Gluten-Free: Fad or Fact?

When people hear the phrase “gluten-free” they probably think of stick-thin Beverly Hills socialites that order plain salads with no croutons and dressing on the side for lunch.

But what exactly is gluten-free? Is it a made-up trend or do people actually practice and thrive from it?

Gluten can be found in many baked goods, including bread, crackers, biscuits and pasta as well as certain food additives like artificial colorings and plant and vegetable proteins.

What foods are gluten-free? Those that are labeled by the GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization) or feature manufacturer labels indicating they’re gluten-free. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins (meat, fish, poultry), nuts and seeds are generally gluten-free.

But why does this matter so much? GF is not just a chosen lifestyle, it’s a must-do for people who suffer from gluten intolerance, which is also known as celiac disease. It’s a wheat-related disorder and can cause:

Anxiety
Belly/stomach pain
Bloating
Diarrhea
Headaches
Joint/muscle pain
Nausea
Tiredness

Even more serious than gluten intolerance is an allergy to wheat, which, if left untreated can have dangerous-even deadly-outcomes. Sufferers of this can experience all the GF symptoms as well as vomiting, irritated eyes and difficulty breathing. It’s a true allergy-such as a peanut allergy-and must be acted upon immediately.

So what if you have gluten intolerance and are also a bread freak? No worries. There are tons of GF recipes out there, and we’ve got a doozy for ya. It comes courtesy of https://wholelifestylenutrition.com. You can thank us now.

“The Best Gluten-Free Bread Recipe Ever”

INGREDIENTS
2½ cups gluten free all purpose flour without brown rice flour ~ See Recipe
1 cup warm milk (about 110ºF) of choice (nut milk, fresh coconut milk or raw goat or cow’s milk)
¼ cup organic cane sugar
2¼ tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp sea salt
¼ cup butter or ghee melted and cooled
2 large eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

In a small bowl, combine warm milk, sugar and yeast. Stir and dissolve the yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.
Combine flour and salt in a stand mixer bowl and blend on low for a few seconds.
Add the yeast mixture to the flour and blend on low for 30 seconds.
Add butter and eggs and blend on low (scraping the sides as needed) for about 30 seconds.
Turn the mixer on high and beat for 3 minutes or until the batter becomes smooth.
Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for an hour.
Grease a rectangular loaf pan with coconut oil or butter. Stir the risen dough and place it into the prepared pan.
Cover the dough with a piece of greased plastic wrap and allow the bread to rise in a warm place for another 20-30 minutes or until the dough rises just to the top of the pan.
Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes in a 350ºF oven.
Remove from the pan and cool before slicing.