Wheat Detox
So you’ve
decided to do a wheat detox … congratulations!
you may very well be taking the first step toward feeling like your ‘old self’
again …
to gain the full benefit of this detox, it’s important to understand
what it is and how it works …
a wheat detox is very different from cutting back or watching out for …
for the detox to work, the body must be entirely decontaminated from all wheat -
this provides the ‘control’ needed to properly ‘read’ the body’s reaction
during the phase of reintroducing wheat …
the detox allows for the defense mechanisms of the body to ‘step down’
to ensure that the body’s response to reintroduction is accurate ---
to just cut back or watch out for wheat does not allow this ‘stepping down’ –
It cannot be stressed enough, the importance of reading ingredient labels -
this is the #1 key to a successful detox …
a bonus is discovery of wheat in foods you would never have guessed …
but we’ll look more closely at that further on …
when
considering gluten vs wheat, think of it this way:
all wheat has gluten but not all gluten is wheat …
oats and barley for instance both have gluten,
one can be allergic to the gluten in wheat,
but not be allergic to the gluten in barley, for instance …
wheat allergy is by far most common while all-out gluten sensitivity is far less common …
to increase chances for a successful detox keep it simple -
just look for wheat on the ingredient label …
also the ‘allergen
notices’ posted beneath the ingredient lists are voluntary and not
mandated,
so if you don’t see a separate allergen notice, don’t assume the product is
wheat -free …
you still must read the
ingredient list …
Wheat is known in the business as a 'filler' and it can be found is some pretty unexpected foods (why? 'filler' means it boosts profits, not nutrition)
here are some surprising foods to look for wheat:
anything barbecue (sauce, chips, meats) is likely to contain wheat (not sure why) - pickles (yes, seriously) … soy sauce … hot dogs … licorice … veggie burgers/meat … salad dressing … anything malt (including beer and ale unless specifically labelled gluten free)
Wheat is also sometimes found in glucose syrup - starch (gelatinized starch, modified starch, modified food starch, vegetable starch)- some brands of ice cream, marinara sauce, play dough, potato chips, rice cakes, turkey patties.
Also look for wheat in all baking mixes and baked products, batter-fried foods, breaded foods, breakfast cereals, candy, crackers, processed meats, salad dressings, sauces, soups
Some types of imitation crabmeat contain wheat.
the point? to ensure an accurate detox and reintroduction phase,
never assume and READ EVERY LABEL BEFORE PUTTING anything into your mouth -
that’s probably the hardest, and most difficult part of a detox -
to read all labels because there are times when hand to mouth is just quicker than eye to brain
In closing, here are a couple tips to make your detox journey easier…
1.) for the duration of the detox stick to foods you know for certain are wheat free …
that way, you don't have to bother much with reading labels, and you lessen the chance of accidentally ingesting wheat and throwing off the reintroduction results...
2.) don't take any culinary adventures while detoxing … that way the detox won’t interfere much with daily life, contributing to an easier detox and increasing success for the body defense mechanism to ‘step down’ ...