Non-Gluten Grain introduction... Necessary?

[JohannaE]

I've already done my gluten reintroduction, and am happy to say I had absolutely no issues!  Here's my question: is it still necessary to do a separate non-gluten grain reintroduction (yes, I plan to eat them!  Except white potatoes which I just think are the most blah food ever)?  I've never really heard of anyone having issues with non-gluten grains but not with gluten.   

[ginsinnot]

I personally found that I do react differently to non-gluten grains. After my first Whole 30 I thought this group would be no big deal. But I found that corn was fine on occasion (except popcorn, which I suspect is a bulk issue since I have had Crohns disease a long time) and white rice okay (but not great) for my GI system, but brown rice and other "ancient" grains were a no go (and I think I finally just admitted I don't like oatmeal because it's like a lump of lead in my stomach). Mostly due to GI issues (cramping, bloating, etc).

 

I never associated these foods with issues before. I suspect all my issues just blended together and overlapped.

 

Since you've put the time in, why not give them their own re-intro? Then you'll know for certain they're either good to go or occasional for you.

[GFChris]

I would do the non-gluten grain reintro.  I've known people having issues with corn, rice, etc.  Pick 3 non-gluten grains you want to eat again and have them on a reintro day and see what happens.

As an aside, white potatoes aren't a non-gluten grain: they're a starchy vegetable. 

[JohannaE]

Okay, good to know, I will give them a try!  If there's one thing you learn from this, it's that you really can't predict what foods will affect you.  I was absolutely fine with my dairy and gluten reintros, which I expected would be the groups that would be most likely to cause problems.  Then I did legumes yesterday, which is the group I ate the most of pre-Whole30 and that I honestly thought was pretty silly not to allow on Whole30, and my tummy was funny all day.  Nothing drastic, just not quite feeling right.  I'm not yet confident what was to blame, or even if any of them were to blame, but definitely will be experimenting with them more.  I may have to break down peanuts, soy and beans to identify further what could be to blame, as I really want to add these food groups back in and want to be sure I know which one affects me, if any!

 

Back to the non-gluten grains, the other thing that kind of confuses me about this reintro day, is that it's such a broad category.  If I have oatmeal with breakfast, corn with lunch, and quinoa or rice with dinner, those are three so very different foods.  How would I know which was affecting me?  It almost seems that you would have to do them each individually.

[Carlaccini]

Hi Johanna,

 

I'm one who has a lesser issue with gluten grains than non-gluten grains.  Non-gluten grains cause havoc in my diggestive system. The only one I can handle reasonably well is white rice - even that one causes me to not go to the bathroom for 2 days (at least) but it's the one with the least reaction. 

 

So yeah definitely do a proper re-intro of the non gluten grains.

[Tina R]

Okay, good to know, I will give them a try!  If there's one thing you learn from this, it's that you really can't predict what foods will affect you.  I was absolutely fine with my dairy and gluten reintros, which I expected would be the groups that would be most likely to cause problems.  Then I did legumes yesterday, which is the group I ate the most of pre-Whole30 and that I honestly thought was pretty silly not to allow on Whole30, and my tummy was funny all day.  Nothing drastic, just not quite feeling right.  I'm not yet confident what was to blame, or even if any of them were to blame, but definitely will be experimenting with them more.  I may have to break down peanuts, soy and beans to identify further what could be to blame, as I really want to add these food groups back in and want to be sure I know which one affects me, if any!

 

Back to the non-gluten grains, the other thing that kind of confuses me about this reintro day, is that it's such a broad category.  If I have oatmeal with breakfast, corn with lunch, and quinoa or rice with dinner, those are three so very different foods.  How would I know which was affecting me?  It almost seems that you would have to do them each individually.

I have broken my reintro down to one item a day. Some ingredients still bother me days after I have eaten them. I have not had any bad reactions to any foods but I also didn't feel amazing at the end of my whole30. I may have to do a whole60 next time. Good Luck!

[ginsinnot]

I'd give each one their own day

[Physibeth]

I personally gave separate days to corn and white rice as those are the ones I wanted to eat again. Of note I don't have much physical reaction (immediately) to grains, mine are mostly psychological/emotional so ensure you are paying attention to those as well. The holidays also reinforced for me that even if I can have a little here and there I should not have a little multiple times a week. That is when I physically start to react mostly in the realm of extreme lack of concentration and brain fog.

 

On oats if you choose to do them, make sure they are gluten free. I didn't bother because I too realized this was something I was kind of forcing myself to eat because it was "healthy".