Gluten-free vs. grain-free?

I've tried both approaches for a few weeks at a time, but want to try one approach again for a longer period. Any insight or suggestions?

i personally feel better not eating any grains as opposed to just limiting gluten. i never had a gluten intolerance so if i eat grains, it doesn't matter if it's gluten containing or gluten free. i will still feel crappier the next day.

obviously, grain free is harder if you are used to eating grains so make sure you replace your calories with other foods that are satisfying. before paleo, i'd eat angel hair pasta with sauce practically every day because it filled me up and was comforting. now my meals are really meat based to get that same satisfaction- and always fatty meat or with the addition of fat.

madpotter...have either helped you at all?

q

I've had to go grain free to ease symptoms, too. I've been grain free for about 6 months, after trying gluten free with only moderate improvement. Recently, I tested the grain-free theory by eating rice with a meal. BIG mistake!

Be sure to check the labels on everything - even meats in the grocery store. The "natural flavorings", "natural seasonings", "spices", and "broth" quite often contain wheat. I could not figure out why I was not improving and started checking the labels. Once I eliminated all the hidden sources, I experienced dramatic and almost immediate improvement.

Good luck! Everyone's body is so different - it sometimes feels impossible to figure out what works for each of us. I hope you find it!

madpotter, i like fatty meats/fat with meats because it tastes better and makes me fuller. if i just ate a skinless chicken breast, i wouldn't be satisfied at all. i get good 80/20 ground beef. also, it's high carb diets help with weigth gain, not high protein/high fat. those are usually for weight loss. i keep my carbs at a good amount.

freddy, my name says it all!! i can't lie, i am and will always be banana obsessed. they have to be really ripe though- i hate bananas with even a bit of green. i don't eat any starches so bananas are the carbiest food i eat. they are 74% water so i end up peeing a lot of the food out anyway.

Gluten free can certainly be helpful, but grain free is usually more so. Like imagardner2, I can cheat more when everything's going well, but have to be more strict when symptoms arise. Oddly, my UC has been in remission for years, but other autoimmune problems have cropped up. So, I've recently rededicated myself to going Paleo and have even tried to follow the even stricter autoimmune Paleo plan most of the time. It's only been two weeks so far and I already feel better. Do some research on autoimmune Paleo protocol and you'll see the reasoning behind eliminating all grains.

I agree with imagardner2 in that too much almond flour can also be rough on the gut. (And nuts are forbidden on AI Paleo.) That's why a lot of Paleo folks advocate getting away from trying to find grain replacements. It's a shift in mindset - learning that grains and cereals - baked goodes - don't have to make up the bulk of our diet. I do admit to doing some experimentation with coconut flour. It's supposed to be hypoallergenic, but it's also high fiber, so I imagine too much of it could also cause issues.