Udi’s Makes Going Gluten Free Easy – and Tasty!

I love bread. Italian bread, garlic bread, cinnamon raisin bread, banana bread, dinner rolls… and the list goes on!

So perhaps the biggest hurdle for me when converting to a gluten-free diet was getting over the fact that bread could not be a normal part of my everyday diet. I tried several gluten-free bread options found at the grocery store, only to be disappointed by the lack of flavor. Just when I was ready to give up eating bread altogether, a friend of mine who has celiac disease suggested I try Udi’s Gluten Free Bread.

Did you know that 72% of Udi’s customers will go to another grocery store if they can’t find Udi’s Gluten Free Bread on the shelves? I am now one of these people! The flavor and texture of Udi’s Gluten Free Bread stands out as the best I’ve found! It’s not a wonder to me that it’s the #1 gluten-free bread in America.

Anyone with food intolerances or allergies knows that left-out feeling of watching friends eat pizza, cake or other foods their body can’t handle. With Udi’s Gluten Free food, 87% of people said they felt “normal” again. I’m thankful for brands like Udi’s Gluten Free, that help turn your “can’ts” into “cans”!

Udi’s Gluten Free line doesn’t only have bread, but offers a broad list of products, with everything from bagels to pizza crust to chocolate chip cookies. I recently tried Udi’s Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins, which are AMAZING. Pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and they are delicious way to start your morning (they also make a great afternoon snack!).

I’m thrilled that The Motherhood is working with Udi’s to learn the benefits of eating gluten free. Here are just some of the helpful things I learned during our recent Q&A with Denise Sirovatka, Vice President and General Manager of Udi’s Gluten Free:

What are the benefits of eating a gluten free diet?

Wheat in general is a natural inflammatory, so when you eat a ton of wheat, you may feel a little bit bloated. Any reduction in wheat will help alleviate those symptoms. We find that with a lot of people who are sticking with the brand or eating gluten free just because they feel better. But if you have celiac disease, your body doesn’t have the ability to process gluten and you can’t actually absorb the nutrients. So that actually has very long term effects! Udi’s is a real solution for those who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Will the benefits be seen if a family eliminates gluten products one at a time or do you have to completely go off of gluten to see the results?

If you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, then you absolutely have to go off of it all the way! That’s the only way your body is going to heal itself and stay healed. If you are choosing to eat gluten free for your own health reasons, then that is up to the individual. Some people choose to start by adopting “Gluten Free Friday.”

Do you have suggestions for trying to accommodate everyone in the family, when not everyone is gluten intolerant?

We see all the time that it is so much easier when the whole household goes on a gluten-free diet together, so everyone feels they are part of the group. What we try to do on our website is create recipes that nobody in the house would know are gluten free and recipes that the whole family can enjoy together. See Udi’s gluten free recipes here.

Are there foods that have hidden gluten in them?

Yes! In fact, 70% of processed foods in the grocery store contain gluten in some form. A couple of foods that many people don’t know about are soy sauce, ketchup and salad dressings. Always check the labels and make sure there are no wheat-based emulsifiers or starches.

We’d love to hear from you in the comments! Are you on a gluten free diet? What has helped you feel “normal” again? 

An Udi’s Fan for Life,

Nicole