Gluten-Free Doesn’t Always Mean Healthy: How Ultra-Processed Gluten-Free Foods Are Wrecking Your Gut (and What I Eat Instead)

You’ve gone gluten-free — but you still feel bloated, tired, or inflamed. So… what gives?

In this episode, Lucia breaks down one of the biggest myths in the gluten-free community: that “gluten-free” automatically means healthy. From packaged muffins and breads to “clean” snack bars, most gluten-free substitutes are ultra-processed — and they could be quietly wrecking your gut health.

Lucia shares how she discovered the “gluten-free food trap,” what the research says about ultra-processed gluten-free products, and how shifting toward naturally gluten-free whole foods completely transformed her energy, digestion, and inflammation.

Takeaways:

🥖 Gluten-Free ≠ Automatically Healthy

🥦 Whole Foods Are Where Healing Begins

💧 Routine Heals — Not Perfection

🧘‍♀️ Mindset Matters Just as Much as Food

🗞 News of the Week

California just passed a law to phase out ultra-processed foods in public schools by 2035. Why it matters: It signals a growing recognition that processing itself is a health concern — not just gluten, sugar, or fat.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/california-ultraprocessed-school-meals-bill-newsom-a76fe72828984514858781db23ec7005

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: Louisiana trip & life updates

03:17 – News of the Week: California bans ultra-processed school foods

05:04 – Gluten-Free Fav of the Week: Why kiwi is my gut health MVP 🥝

06:20 – The Gluten-Free Food Myth &

16:50 – How ultra-processed GF foods cause inflammation & fatigue

19:06 – What I Learned the Hard Way + research insights

20:22 – Segment 2: The Power of Whole Foods

22:19 – The “anti-inflammatory” shift that changed my gut health

23:06 – Segment 3: Building an Anti-Inflammatory Routine (The 3 R’s Framework)

27:33 – Segment 4: The Mindset Shift — from perfection to peace

30:04 – Segment 5: Key Takeaways 54:00 – Outro & listener challenge

Whether you have celiac disease or just want to feel your best, this episode will help you see that healing isn’t about perfection — it’s about rebuilding with real food, balance, and self-compassion.

✨Let’s Connect

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Music

music provided by epidemic sound.

Disclaimer

I’m not a medical professional. Everything I share is based on my personal experiences living with celiac disease. Please consult your doctor for medical advice specific to your health.

Sources

• PMC8009084 (2021): Nutritional comparison of gluten-free vs regular products

• CDC, 2021: Ultra-processed foods account for 58% of American calories

• Cleveland Clinic, 2023: The role of seed oils and oxidative stress

• ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06356220: GF-NOURISH trial on ultra-processed GF foods

• PubMed 36839296 (2023): Whole foods improve diet quality in celiac patients