Excluding any gluten-based foods, such as bread, pasta, cereal, wheat or rye to feel less bloated has become a concept that more and more people are adopting. While some follow a trend, others respond to a necessity. For Matthieu, stopping gluten helped him. When we ask him the question of what pushed him to adopt this new diet, he warns us: “we are going to approach an unglamorous subject: gastric problems. » After weeks, even months of attacks of stomach aches which punctuated his days with cramps, even at night, Matthieu wonders. “I didn’t understand what was happening to me. It was not a classic illness like gastro. After passing a battery of exams: nothing. Not even a gluten allergy (information visible in blood tests). » What stood out were signs of a well-known food intolerance: gluten.
Stopping gluten: an effect on transit more than the body
“At the time of my attacks, I didn't know what to do anymore. I wondered if I had Crohn's disease. So suddenly, I decided to try the gluten-free diet. » An intuition which did not fail him since, “from one day to the next, I was no longer sick. The situation was insane. Although it was restrictive, imagine the happiness of no longer being sick and above all… understanding the cause! »
Today, no more illness or disturbed transit. “I feel less bloated, bloated and uncomfortable after my meals. I advise anyone to significantly reduce gluten. » Apart from the gastric problems, “I haven't noticed any huge changes. I haven't lost weight or gained weight, so I would say that the main effect concerns my transit. And it’s already fabulous. »
A gluten-free diet that requires concessions
The gluten-free diet necessarily changes our habits. Even if Matthieu realized “that gluten is everywhere, even in sausages, sweets, soups in a box…” he still felt restricted. “Of course, we expect to no longer eat pasta, pizza, burgers and bread… Which is really not easy at first, then you get used to it and you analyze the packaging. »
“This lifestyle requires expertise”
Faced with a restriction and traces of gluten “difficult to spot” Matthieu was able to adapt. “I actually ate other things, including more vegetables, which is quite positive.” Added to this new routine, a world opened up to him.
The gluten-free section: “Ali Baba’s cave”
“I expected to only have to do my shopping in organic stores. Finally, supermarkets are developing more and more gluten-free ranges. I also tested all the supermarkets around my home and made a quick ranking of the “gluten-free friendly” ones! Some have nothing, others are surprisingly stocked, a real Ali Baba's cave.
The price of gluten-free products: a major obstacle
The advantage today is that we find bread and pasta, even gluten-free flour in supermarkets, which avoids deprivation. However, the reality behind the gluten-free aisles (which we would perceive as the magic solution) is that the price of the products is much higher than those of classic products. “Gluten-free is very expensive. » I have to ignore certain products whose quantity-price ratio is excessive. Cakes for breakfast, for example, are often priced at €5 for just 6 biscuits. Replacing wheat flour with corn or rice flour also has a cost. Finally, I have to devote a larger budget to shopping, especially if I want to have a more or less traditional diet, and above all without frustration. »
How to overcome the constraints of a gluten-free diet?
“As a first step, I would recommend gradually reducing your gluten intake, making your own dishes, with different flours. By starting like that, you inevitably end up seeing a change. »The key to getting started is to experiment.
On the supermarket side, we read the labels carefully to identify certified “gluten-free” products. Once the mission to “treat yourself to lots of gluten-free groceries” has been accomplished, what about going out to restaurants, evenings, traveling abroad, where it may be more difficult to eat gluten-free? In the absence of labeling and if those around us are not aware, warning that we may not be able to eat what will be served at the dinner to which we are invited promises to be complicated. “When I don't know the people I'm eating with, I'm very embarrassed. I'm afraid of coming across as the “candy breaker”. In this case, it's better to say it than to be faced with a plate of spaghetti that I won't be able to eat. Fortunately, I have friends who know about my particular diet (even if they don't all understand what gluten is exactly), so we can dodge and make the most of it.” A very simple solution therefore: warn those around you, everything simply.
If you don't go to a “gluten-free” restaurant, you go into expert mode by meticulously reading the menu or “we opt for salads, a safe bet”. Otherwise “I really favor Asian food, they don’t often use wheat flour so it’s perfect.”
Only one problem for Matthieu: “the wine bars with the famous cheese/charcuterie boards. The bread is traditional and contains gluten. It's hard to face it. »
