The Truth About Eating Gluten

(Photo: Getty Images)

Ever since I stopped eating gluten as an experiment a few years back, I’ve been really interested in what’s up with it.

I’ve heard doctors and nutritionists go back and forth about it, I’ve heard friends’ stories about how it destroyed their health, and I’ve seen the effects it’s had on my own body as an athlete.

But at the end of the day, I’m still a good old Ohio boy who was raised on pasta, pizza, and doughnuts, and I still want to eat those things sometimes.

Related: Can a Gluten-Free Diet Ease Your Depression?

So, I brought an expert on The School of Greatness to get the facts straight about what gluten actually is, whether it’s as bad as people say, and what the best workaround is.

Peter Osborne knows what’s up when it comes to gluten. He is trained as a chiropractor and nutritionist, and is passionate about getting to the bottom of autoimmune diseases and helping people get their health back. I asked him every question I could think of about gluten and what his recommendations are — and he delivered.

He recommended shifting your diet to be based on fruits and vegetables and avoiding grains of all kinds. He even gave examples of his favorite swaps for traditional grain-based dishes, like spaghetti squash for pasta and cauliflower for pizza crust.

Related: 7 Unexpected Foods That Contain Gluten

One of the things I most appreciated about this conversation, however, was that he acknowledged the differences in every human and that what works or doesn’t work for one person doesn’t determine what will for the next. For those who are not gluten intolerant, he admitted that a little treat now and then will not wreck your health.

However, the mindset that a grain-based diet is the standard and that anything else is a sacrifice is what he is committed to shifting in our food culture. After talking to him, I’m on board.

Listen to our full conversation below:


For more on Osborne, click here.

ABOUT LEWIS HOWES: Lewis is a pro-athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur who hosts the top-ranked podcast The School of Greatness. He interviews the best and brightest minds in health, entrepreneurship, relationships and lifestyle. Follow Lewis on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Read This Next: 13 Meals That Are Naturally Gluten-Free