Celiac Disease and Healthy Eating: Why it’s So Much Harder than it Seems

Celiac Disease and Healthy Eating

With our current state of quarantine, I’ve been thinking a lot about healthy eating. Peter and I had already been switching up the foods in our diet for healthier alternatives for a while, but the COVID-19 pandemic really pushed us to keep doing it.

This might not be as “noble” a pursuit as it seems. Part of it is circumstantial. Not only are we stuck inside more than usual and are moving less than we’d like, but the only foods in the stores that aren’t sold out seem to be produce.

Assumptions About Health and Celiac Disease

In one of my earliest “Diary of a Celiac” posts, I talked about how frustrating it can be when people assume that just because I have celiac disease (and other food sensitivities) and I look healthy, I must actually eat healthy. Even more frustrating, people have told me countless times that they’re jealous that I’m a celiac because it keeps me from “gaining weight.”

I feel like it goes without saying that most (if not all) celiacs would far rather have the option of eating gluten than to have the horrible pains, brain fog, and other reactions that can come from even cross-contamination. So none of these “compliments” about how we look and how “healthy” we are actually make us feel any better.

I know that some of this comes from the notion that gluten free food = health food. This is because of how trendy gluten-free eating has become. Alongside diets that can actually benefit people (like veganism/vegetarianism), gluten-free food is far too often considered a component of healthy eating. Not to mention, being a celiac who’s female and looks a certain way, it’s often assumed that it’s all because of my gluten-free diet, rather than other factors like genetics or exercise levels.

Is Gluten-Free Food Actually Healthy?

But if we break down the facts about gluten-free food, it’s actually not inherently “healthy.” While I’m no expert on what constitutes healthy eating, if I go based off of the comments that I’ve received then I can safely say that a lot of gluten-free food contains far more fat, salt, sugar, and overall calories than a gluten-containing version of the same thing and often can be nutritionally lacking. I know that when I adapt recipes to make them gluten-free (especially if they involve baking), then I 100% have to add more vegan butter to make sure that it has the right taste and texture.

While foods that are naturally gluten-free don’t require the same kinds of changes when I make them, it doesn’t mean that they are inherently healthy. For example, I can make french fries by hand or buy them at a select few restaurants. I wouldn’t say that because they’re gluten-free (and vegan) that they are in any way healthy, even though I didn’t have to make any changes to make them gluten-free.

That isn’t to say that all gluten-free foods are bad. I can still eat chicken, fish, eggs, fruits and veggies, etc., that are all gluten-free and can be considered part of healthy eating. My point here is that gluten-free diets are just as complicated as unrestricted diets. Rather than gluten-free foods being inherently healthy or unhealty, it’s more about the kinds of foods that I choose to eat as a celiac.

How “Healthy” Do I Eat?

That being said, it’s not like my gluten-free (and allergy-free) diet sometimes forces me to eat either healthier or less healthy than I would necessarily choose.

One factor here is the lack of premade/restaurant/fast food options available for someone like me when I go out. I’m sometimes forced to eat a plain protein and veggies or a salad with no dressing, cheese, or croutons. While I do love to go to places that are definitely not “healthy” (like Five Guys), my options are still somewhat different. Instead of a bun on my burger, I have a lettuce wrap.

This also means that Peter and I cook at home a lot. This can be good sometimes because we know exactly what’s going into our food, but it is also why sometimes we don’t eat as healthy as people think (though we’re trying to change that).

For example, when Peter and I got together we started trying to adapt recipes that I hadn’t had since before I discovered my food sensitivities. Once we moved into our current house 1-1.5 years ago, we really started cooking even more. Some weeks, almost every dinner was deep fried (because I became really, really good at it and I finally had an oil thermometer). Other weeks, I’d make burgers, chicken in different sauces or breadings, pepperoni pizza (dough from scratch), or waffles. I’ve also made more desserts than I used to over those last 3 years or so.

The point that I’m making here is that healthy eating as a celiac is more complicated than it seems. As my skills as a cook improved, I began making more and more decadent meals. It wasn’t every night that we ate like this, but it was most of them. It’s not like we couldn’t eat healthier food, but that the more I learned how to make, the more I wanted to make foods that I missed. Not surprisingly, I didn’t really miss “healthy” foods because I’d had to have them for so long.

The other important thing to consider is that even when I eat healthy, it doesn’t mean that I am actually healthy. I still sometimes have vitamin deficiencies that can be pretty serious. For example, my vitamin B12 levels can get so low that I have difficulty breathing, painful glossitis, brain fog, and limbs going numb easily. I’ve had to alter my diet to include certain foods that contain this vitamin, such as meat, eggs, and fortified nutritional yeast, in order for my body to function properly.

Final Thoughts About Celiac Disease and Healthy Eating

While I might not be a nutritionist, I think that it’s safe to say that gluten-free food doesn’t necessarily make healthy eating any easier. Personally, I’ve learned to enjoy food so much more now that I can actually cook that I probably don’t eat super “healthy” all the time. Not to mention, I sometimes get so tired of having to live on such a restrictive, boring diet when I go out that at home I cook whatever I possibly can.

If we’re going based on what’s in gluten-free foods that are meant to replicate “regular” foods (like gluten-free breads, cakes, cookies, etc.), then gluten-free food doesn’t sound very healthy at all.

With that, I’m definitely not saying that people should or shouldn’t eat these foods, or that I will or won’t eat them (spoiler alert: I’m definitely going to keep eating gluten-free bread). But what I am saying is that my gluten-free and allergy-free diet isn’t inherently “good” or “healthy,” and I don’t think that I should be commended for eating the way I do because I look healthy.

That being said, I’m glad that I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t have to only eat salads or plain proteins with plain veggies. I like having the option to eat more variety at home and to actually enjoy food again.