They look so innocuous, don't they? / Photo: Frapestaartje

Back in 2008, I chose to go grainless. Whether whole grain or cracker, tortilla or pasta, flour or bread, if it involved a grain, it was out of my diet.

In my first post on the subject, I shared how grains were negatively affecting me physically, mentally, and emotionally. In the second post, I gave a few examples on what to eat in place of those absent grains. It’s now been three years to the month, and I want to catch you up on my experience and what I’ve learned since originally making this change.

Here’s the truth – I’ve experimented, even indulged a bit (for my standards), when it comes to grains.

See, our bodies change over time. What once affected you greatly, may not anymore. We need different nutrients during different stages of our lives.

What remains the same is whole foods are best. It may be convenient to grab a box of food off the shelf. What’s not so convenient is when your body tries to digest and absorb what nutrients are left in it after the processing it goes through.

What I learned:

I trust my body.

Cravings and Desires

We all have our cravings/Photo: thebittenword.com

If I have a desire for something, and I (intuitively) check in to see if it’s a legitimate craving – whether healthy or not – I will partake. We eat not just for nutrients, but for emotional nourishment, mental clarity, physical energy, and spiritual connection.

Eating is one of the great gifts of life. Whenever you feel like you’re cutting off choices in any area of your life, you’ll end up feel deprived and like a victim. I’d rather have the taco, if that’s what my body is calling for in the moment, and I sense it’s ok for me to eat (meaning: it won’t make me feel like crap after).

I am no longer 100% grain free. Maybe 90%. Some weeks 70%. It varies, as does life.

Eating grains no longer affects me in the same way it once did. So, I’ll have some brown rice occasionally with that stir fry. Or if a small piece of bread comes with the salad, I chew it well and enjoy every bite.

Mostly though, I feel better, more energy, and clear when I minimize my intake of grains. Again, it’s all about paying attention and seeing what works for you.

I’m grateful for what cutting out grains did do for me – I began to eat in a more balanced way with lots more fruits and veggies. I drank more water. I lost weight. I had more energy. I wanted to (and did) exercise more. Doesn’t really matter where you start, once you change one aspect of your life, other pieces fall into place.

What To Do

What I substituted for grains:

Almond Flour- The most versatile, tasty way to create a wide variety of grain like meals. The Queen of Almond Flour as far as I’m concerned is Elana of Elana’s Pantry. Her book, aptly named, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook,is the most used cookbook in my house. I went through a phase where I made all sorts of almond flour based sweet and savory dishes. I’ve since slowed down on my almond flour intake, especially after reading this article on how too many nuts and seeds can clog up your system and produce a wide range of symptoms (ones we wouldn’t tend to associate with eating nuts).

Chickpea Flour - Not a grain but can be turned into a most savory flatbread or pancake. This is one of my favorites. In fact, I made some pancakes last night. For approximately $1 (yes, one dollar) I made about 35 of these babies. So easy! Mix the flour with smoked paprika, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder, fennel, cumin, and coriander. Whisk in the same amount of water as flour. Bake in the oven or fry in a pan. Tasty. I also enjoyed these articles (from The Perfect Pantry and Fun with Chickpea Flour) that gave more background and recipes for Chickpea Flour.

Buckwheat- Technically a fruit, it works like a grain and can be found in the form of noodles, flour, porridge, sprouted and used like granola. Here’s the wiki definition, scroll down to the food section of the entry. My general go to for buckwheat is Kaia Granola. I have used the noodles and do like them, though my pocketbook isn’t as much of a fan (pricey!).

Kelp Noodles - Made of seaweed, but most noodley in nature, these are a great addition to any soup or if you want to make a pasta salad.

These have been my main substitutes for grains as they can be made into a number of different types of dishes. Some people love coconut flour too.

You might also want to check out sprouted grain products and find that they are more easily digestible. Check out Ezekiel Food For Life and Alvarado St. products. Keep in mind that many gluten free products have tapioca and potato starch in them which may be an issue for some people (it is for me).

Experiment and find out what’s best for your body. I’m sure there are even more options out there. What have you found?

Those Sneaky Substances

Those sneaky potatoes always look so nice in fry form... / Photo: AndyRob

Then, I got tested for food intolerances.

Working with my Naturopath, and knowing that I have a sensitivity to foods, I decided to go ahead with a blood test that would determine my genetic intolerance to certain foods and food combinations.

If you don’t know the distinction between food allergies and intolerances, please see my first article on Going Grainless.

The Carroll Food Test was incredibly helpful. Turns out, I’m not allergic to grains, I’m intolerant to potatoes!

A few years ago, I remember having a conversation with a chiropractor, telling him how grains affected me. He suggested that it wasn’t a grain issue, but a potato one. He was a big proponent of the Weston A. Price diet as well as the GAPS diet (which is connected to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet and has some interesting connections to diet and autism). I mentally bookmarked those resources and forgot about them until I took that blood test.

The test also informed me that I am intolerant to the combination of dairy and grains together. Think pizza, quesadillas, many baked goods, grilled cheese, etc. I had thought I was allergic to dairy and grains, and subsequently, cut them both out of my diet. Turns out, I’m not allergic to either, just intolerant of mixing them together.

Oh, the things you learn when you take the time to find out! Maybe it’s time you did, too?

Have you tried going off grains? What was your experience like?

This post was originally published at Let Your Life Bloom.

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