6 Great Things About Being Coeliac

Quinoa burgers

Let’s face it, there are lots of things about being Coeliac that suck! 🙁 Let’s think much more positively though and talk about the good things that come with requiring a 100% gluten free diet…and yes there definitely are a few!

I’d be interested to find out whether fellow gluten free travellers agree or disagree with my 6 great things. Be sure to get in touch if you think I’ve forgotten anything….

1) You get to pick the restaurant! When you head out for a catch up with your mates and there is going to be eating involved it will most likely be up to you to choose the place. Not everywhere does gluten free options and being the one in charge means you can ensure you go somewhere that not only serves gluten free food but your favourite gluten free food.

2) You have an excuse not to eat bad cooking! You are visiting a family friend and they have cooked a lovely stew that to be honest looks terrible and smells even worse. This is a great opportunity to play the ‘Sorry I’d love to but unfortunately I’m coeliac’ card that will work much better that ’emm, I’ve already eaten’ or ‘I’m just not hungry’ which will likely result in you being forced to ‘just try a small amount.’

3) You get to discover exciting new foods! Being diagnosed as coeliac will force you to try interesting new foods that you have never tried (or possibly never even heard of) before. Many people get into a pattern, especially when busy, where they end up eating the same things over and over. This will have to change when much of what you’ve been eating is no longer safe. You are forced to look for alternatives and many of these will turn out to be delicious! Bring on the Quinoa and tamales!

4) You aren’t tempted by all the crap at the office! For some reason office kitchens tend to be filled with unhealthy rubbish that you really don’t need to be eating every single time someone suggests another cup of tea. Most of what people bring to the table tends to be glutenous filled such as biscuits, cookies and cakes and they eat it just because it’s there. You will no longer have to exercise restraint as your gluten free brain knows it’s off limits anyway.

5) You always know what you’re eating! Many foods are filled with things you wouldn’t normally consider eating but do because they they are hidden in your food. Luckily for you, this is the case most commonly with processed foods, many of which also contain gluten.Freeing yourself from many of these processed foods may also be saving you from eating a whole load of dodgy stuff.

6) You are unique! Apparently up to 1 in 100 people may have coeliacs, with many of these people not aware of the fact. Whilst this figure is high, there are still many more people who are not coeliac and this makes you unique!