I’m a creature of habit when it comes to my weekly food intake so celebrating Thanksgiving definitely threw me off my eating routine filling it with what I call the Big 3 (Gluten – Dairy – Sugar). Unless you’re hosting the dinner yourself and cooking every dish with your dietary restrictions in mind, it’s hard to resist the gluten filled stuffing, the creamy green bean casserole, and the sugary pecan pie – all on the menu at my mom’s this weekend. Although I contributed to the meal with my Big 3-free brussel sprouts dish, I couldn’t avoid it altogether in the other dishes. Not a big deal as the holidays come once a year and eating the Big 3 in moderation is not the end of the world (depending on your health condition). But as my sister-in-law called out the ingredients for her dish, all I heard was Gluten! Dairy! Sugar!
Gluten, dairy and sugar create inflammation in your digestive system. The more inflamed your system, the more susceptible you are to allergy, illness, chronic condition, and disease – not to mention a constant bloat in the belly and puffiness throughout your body. The conventional supermarket offer limited choices but little by little market shelves are stocking Big 3-Free items. However be aware of those that claim to be free of these ingredients as they will more than likely have filler ingredients that will replace one for the other.
Here are some great (and my favorite) healthy alternatives to the Big 3 that you will enjoy and won’t make you feel like you’re missing out.
1.Quinoa, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Millet, and Brown Rice are all great alternatives to gluten (oats, wheat, barley, rye). All are gluten free so your body can easily digest without bloat or belly pain. Replace your gluten breads, pastas, granolas, and snacks with these options:
– Brown Rice Bread by Food for Life
– Millet and Flax pita chips by Sami’s Bakery
– Brown Rice Pasta by Lundberg or Tinkyada
– Granola by Purely Elizabeth
– Granola bars by Two Moms in the Raw
– Brown Rice Flour by Bob’s Red Mill
2.Almond, Rice, Coconut, Goat, or Sheep milks are other dairy options to enjoy if you want some creamy goodness. Goat and sheep milk manufacturing is not as processed and have slightly different variations in the amount of lactose and casein than cow milk, which help the gut to digest easier. Almond, coconut, and rice milks are derived from its original source containing no traces of casein or lactose sugar making it easily digestible as well. These are some of my favorite dairy go-to foods:
– Almond Milk by Pacific Foods
– Cashew Milk by OMilk
– Coconut ice cream by Coconut Bliss
– Goat cheese brie by Montchevre
– Goat yogurt by Redwood Hill Farm & Creamery
3.Raw honey, real maple syrup, and coconut sugar are great substitutes when you’ve got a sweet tooth. Sugar is by far the most complex of the 3. It’s hidden in everything you eat and often come in artificial forms. Even if the words don’t stand out on the label (sucrose, dextrin, rice syrup), there are so many derivatives of sugar that even complex carbs such as bagels, breads, pastas fall in the category of these refined sugars. Our bodies break them down just the same and can create serious health issues. I love these sweet indulgences that help me curb my cravings while steering clear of processed sugars:
– Dark chocolate from Not Your Sugar Mama
– Probiotic Chia Berry Yogurt from Organic Avenue
– Chocolate Mousse from Organic Avenue
– Protein Bar from 22 Days Nutrition
Living in NYC has made having these diet restrictions an easier experience as both larger chains and smaller health food stores offer a variety of options. The key to finding the right foods (and not the fake foods) is to read the labels. If there are more than 5 ingredients and you’re unsure of what most of them are, then it’s safe to assume that food is not the ideal choice. We all have our food vices but try exploring next time you’re at the store (Health Nuts is a great one!) and see if you can be Big 3-Free!
*Most foods above can be found at Trader Joe’s, Fairway, Whole Foods, Organic Avenue, and Health Nuts. Sami’s Bakery and Not Your Sugar Mama can easily be ordered online and shipped to your home. Enjoy!