Gluten-free can seem like a term tossed around like a trendy accessory at times, whilst for others, it’s a medical necessity rather than a lifestyle choice. But regardless of it being a choice or requirement within our day, what if we all looked at gluten differently? What if swapping out heavy, wheat-based lunches for something far cleaner and more nutritious was less about a diet and more about giving our body a much-needed digestive breather?
Enter Huel Gluten-Free. It’s the same nutritionally complete, plant-based powerhouse that we know and love, but has been specifically crafted with gluten-free oats for those whose systems prefer a little less drama.
Gluten: The Game Of Hide & Seek
Most people think that quitting gluten means saying goodbye to bread and pasta; if only it were that simple! Gluten is the protein found in wheat, barley and rye and is the ultimate stealth ingredient in many of our daily foods.
It’s often used as a stabiliser or thickener in things that you’d never suspect from soy sauce and teriyaki to ferment, to salad dressings craving a creamy texture, stock cubes and canned soups for thickness, processed meats such as sausages containing breadcrumbs and rusk filler, beer in the form of liquid barley and frozen chips that have been dusted in flour to achieve an extra crunch.
When we unknowingly eat hidden glutens all day, everyday, our body can fall into a constant state of low-level rebellion without us even realising.
Those Symptoms We’ve All Been Ignoring
You certainly don’t need an official Coeliac diagnosis to feel the negative effects of gluten sensitivity throughout your day, as if you find yourself aligning with these common symptoms, your gut might just be trying to tell you something.
The most obvious is the 3pm slump when heavy brain fog sets in and you can’t focus on your screen or phone call. Then theres the mystery bloating and always feeling like you’re ballooning after a meal. Oh, and don’t forget the skin flare ups from redness, dryness or mottled skin on the back of your arms.
You may notice that you feel stiff or creaky for no apparent reason in your joints and also experience random headaches and chronic tension that seems to strike most commonly after meals if you track the timings. I personally experience stomach cramps, fatigue and brain fog within minutes of coming into contact with gluten, which has always made eating out such a stress for me.
It’s not simply age, parenthood or work that makes you feel this way throughout your day; it’s your gut screaming at you to wake up and take notice of the food that you consume. And that’s why keeping a food diary can really help to keep track of food types and symptoms to lower exposure, as it’s not always obvious that certain foods contain gluten.
Gut Health Is Key To Longevity
Our gut is basically the control centre for our entire body, as around 70% of our immune system lives in our digestive tract. When we constantly irritate our gut with foods that we’re sensitive to, we’re essentially keeping our immune system on high alert 24/7.
Over time, this chronic low-grade inflammation can wear the body down. By prioritising gut health now, we’re not just avoiding a bloated belly, but supporting our longterm vitality, skin health and mood thanks to the gut-brain axis.
Why I Choose Huel Gluten-Free
If you’re busy working mum like me, going gluten-free can feel like a part-time job in itself when constantly reading tiny labels and checking ingredients in the supermarket aisle. That’s where Huel comes in.
Huel Gluten Free has been expertly designed as an ultimate safety net meal. Whether you have a diagnosed intolerance or you’ve just noticed you feel lighter and more energetic when you skip out wheat, their delicious gluten free powders take the guesswork out of everything.
Not only is this creamy, delicious meal in a shaker a perfect balance of protein, essential fats, fibre and all 26 essential vitamins and minerals. It’s also made from clean plant-based sources such as pea protein, flaxseed and gluten free oats. It’s a way to hit the reset button on our digestion without sacrificing nutrition or spending an hour meal-prepping in the morning before rush hour.
If you’re new to the world of gluten free, you really don’t have to go down the all or nothing route right away. Even swapping just one meal each day for a gluten free alternative can give your digestive system the much needed break that it requires to repair itself.
Super quick to prepare, and easy to digest, this complete nutrition meal fits into every lifestyle. I like to use my Huel shaker to prepare my meal, as I add 500ml of water along with two scoops of powder, pop on the ld and shake it up for an instant gut-healthy meal at home, work, after gym or on the road.
With a very generous 30g of protein per serving, this vegan friendly meal is healthy fuel for my body regardless of where my day takes me, and comes in a range of delicious flavours including vanilla, salted caramel and chocolate which feels like such a treat, minus the guilt, bloating and cramps.
