For the past year or so, I’ve suspected that I have a gluten sensitivity. When I eat bread and baked goods, not only do I have a much harder time losing and maintaining weight (even if staying in my calorie allowance), but my energy levels drop way down (which usually leads to my drinking more caffeine), and I end up spending the rest of the day craving more bread, more sweets.

Long ago, I did all the easy swaps: gluten-free pasta, wheat-free tamari, oats & granola instead of cereals, cutting nearly all the bread out of my life. I did start to feel a lot lighter and I had noticeably more energy throughout the day.

The one thing I just could not give up was seitan. And I held firmly to the belief that I didn’t have to give up seitan, because eating seitan made me feel good! Yes, it was high in gluten, but after I ate it, I felt satisfied and full of energy, and I dropped weight really easily.

Well, it turns out that I was right. Or, rather, I was wrong. I was right that seitan isn’t  a problem for me because I was wrong in thinking that I am gluten-sensitive. What I am is a fast mid-oxidizer.

Oxidation is the process by which your body converts food into energy. The rate at which this process happens is your oxidation rate, and people fall on a spectrum between fast and slow, with most people ending up closer to the middle (balanced oxidizers). I took a test which placed me as a fast mid-oxidizer, and then I went about my merry way to find out what that meant.

Then I got to this page, and when I read this sentence, I had a giant AHA moment:

“When a fast mid-oxidizer eats too many simple carbohydrates it is likely that there will be weight gain, hypoglycemia, uncontrolled hunger, and chronic fatigue.”

YES! So that’s the good news! I know what is going on with me!

Then I read on to find out how I can adjust my diet to my oxidation rate, to increase my energy levels and keep off weight. What I discovered is that the suggested protein percentage for mid and fast oxidizers is 40%, and they recommend that fast oxidizers avoid grains as much as possible, getting their carbs and fiber instead from root vegetables and starches.

Uh.

In a way, this completely makes sense, because when I was pregnant and cramming protein in my pie-hole every chance I could, I felt really sensational. You know, except for the whole pregnant thing. Many of the tricks that I learned as a pregnant vegan are about to come in really handy, I think!

So I’m off to make a giant batch of seitan. Wish me luck as I attempt to reduce my soy and double my protein intake. If you take the oxidation test, I’d love to hear from you if you feel the same AHA moment as I did, or if it’s way off for you, or what.