Gluten sensitivity and Celiac disease seem to be becoming increasingly common. It may be the result of lifestyle and environmental issues. But if your body doesn’t want gluten, you have to avoid many food staples, like crackers, cereals, and bread. Almond bread is a great bread substitute if you have a gluten sensitivity. Throw all five ingredients for this almond bread in a food processor, and in a little more than an hour, you can have a delicious, gluten-free bread substitute, with health benefits all its own.
If you do have gluten intolerance, it’s important for you to avoid it. Eating gluten, such as that in regular bread, when you have gluten intolerance can do some very unpleasant things to your body.
While gluten in itself is not bad, once in your stomach, an enzyme is produced that breaks gluten down into the building blocks of a protein called gliadin. Many people, especially those with adrenal fatigue or celiac disease, may not be able to absorb this protein into their bodies. In fact, your digestive tract may see this protein as a foreign body and your immune system may start to attack it in an effort to get rid of it.
Although your body’s immune system is acting as it should, problems do arise when the microvilli in your gastrointestinal tract start to break down, causing small ‘holes’ in the walls of your intestine. The end result is food particles passing into your bloodstream, causing a host of issues and symptoms of their own. This is typically known as leaky gut or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Among the symptoms specifically related to IBS are weight loss, diarrhea, bloating, malnutrition, the development of autoimmune conditions, constipation, and bloating.
Gluten sensitivity may cause a hormone imbalance. Because your intestinal tract is compromised, your body is under more stress. This means that it starts producing higher quantities of cortisol. This reaction is referred to as the body’s NeuroEndoMetabolic Stress Response and is its first course of action when presented with perceived danger.
Together with the higher cortisol production, you’ll also see higher blood sugar levels to give you energy in case you need to run or fight. During this time, the body processes that are not considered necessary for immediate survival may slow down or stop completely. The long-term repercussions could be devastating if stress continues.
One repercussion of stress is the development of a hormone imbalance. This is because constant, higher levels of cortisol means that there are fewer precursor hormones, the building blocks of hormones, available for the production of other hormones. Because of this, both thyroid and pancreas function may become compromised.
Symptoms of hormone imbalance include:
Besides bread, gluten is also found in cereals made of rye, malt, and barley. It is also present in beer, numerous desserts, cakes, and pies, pasta, soups, processed meat, French fries, and malt derivatives like malt vinegar and brewer’s yeast.
But gluten is not only found in foods. It is also to be found in certain supplements, medications, lipsticks, lip balms, lip glosses, and even children’s play dough.
If you need to ensure there is no gluten in your life, the best course of action would be to read product labels before buying them.
Aside from being gluten-free, almonds have a host of health benefits.
Almonds are high in fiber, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. They also contain significant quantities of vitamin B2, phosphorous, and copper.
Almonds are high in antioxidants, which help protect your cells against oxidative stress resulting in inflammation, aging, and even cancer. Vitamin E may also help lower your risk of developing heart issues and Alzheimer’s disease.
Almonds have large amounts of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, while they are low in carbohydrates. This makes almond bread a great choice for those with diabetes. They also have relatively high quantities of magnesium, a mineral involved in blood sugar control.
Studies indicate that almonds may lower your body’s ‘bad cholesterol’ levels. There are also indications that they prevent the oxidation of bad cholesterol which is synonymous with heart conditions.
The polyphenol antioxidants found in almonds, combined with the antioxidant action of vitamin E, makes almonds a wonderful food when it comes to issues relating to heart disease in general.
This easy almond bread recipe is sure to become a family favorite. It is simple to make and packed with goodness. And best of all – this recipe is gluten-free!
For a different flavor, you can also add different freshly chopped herbs to your almond bread batter before baking. Roughly half a handful of chopped herbs should do it. Good herb options for your almond bread include freshly chopped thyme, cilantro, mint, or basil. Or try a combination. This almond bread has limitless potential.
While almonds and almond bread may have many health benefits, there are a few things you need to know. Too much of a good thing may end up being a bad thing, and so it is true for this healthy food. If you are eating too many almonds, you may experience:
Almond bread can make a great bread substitute, especially if you are gluten intolerant or have Celiac disease. It has many health benefits. However, too much of anything may have repercussions. For those with adrenal fatigue, too many almonds may result in an adrenal crash. At the end of the day, everything in moderation is the key to good health, and the same goes for almond bread.
© Copyright 2019 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
While wheat-based products have their own value, almond bread has all the nutrients in almonds. It is a great bread substitute for those who have a gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, and it’s also great for those with heart, blood pressure, and blood sugar issues.
