When I started my journey into gluten free living I tried MANY things, supplements, foods, recipes, research, you name it I went through it! I found things I really liked and I found things I really didn’t. Everyone has different preferences, allergies, sensitivities, palates, and even textures turn people away from certain things so just because I give you the things I really like, I realize it may not be the same for everyone. But, you don’t know unless you try!
I am a HUGE coffee person, absolutely LOVE it and it isn’t even the caffeine that drives me because for the most part I drink decaf coffee. I actually made the switch to decaf during my venture of figuring out my candida(yeast) issues which I found candida actually feeds off caffeine as well! Well, maybe not necessarily feeds off the actual caffeine itself but caffeine, more so too much of it, can suppress the immune system which your immune system needs to be strong in order to help fight the overgrowth. It also can cause you from getting the rest you need, sleep. Caffeine can also end up giving you higher blood sugar and increasing your adrenaline levels which also is not helpful to candida. How can caffeine raise your blood sugar you’re probably asking? Well, there is potential that it can lower sensitivity of the cells to insulin. Which means the cells can become less sensitive to insulin and and cause you to not absorb as much sugar from the blood after eating or drinking. The pancreas then produces more insulin and that’s how you end up with higher blood sugar. So! If you are a coffee lover like myself, I highly suggest switching to decaf and making sure it is swiss water processed as this is a chemical-free method for decaffeinating coffee beans. Stay away from the sugary teas and energy drinks that have ridiculous amounts of sugar and caffeine as well! Not good for you all around but those will definitely not help your digestive issues!
I’m getting carried away, so onto my favorite finds! There are so many coffees out there so I really cannot give you my favorites on those. I will say there are brands I do prefer over others. I VERY much enjoy Bella Goose Coffee, I live in Wisconsin so I literally live about 15 minutes away from the shop but go on the website and order yourself some! I admit I do end up drinking the regular caffeinated coffee on the weekends so if you think that makes more sense for you, go ahead and do it. Here is the website for Bella Goose, I suggest trying it out! My next favorite is Grounds and Hounds, great coffee and also donates money from your purchase to animal rescues which is another plus as I am a lover of animals! I know I mentioned swiss water process for decaf I cannot say that either one of these use that process for the decaf but nonetheless I have tried them and they are great, but I also buy their regular coffee as well. Caribou Coffee is an easier find in stores and also one of my favorites, they do use the swiss water process for their decaf coffees, you can go to their site, grocery store or Amazon and buy it. If you would like a recipe for coffee that I absolutely love check that out here.
I found a GREAT protein/collagen powder that tastes absolutely AMAZING and I drink it alone or throw it in my coffee which adds fantastic flavor and benefits! Paleo Pro is the brand and because I follow the paleo diet this was a HUGE plus for me and it also is great for the Keto diets. This powder is carnivore friendly and contains no dairy, grains, gluten, soy, whey, lactose, no added sugars or carbs, no pesticides or preservatives and no hormones or antibiotics. This stuff is easy on the stomach and has everything candida/yeast hate and everything your body loves! You can check out their site here and Amazon where I have it directly linked and if you hit the subscribe and save you can get a little percentage off, I love all the flavors but I’d have to say the Mayan Mocha is my favorite! Hint: I use this stuff in my coffee recipe above.
Granola and yogurt is one of my favorite things as well! Kind granola is a brand I love, it stays crunchier which is something I like and they have some great flavors with ingredients like oats, tapioca syrup, soy protein isolate, semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla extract), cane sugar, canola oil, millet, cocoa powder, brown rice, buckwheat, natural flavor, amaranth, quinoa, sea salt, brown rice syrup, Vitamin E (tocopherols to maintain freshness). Purely Elizabeth is also one of my favorites and has great flavors as well and uses more organic ingredients like coconut sugar, coconut oil, oat flour, chocolate chunks (cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter), almond butter, maple syrup, chicory root fiber, coconut flour, chia seeds, leavening (cream of tartar, baking soda), sea salt, vanilla extract, natural flavor, cinnamon. I do tend to like to stay away from soy as much as possible but the Kind brand can be an easier find in stores then the Purely Elizabeth depending on where you are any maybe your body doesn’t get along with coconut or soy so I figured I’d put out these to accommodate that. As for the yogurt I prefer two brands and because I like to have a little sugar in things as possible these are the variation of the brands I like Oikos and Chobani. Throw some fruit or peanut butter in with the mix and it’s a beautiful breakfast, lunch or snack!
Looking for some pastry tarts?! You can still eat them without losing all the fun! Okay, well, maybe they aren’t quite as fun as the regular Pop Tarts with all the sugary terrible greatness BUT they aren’t bad, so I highly recommend giving them a try. I’m not sure at what stores these can be found, I know at certain Walmart’s they can be found, probably certain Target stores, maybe Woodman’s and I’m sure there are other brands out there but these are the ones I have tried. Katz and Amazon may be your best bet at getting them for actually a fairly decent price, lets just face it gluten free or healthier eating is going to be a little more expensive. Flavors include Brown Sugar Cinnamon and Strawberry, Chocolate Chip, Apple Crisp. Looking for some protein added into that pastry tart? Guess what? You can have that too and it’s not too bad. The Legendary Protein Pastry which also comes with a couple options as far as flavors go. Blueberry, Frosted Cinnamon, Strawberry. Are these a bit more expensive, yes, protein packed things tend to be that way and then slap on being gluten free. Give them a try and see what you think!