My name is Alisha and I was diagnosed with an intolerance to gluten a few years ago. I then discovered that gluten wasn’t the only bad ingredient I was putting into my body. Sugar and butter were at the top of the list, too.
Since then, I’ve struggled quite a bit because I have a sweet tooth. I have discovered some healthy substitutes that I can use during baking. I found out that I can still have desserts and be healthy. I can easily take a recipe and use my healthy substitutes in place of what the recipe calls for.
These healthy substitutions are important to know for good health and weight. Here are the top three:
Flour: Gluten in flour causes not only weight gain but problems such as gut inflammation. Dr. Axe, Draxe.com, has an article titled, “The Best Gluten-Free Flours” and in the article, he lists good gluten free grains to choose from when baking.
Almond, coconut, oats, rice, and sourdough are a few great choices to use for cooking because they are packed with nutrients and they keep you full longer due to fiber content.
Sugar: Sugar is a problem. It spikes blood sugar levels which can lead to weight gain and disease.
Unsweetened applesauce is a great choice because it has fewer calories than sugar and has nutrients, fiber, and minerals as well.
Another good choice is honey, because it has natural sugar which is absorbed by the body more slowly. This doesn’t cause such a high blood sugar spike. Honey is also anti-inflammatory and has tons of antioxidants. Pure maple syrup is another source of natural, slow absorbing sugar. In addition, local honey and syrup can help with some allergies.
Butter: Butter isn’t all that bad but it isn’t all that good either. It isn’t a healthy fat option so it’s best to avoid it whenever possible. Creamy avocados are a great butter substitution because they make the baked good softer and healthier.
Avocados have a high nutrition content and are high in the good unsaturated fat that we need to keep healthy.
Megan Neuhart, who is certified by ACE as a fitness nutrition specialist and a personal trainer, a professor of Nutrition at Grace College, and a yoga instructor, kindly gave me her permission to reprint one of her healthy recipes. Here is her recipe for “Wholesome Brownies”.
½ cup homemade or unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs (preferable organic)
½ cup gluten- free flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
½ chopped walnuts or any nuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8x8 baking pan
2. Mix dry ingredients together
3. Mix wet ingredients then slowly add in the dry mix until well blended
4. Add nuts (if desired)
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Gluten Free Goodness
By: Alisha Calhoon
Photographer: Pam Calhoon
Model: Alisha Calhoon