If you know me at all, you know I LOVE GLUTEN. Nothing frosts my gluten filled cookies more than seeing girls on gram in their workout gear posting pics of their gluten free meal making you feel guilty for enjoying your bread. There’s nothing wrong with that bread sister! (Great time to check out my gluten and lower BMI post….just sayin’.) Gluten is found in whole grains. And whole grain are so hot right now.
Listen, if you are the 1% of Americans diagnosed with Celiac Disease, you go on with your gluten free self! This post is for the peeps thinking they are being healthier by consuming gluten free products (which, fun fact, are 9 times out of 10 higher in calories and fat).
Gluten lovers, rejoice. Last week, ANOTHER study came out letting us know that gluten is “a ok”. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and whole grains, and whole grains are a thing of beauty. Whole grains are fabulous for you. Folks at the Cleveland Clinic found that incorporating whole grains into your diet improved diastolic blood pressure. (Elevated diastolic number is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.) In fact, in this particular study, incorporating whole grains reduced risk of a heart attack by 1/3 and risk of death by stroke by 2/5. Can I get an amen?
To recap: whole grains contribute to a multitude of health benefits including lowering your risk for stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and colorectal cancer. So why, my dear, are you not eating your whole grains? Leave those zoodles and lettuce wraps for the birds and enjoy some gluten. Please note, I am totes referring to whole grains and not white, refined garbage. White bread, buns, pasta, rice might taste divine but they are no bueno in the health department. The average American consumes 16 grams of whole grains a day. The current recommendation for whole grains is 50 grams per day….so we have a lil work to do.
What to look for: 100% whole wheat. Whole wheat is whole grain. Proceed with caution on “wheat” or “multigrain”.
Cheers my dears!