However, not everyone advertising gluten free beer agrees with me! There are brands out there that claim to remove gluten from the brewing process, but I don’t trust that! They brew the beer with gluten-containing ingredients and use a chemical to “remove” the gluten. 
The Gluten Intolerance Group published a study The Celiac Patient Antibody Response to Conventional and Gluten-Removed Beer and it showed that some patients with Celiac Disease react to gluten removed beer.

I happen to be one of those people… I drank an Omission beer once and that was enough for me! 
After that experience, I went back to the trusted 100% gluten free beers available. 

HOW IT STARTED:
When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I used to love having the occasional Guinness. Once I found out that I could no longer drink the dark coffee flavored deliciousness, I was on the hunt for a gluten free replacement! At the time, there were none to be found. 

The only gluten free beer I could find at Whole Foods was: Red Bridge and New Grist. And neither one of them resembled Guinness. 

THE FIRST GLUTEN FREE STOUT THAT I TRIED:
​Glutenberg Beer was actually the first gluten free stout that I tried! It’s made in Canada and it is ELISA tested to make sure it is Celiac Safe! I had heard about this beer but could not buy it in Arizona, so we went to visit our family in Canada and there it was on the shelf! We even went to California to buy it when it was available there first! I love their Stout 

GLUTEN FREE BEER RECIPES:
If you like to cook with gluten free beer, you might like this recipe for Gluten Free Beer Cheese Soupas well as Gluten Free Irish Stew! 

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY VISIT TO HOLIDAILY IN COLORADO:
​When we visited Holidaily, we learned how they use 100% gluten free ingredients to brew their beer! This makes them Celiac Safe! They have a super cute location in Golden! I love their Favorite Blonde as well as the Adventure Series one! Their Stout is also delicious… too many good ones to really choose a favorite! And we tried one of each when we were there to visit…they are sample sized and I shared! lol!

IF YOU ARE IN PORTLAND YOU NEED TO TRY GROUND BREAKER BREWING! 

​We have gone to Oregon every year for the past 5 years for a wine trip! I know this is about beer, not wine… I am getting to the point lol. We wanted a break from wine tasting, so we went to Ground Breaker! 
We got to devour some of their delicious food as well as sample some tasty beers!

THERE ARE LOTS OF GLUTEN FREE BEERS NOW-
There are more and more gluten free beers on the market now! I can’t wait to try more when we visit other areas of the country and world! Best Gluten Free Beers has a list published of USA and Worldwide beer options!  Check them out here!

If you know of a gluten free beer brand that I should check out please let me know! Cheers!

One last thing… if you are more of a wine drinker check out my post on the best gluten free and keto wine in my opinion! 
​
As Always,
Best Wishes for Gluten Free Dishes! 
XO,
Michelle

WHAT MAKES LABELS SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND?
IMO, the labels on food in the United States are not always clear. The FDA has regulated that all foods must disclose if an ingredient contains anything made from wheat, barley or rye or a combination of these grains. EXCEPT if it is meat, chicken or certain egg products. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES do not have to list the ingredients as well. Here’s the link so you can read what the FDA has written about it. It also states that the label gluten free is voluntary. 

OK so that leaves lots of room for marinated meats, broth being added to chicken, hot dogs, lunch meat, sausage, fake crab meat, and the list goes on to have other names for gluten or hidden gluten or wheat in the ingredients. As well as beer, hard alcohol or hard seltzers to have hidden wheat or gluten and not put them on the label.
​

HOW DO I KNOW IF SOMETHING HAS HIDDEN GLUTEN IN IT?
​My first recommendation, is to research the brands you like to shop. I personally like to choose brands that are certified gluten free to reduce the risk of hidden gluten. Generally, I also avoid deli meat cut at the meat counter in case of cross contamination. I don’t also buy store ground beef, chicken, turkey or lamb (or any ground meat) because they could have processed meatloaf or meatballs with breadcrumbs ahead of the ground meat. Boom…that just contaminated my meat. I buy pre packaged ground beef, lamb, chicken etc from sources that don’t make any meatloaf or meatballs lol. 
My second recommendation, is to not buy any saucy or pre seasoned meats. Examples are: turkey that is self basting, chicken that has gravy, pre-seasoned tri-tip, kabobs that are marinated. They are on my sketchy list! They may be ok but I am not willing to be the guinea pig to try them out.   I know this may cause more work for you having to make everything homemade but I think it is worth the extra work to feel better personally.

​HERE’S THE LIST OF INGREDIENTS THAT ALWAYS CONTAIN GLUTEN:

HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS!
I feel like the first part of this post is heavy! Here are all the things I can’t eat.. here’s what I don’t do..etc I always try to look at the bright side.. it’s in my blood! lol! I am B Positive after all! All fruit, veggies and all unseasoned real meat, fish and eggs are gluten free. That is a lot of options on what to eat right there!
I find if I stick to the outside of the grocery store when I shop it makes eating gluten free a lot easier! So many packaged and processed foods make it a little more tricky!

I hope these lists help you with the other names for gluten or hidden gluten ingredients in foods. I also posted them on my Instagram so you can screenshot them or save them for a quick reference. 
​
As Always,
Best Wishes for Gluten Free Dishes!
XO,
Michelle

I am not saying you should stop eating gluten free if you have Celiac or Gluten sensitivities. I am saying you should limit or stop eating packaged gluten free foods. Are you still having belly issues after being diagnosed with Celiac? Are you not feeling better with a traditional gluten free diet? This may be why you should stop eating gluten free! 

Sometimes, people lean on packaged foods when they are new at learning how to eat gluten free. It’s appealing and makes choosing food options easy when you aren’t sure about meal prepping or what items are safe for you to eat. 
However, many prepackaged foods contain chemicals and additives that do not aid in gut healing and overall wellbeing. If you are still feeling yucky, try going back to the basics for a while…meat (not processed), Veggies, and fruit! This will give your body a chance to heal and rebound. 

IF I DON’T EAT FOOD FROM A PACKAGE WHAT DO I EAT?
I am not a Dr. so always consult them before you change anything regarding your diet, however, I would recommend eating the basics. 

What are the basics? Look for guidance from a Whole 30/Paleo/Keto lifestyle!
​All the fruits and vegetables are all gluten free and good for your body! Meat that is not processed is all gluten free! I buy high quality meat that is grass-fed and not grown with hormones. It is more expensive, however, I feel better eating it and knowing where it comes from! 

I generally order my meat either from Butcher Box or US Wellness Meat. I go back and forth between the two depending on what I want to order. I love both companies and their quality of products. Currently, Butcher Box is on a waitlist due to the popularity during COVID but hopefully, they will welcome new customers soon. 
If you don’t want to order your meat online, I recommend making friends with a local farmer who grows their animals using good food and no hormones. It’s always good to have more friends.  

WHAT ABOUT PIZZA?
​What about pizza? What about sandwiches? What about cereal? What about bread and buns?
Why you should stop eating gluten free packaged foods including the ones above is because of the chemicals they contain. I am suggesting you learn to make pizza at home using paleo ingredients.. WHAT? Yup, it won’t taste exactly like gluten pizza but it will be real ingredients that will fuel your body. You can do it! The same goes for the other items you want to eat. 
It is more time-consuming but it is worth it. It’s a new adventure and you can learn new things! You’ve got this!

​I HOPE THIS HAS INSPIRED YOU ON WHY YOU SHOULD STOP EATING GLUTEN FREE
Another reason I limit eating gluten free packaged food is that it isn’t always gluten free. The gluten free label has different meanings depending on which certification it is from or if it’s certified at all. 

I generally trust the certified gluten free companies more than ones that aren’t. Regardless of certification I always Nima test the food. Having Celiac disease has definitely made me more of a skeptic and for good reason. My body is my responsibility and feeding it gluten is not taking care of it. I had to become a detective about food. 

I know that your gluten free journey is indeed that, a journey. I have been on this journey for over 12 years! I started out excited that I could eat pizza and donuts that were gluten free in the freezer section. Over the years, I have realized that yes I can eat them but they don’t make my body feel good. 

I am not saying that I never eat gluten free food from a package. I do, occasionally. And when I do I look for companies that use real ingredients and that are organic and don’t contain known chemicals and additives that harm your belly. As a celiac my belly needs all the help it can get! lol. 
I hope you are doing great and enjoying the journey!
​ 
As Always,
Best Wishes for Gluten Free Dishes!
XO,
Michelle