Halfway through March, I had a brilliant idea: to go a week without eating gluten. What, you ask, would compel me to do such a thing? At first, I thought I would do this just to see if I could actually accomplish a popular fad diet.
Let me just say that it was NOT easy to accomplish. On the very first day of the diet, I accidently messed up when I ate a piece of American cheese, and I only knew I messed up after my friends Googled it to see if it contained gluten. By the third day, I was craving pasta and bread like crazy. I’m sure it didn’t help that I was raised in an Italian home, so I was practically raised eating pasta, bread and grains. (Confession: I cheated that third day, and had a peanut butter and chocolate cupcake, partially because it looked so freaking delicious. I admit it: I’m weak.)
As the week went on and I was trying not to think about it, I did more research. I found that there are people who need to follow this strict diet. Those who suffer from Celiac disease have to stick to a gluten-free diet, or risk irritation. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, “When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine.” Essentially, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.
So, what did I learn as a suffered through a week without gluten? Not only was it SUPER hard for me personally to feel full for the entire week, but I also realized that it is extremely hard for people who suffer from Celiac disease to get the right amount of food on campus. Though it is not impossible to eat gluten-free food, the choices on campus are very small. I also kept an eye on my weight the entire week, and although I cheated, I didn’t lose any weight. I did some extra research, and found that dieticians for the most part do not recommend patients to go gluten-free just to lose weight.
After an interesting week of my gluten-free diet, I’ve cherished the taste of bread and pasta, as well as gain a sense of respect for people who suffer from Celiac disease.