No Meat, No Wheat, Good Eats

With the ringing in of the New Year and the popularity of food accounts on social media, healthy eating trends have grown in popularity. Veganism and wheat-free diets have infiltrated many of the stomachs of the CB community. Senior Amanda McAdam (’17) and math teacher Mrs. Kelly Safford revealed their reasons for having a special eating regimen.

One popular healthy diet is veganism, which is defined as abstaining from eating or using any animal products. Over the past few years, veganism has grown in popularity with many celebrities and public figures swearing by the health benefits. Amanda revealed that going vegan has a positive impact on her health, but more importantly she really wanted to help animals.

“Right now, having a plant based diet is my contribution in protest of the meat and dairy industry,” she eagerly explained. “I find it hypocritical for me to contribute to such practices and continue to eat animal products knowing the truth behind them.”

Making the transition from full omnivore to full vegan was a challenge, but not impossible.

“I just slowly started taking out dairy and meat from my diet. I did a lot of research on how to get my protein and iron, so I knew the smart and healthy way to go about eating on this lifestyle.”

Amanda’s experience has been very positive, and she has even noticed some beneficial, surprising changes in her health.

“Randomly, my hair and nails got stronger,” she claims, “and I clearly have a lot more energy.”

Veganism is not the only diet that members of the CB community have explored. In recent years, nutritionists and doctors have questioned the effects of wheat on human health. Even professional athletes and bodybuilders have a tendency to cut wheat out of their diets when training. For Mrs. Safford, cutting wheat out of her diet greatly impacted her everyday health and way of life.

“I saw an immediate change. I would get swollen all over my body and it started to bother my stomach and hands,” she explained. “[Giving up wheat] took away all of the symptoms.”

For anyone interested in removing wheat from their table and pantry, Mrs. Safford admits that it’s not always easy, especially as someone who loves to bake.

“The hardest thing is that sometimes I just want a piece of crusty bread — nice, fresh bread out of the oven”

But to anyone interested in taking on the no-wheat challenge, don’t fret! There are wheat alternatives, so you never have to miss out on some of your favorite foods.

“I find when I bake I just use other things,” Mrs. Safford shares. “I use rice flour, I use a lot of almond flour, and I think it tastes better.”

Whether you’re a health enthusiast, looking for something new to try, or just want to keep up with the latest trends, both of these options are nutritious and delicious. Just ask CB specialists to assist any curious minds who are interested in healthy eating.