Hi Angela,

If you find you have any sensitivity to gluten then going 100% gluten free may be a great thing for you. There is a lot of research pointing to gluten free diet as supporting immune function and full absorption of nutrients from other foods.

Gluten is a protein naturally occuring in wheat, barley, rye and triticale, and also can cross contaminate oats and other flours, unless they are certified gluten free. The proteins in gluten in ALL people are NOT digestible.

Those with Celiac Disease --an auto-immune attack in digestive system due to gluten consumption--can cure their disease and often reverse intestinal damage by adhering to a strict GF diet. It's NOT easy, but it is possible. Some people just have gluten intolerance and feel better living gluten free.

I was gluten free for several years and I believe it helped me better absorb the nutrients in the foods I eat, as I digested much better. I don't have Celiac so I am no longer gluten free.

As for your questions about sweeteners, the best sweetener I've researched is stevia. It is not recognized by the human body as a sugar (so there's no impact on blood sugar), has zero calories and seems to have a safe profile compared to xylitol, saccharin or aspartame. It tastes really good to me, no chemical taste like other sugar free sweeteners.