Bombarded (and confused)

I took a Critical Thinking course in college.  I know advertisers try to "sell" you on their products.  I'm not easily swayed by fancy packaging (it usually costs more anyway).  There is information all over the web that is contradictory.  I am a big fan of snopes when it comes to email forwards.  My husband and I have even talked about "research studies" and how organizations pay to get the results they want.

Who can you trust?

My latest dilemma is diet. I just want to make healthy meals for my family.  I cook dinner at home almost every night.  I'm a big fan of fresh organic produce and include it almost every meal I make  (Of course there are studies that show that the word "organic" does not mean the same thing on every label, but that's a whole other post).  I've tried to prepare fresher, less processed foods.

A lot of our meals include a carb though.  Not just any carbs....pasta, breads, and grains.  All of which include gluten.  The information on whether or not this is healthy is SO varied.  They are low fat/low calorie foods, but they are also known to convert to sugars and adversely affect blood sugar levels (as well as disrupt the digestive process).  Other folks will tell you that it's not a "balanced" diet without carbs/gluten.

I don't have a child with autism or ADHD (both of which recommend a gluten-free diet), but Brian has high cholesterol.  Part of cholesterol is the triglyceride level (sugar level) that is affected by carbs.  I would love for him to be off of his statin but his favorite foods all include carbs (most Italian foods).

Anyone have carb alternatives that your family actually enjoys?
Have you ever tried to eliminate gluten from your diet and see the benefits?