing gluten-free beer.
Also, there are plenty of healthy and enjoyable foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as eggs, fish, seafood, turkey, chicken, vegetables, fruits, potatoes, corn, nuts, rice, seeds, and many others.
The challenges of cooking without gluten
There is no doubt that gluten-free recipes can be delicious. However, it must be said that cooking without gluten requires additional considerations. This can make your hours in the kitchen much more complicated than they were before. Not only that you will need to scout for the ingredients carefully, but you will also need to look for various recipes, which can’t necessarily be found on paleo websites and books since paleo doesn’t focus exclusively on avoiding gluten.
The beginnings are always hard
The process of going gluten-free can be emotionally exhausting and sometimes even physically hard. It can leave you frustrated and ready to throw in the towel every day. However, please be aware that with time it will get easier. The most important is that you are aware of your reason and that the people surrounding you are supportive.
By now, you probably already have a clear picture of what a gluten-free diet looks like, and what are its flaws and benefits. Unless you have celiac disease and you need to do this for your health, this is a deeply personal decision you should make only when you get all the necessary information.
LGBT+ Labour apologises for inviting ‘gender critical’ journalist Helen Lewis to speak at event
LGBT+ Labour has apologised for inviting journalist Helen Lewis to take part in a panel discussion about the legacy of Maureen Colquhoun, Britain’s first openly gay MP.
There was immediate backlash on social media on Tuesday (1 February) when it was announced that Lewis would be joining Angela Eagle MP and Dr Mairi Todd, Colquhoun’s step-daughter, in a panel discussion about the late Labour politician’s career.
Labour members and trans people were quick to criticise LGBT+ Labour for inviting Lewis to sit on the panel discussion, which was due to go ahead on Wednesday evening (2 February) over Zoom.
Helen Lewis invitation was ‘an oversight’
Shortly after 6.30pm on Tuesday, LGBT+ Labour issued a statement saying one of its panelists had been invited “in error”.
“LGBT+ Labour would like to apologise profoundly for the composition of the panel for our event ‘Remembering Maureen Colquhoun MP’,” the group wrote.
“An invitation was made in error and it has been withdrawn. LGBT+ Labour does not endorse one of the panelist’s views on Gender Recognition Act reform or trans rights, and the organisation stands in total solidarity with our trans siblings. The invitation was an oversight which we have corrected.
“LGBT+ Labour recognises that trans people and their rights face constant attack in the media and from government, and will always advocate for equality for trans and non-binary people.”
LGBT+ Labour would like to apologise profoundly for the composition of the panel for our event “Remembering Maureen Colquhoun MP”. An invitation was made in error and it has been withdrawn. pic.twitter.com/liZ8HWFmoM
— LGBT+ Labour (@LGBTLabour) February 1, 2022
The political group added that it had taken the decision to postpone the event entirely and that it will announce another date in the near future.
Dr Todd criticised LGBT+ Labour’s response, tweeting: “This was supposed to be a celebration of Maureen and Helen Lewis wrote an incredible tribute to her in her book, which gave me huge comfort at a terrible time.
“I am horrified that it has become an argument about something else.”
Lewis has attracted criticism in the past for her vocal criticism of proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act (GRA) which would allow trans people to self-identify. Numerous countries currently allow trans people to self-identify, meaning they can determine their own legal gender with fewer legal and administrative hurdles.
Plans to introduce a similar system in the UK were scrapped following years of vocal criticism from a group of “gender critical” feminists.
In her columns, Helen Lewis has claimed that allowing trans people to self-identify would prevent women from being able to “challenge someone with a beard exposing their penis in a women’s changing room”.
She was a vocal opponent to reforms to the Gender Recognition Act, stating that proposed changes were “gender’s version of Brexit” and represented a “radical rewriting of our understanding of identity”.
Lewis also described the trans rights movement as “the imperial overreach of a handful of trans activists, in trying to rewrite widely accepted ideas about gender by stealth”. Lewis also complained about being described as a TERF in the same piece.
PinkNews has contacted Helen Lewis and LGBT+ Labour for comment.
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