Switching to the latest diet regiment when you're accustomed to eating whatever's in front of you or whatever you're craving for might bring in obstacles along the way. One of the diets getting hyped by many people due to its numerous health advantages is the whole30 diet.
As a gluten-free dieter trying to decide if they should go for it alongside their existing gluten-free lifestyle, is it the best idea? The whole30 plan only restricts traditional bread and not the gluten-free version, or does it? And, if you can't even have bread on this diet, what are the choices left behind? We'll answer all your questions in this gluten-free, whole30 guide below:
Whole30 Diet- An Introduction
We will share specifics, but the first step is understanding what the whole30 diet features. As the name indicates, the whole30 diet is a diet plan that reintroduces whole foods in your diet while eliminating unhealthy foods for 30 days.
Not many achieve the goals of the diet to their full potential due to its extreme restrictions. While other diets only decrease or eliminate high-carb foods, gluten-containing foods, artificial sources, etc., the whole30 diet takes out three primary food groups, i.e., dairy, legumes, and grains.
Other foods not allowed on whole30 are alcohol, sugar, processed foods with carrageenan, MSG, and sulfites, and all forms of baked goods and fast food.
The creators of the whole30 program Melissa Hartwig and Dallas Hartwig, when developing this plan, aimed for a 30-day diet course focusing on nutritious whole foods. Many perceive this diet to be too restrictive since you'll be eliminating some of the major food components in your daily meals.
Meanwhile, others enlist the various benefits brought by it. Another rule of this diet is that if you give in to your cravings, even if it's just a single shot of vodka or a bite of the classic bread sandwich, you'll have to start over from day 1. Does this sound impossible to you?
The diet may be worth the trouble with reported health benefits, including decreased health conditions, improved digestive system, regular sleep cycles, clearer skin, and high energy levels, the likes of which you may not have experienced before.
The diet doesn't emphasize counting your calories, but the cherry on top is losing the extra pounds you've been gaining due to unhealthy eating patterns.
Gluten-Free & Whole30- The Connection
A gluten-free diet exempts gluten-based grains and their products from your consumption, whether it's due to celiac or non-celiac sensitivity or choosing a healthier lifestyle.
Additionally, you must avoid any processed foods containing any form of gluten on a gluten-free diet too. Grains and products made from these grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and spelt, are strictly avoided on a gluten-free diet.
The whole30 diet omits a bunch of food categories and ingredients from your 30-day meals. Here, we talk about the ones that correlate with a gluten-free diet. The whole30 diet takes the elimination of grains a step further.
A gluten-free diet only subtracts gluten-based grains. On the whole30 diet, you can't have any grain or pseudo-cereal type, even the gluten-free ones. That's primarily where the difference lies; oats, corn, sorghum, rice, millet, in the category of grains and quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, in the pseudo-cereals division are compatible with a gluten-free diet, but not the whole30.
And again, a gluten-free diet does not take away legumes, dairy, and sugar from the diet. You should decrease, if not eliminate, processed foods from a gluten-free diet too, but it's not necessary as long as it doesn't contain any gluten components. Then again, that rule is essential to the whole30 diet.
Gluten-Free Bread & Whole30- Are They Compatible?
If you've done a little research about the whole30 diet, you'd see the traditional gluten-based bread is food the whole30 plan suggests avoiding at all costs. It can bring up several questions, especially for gluten-free dieters who are already consuming only gluten-free bread. Before jumping on to gluten-free bread, we'll talk about why the traditional bread is unfeasible on a whole30 plan.
No to Grains:
Any and every type of grain is unacceptable on a whole30 diet. Your traditional bread is made from one of the most common grains, wheat. If you're thinking of going for a non-wheat alternative, remember that other grains need to get out of your grocery list as well!
No to Baked Treats:
Bread comes under the ‘baked goods' category, which you need to throw out when starting on a whole30 diet. The ingesting of baked goods with acceptable ingredients on a gluten-free diet will miss the end goals on a whole30 diet. Staying dedicated to the diet will mean kicking out bread and any treats you're planning on baking.
No to Food Additives:
Even prepacked bread contains tons of additives that enhance the product's texture and shelf-life. Many manufacturers include sulfites, one of the unacceptable additives in whole30, in their bread during the process to preserve the freshness.
That's not all; think about corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup is another additive that adds a hint of sweetness to the bread. It's a form of artificial sweetener, which is again impermissible on a whole30 plan.
When it comes to gluten-free bread, you can work with the rules of no grains and no additives. But, grain-based flours and even legume flours, e.g., chickpea flour, cannot be eaten on a whole30 diet, but what about other sources?
Indeed other options, such as coconut flour, almond flour, cassava flour, and potato flour, exist. And look at the bright side, potatoes are highly recommendable on this diet, lots of them!
Secondly, homemade bread removes the risk of additives in baked goods. So, where does the problem lie? You're stuck with the ‘no baked goods' ruling even if you're baking bread at home. It's still a baked good despite not being a processed one.
Many non-grain flours go with the whole30 diet, but not if you're making bread out of them. In short, you can't recreate gluten-free bread from non-grain flours as long as you're following a whole30 diet plan.
Is This It for Your Favorite Lunch Sandwiches?
Bread isn't just your breakfast companion; a quick lunch sandwich can satisfy your hunger cravings instantly. We don't suggest grabbing gluten-free bread only to smear it with peanut butter and jam and devour it when following a whole30 diet religiously.
This doesn't mean you can't bite into a delicious sandwich; maybe think of other ideas around making a burger when you're on a mission? Use the following bread alternatives to attain the best of both worlds; staying on the diet plan and getting a delicious sandwich in your tummy.
Fruits:
Before you think, “are you kidding me, who makes a sandwich from fruits?”, hear us out. Tomato is a fruit, in case you're unaware of this fact. Tomatoes work well as sandwich buns. Here's another idea, instead of sandwiching your favorite ingredients in tomato slices, why not make a salad of them?
Other delicious fruits that can play the sandwich bun role are bell peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, and avocados (yes, they're all technically fruits). If you're in the mood for an adventurous cooking episode, try apple slices for sandwich buns.
Vegetables:
You need to add lettuce to your diet regularly if you haven't done so already. It's packed with nutrition and a great option to wrap various ingredients inside it. It may not turn out to be the accurate definition of a sandwich, but consider it as a burger swap instead.
We mentioned above how potatoes are a must-have on the whole30 diet, but not deep-fried or the processed types. You can cut potatoes and sweet potatoes into slices for sandwich buns or split it open and stuff the filling inside it.
Protein:
For some of us, swapping sandwich buns for fruits and vegetables doesn't have that same kick to the sandwich experience. That's where the protein option lands. Try using deli meat slices, burger patties, or sausages.
However, when buying processed or prepacked foods, ensure they go with your gluten-free and whole30 diet. Don't forget one of the most vital food protein sources, eggs. Cook these as a thin omelet, layer your filling inside and wrap it up.
Final Words
Keep things simple and uncomplicated! If you're unfamiliar with mixing two diets, go simple and be kind to yourself. Don't overdo or try fancy stuff, and bring in the nutritious foods that go with both diets.
Following a gluten-free and whole30 diet side by side can boost your health in so many ways, so don't shy away from trying it out!
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