Why I don't eat wheat...

In my last post I mentioned that dietary changes were a significant part of my healing from both depression and headaches. Once my naturopath determined my food sensitivities he told me to avoid dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, sugar, caffeine, additives and preservatives, and then gave me a whole list of "sometimes" foods which even included some fruits and vegetables. The more I've become aware of common food sensitivities and allergies, the more I've discovered how problematic wheat is for so many people.

Just to be clear, I'm not a scientist or medical professional of any kind. But a MACLEANS article I read online recently echoed what my naturopath taught me years ago when I first took wheat out of my diet. The wheat we eat today has been hybridized and crossbred to such an extent that the structure of the wheat proteins have changed. Because this is not actually "genetic modification" these varieties of wheat are not subject to tests to determine if they are safe to eat. Nutritional value has plummeted and our bodies just don't know how to digest these grains. Not only can this create noticeable digestive issues for people, but headaches and depression are also not uncommon. Stopping the consumption of wheat has great health benefits, but it isn't necessarily easy. Not only is it a major part of our North American diets, it is also addictive. Eating wheat stimulates opiate receptors in our brain, which means that we can actually become addicted to eating wheat. Comfort food anyone?

There are a growing number of alternatives to wheat that are becoming more and more available in grocery stores. Prior to going completely grains-free 5 months ago, Carrie and I substituted spelt flour for regular wheat flour. Now that even spelt and rice flours are out, we've been experimenting with almond and coconut flour and have had some pretty delicious results. Here is one of our most recent recipe finds:

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
4 eggs
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sifted coconut flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Combine eggs, sugar (reserve 1 tbsp of sugar), vanilla, and butter. Mix well. Stir in coconut flour. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow it to thicken. Combine cinnamon with 1 tbsp sugar. Form dough into 1.5" balls and roll in cinnamon mixture, coating thoroughly. Place on cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Flatten ball to a diameter of about 2". Bake at 375 for 15 min. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.