Your Digestion Might Take A Hit
More than 90 percent of Americans fall short of meeting the recommended daily amount when it comes to fiber , according to a study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Grain-based foods account for large portion of your daily fiber intake, and choosing only gluten-free foods can limit your choices and substantially slash the amount of fiber youre consuming.
Fiber feeds our microbiome, Dr. Fasano says. Intestinal bacteria feast on fiber and produce a short-chain fatty acid called butyrate. Butyrate keeps the intestines healthy and functional, so when theres not enough of it, youre more susceptible to developing inflammation in the gut, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach cramping, and more, Dr. Fasano says. So if youre going gluten-free, be sure to load up on beans, legumes, vegetables, brown rice, and quinoa, which are all good gluten-free fiber sources.
How Do I Know If I Have A Gluten Intolerance
If you think you have a problem with gluten, there are a number of symptoms to look out for.
For the one percent of the population affected by celiac disease a serious autoimmune disease eating gluten damages the cells of the gut, leading to symptoms including diarrhea, weight loss, and nutrient deficiencies, says Sarah Schenker, R.D.
Some people without celiac disease or a wheat allergy may experience digestive issues such as bloating and abdominal pain after eating gluten, Schenker adds.
This is known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, but research on this is still limited.
If youre worried you may have symptoms of celiac disease, talk to a physician.
The only way to be sure you have celiac is to have a blood test and then biopsy done, says Paige Bente, M.S., R.D., C.S.S.D. Its not something that is self-diagnosed with confidence.
So Why Do People Lose Weight On A Gluten
According to The Cleveland Clinic, the reason that some people experience healthy weight loss when they take on a gluten-free diet is simply that they eat more fruits, vegetables, and healthier foods than when they were on their previous diet. A gluten-free diet also means that you canât eat a lot of fast food, junk food or processed food.
People who adopt this diet also tend to be more mindful of nutrition labels and are more informed about the contents of their food. With so-called âbadâ foods being cut out of your diet and more room for healthier, or more nutritionally-dense foods, weight loss can happen.
However, this same weight loss can happen from simply limiting junk food, eating a balanced diet, and being mindful of the contents of your food. A balanced diet can include gluten. Gluten is in foods that are a great source of vitamins and nutrients that are good for your body. Those foods can also be a good source of filling and nutritious fiber. Making smart choices without eliminating gluten completely can have better results than a completely gluten-free diet.
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Possible Risks Of Eating Gluten
A 2015 study that reviewed records of patients presenting for evaluation in celiac disease clinics found that 11% had at some point avoided gluten without a diagnosis of celiac disease. Reasons given for adopting the gluten-free diet included lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome . A 2012 study of 579 children and adolescents found that 7.4% were avoiding gluten without a celiac disease diagnosis. The study found that the strongest predictors of participants following the gluten-free diet included irritability, family history of celiac disease, bowel movement changes, diarrhea, and autism .
Some evidence indicates that there are significant drawbacks to following the gluten-free diet. For example, gluten-free processed grain products are often lower in fiber, iron, zinc, and potassium . The gluten-free diet also may increase the risks for nutritional deficiencies, especially in B vitamins, iron, and trace minerals . In addition, gluten-free products continue to be significantly more expensive. A 2015 study found that gluten-free bread and bakery products were on average 267% more expensive than gluten-containing breads, and gluten-free cereals were found to be 205% more expensive than gluten-containing cereals .
Why Would Someone Do A Sugar Detox
Anyone who is dealing with sugar cravings would be a could candidate to eliminate sugary foods, refined carbs and processed foods that often contain sugar. Eating whole foods, going back to basics with whole proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats can be all that is needed to reduce and eliminate sugar cravings.
If you are on a weight loss journey, eating too much sugar can certainly stall your progress, cause cravings and spike blood sugar levels.
If you have had a difficult time moderating your sugar intake, the best way to see if you have a sugar addiction problem is to remove sugar cold turkey. That alone will quickly tell you how sugar consumption is effecting you, especially when you remove it for a short time.
Even if you just feel you have a strong sweet tooth or simply just a bad habit of consuming a lot of sugar, doing a 30-day sugar-free diet will benefit you.
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What You Can Eat And What You Can’t
On the G-Free Diet, youâll avoid all foods that contain gluten, which means anything made with wheat, rye, barley, and certain oats that have been processed in the same facility as wheat.
Some sources of gluten may surprise you, like beer, fried foods, soy sauce, and some dairy substitutes. Wine, champagne, sake, and tequila are generally gluten-free and are allowed on the G-Free Diet.
You Might Miss A Serious Health Condition
If you’re convinced that you have a problem with gluten, see a specialist to get a blood test to check for certain antibodies associated with celiac disease. You need to be eating gluten when the test is done to get a proper diagnosis, notes Peter Green, M.D., director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University’s medical school. If it’s positive, then you should have an endoscopic biopsy of your small intestine to check for damage.
Your symptoms may also be a reaction to something other than gluten in your diet. “We commonly see patients who go on a gluten-free diet and feel better for a week or two,” explains Joseph Murray, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic. “It may be the placebo effect or simply because they’re eating less. For some, their symptoms come back, so they decide to drop another food group, and then a few weeks later, when they’re still not feeling any better, they make an even more drastic change, like going completely vegan. By the time they enter my office, they’re on a severely restricted diet and still have symptoms.” The reason? It often turns out their condition wasn’t celiac disease or even gluten sensitivity at all, but another condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome.
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You Think Just Because A Food Is Gluten
Just because certain processed snack foods are “gluten-free” doesn’t mean they’re good for you. Whether cutting out gluten is truly healthy and helps people lose weight depends on the types of gluten-free foods they’re eating. When people go gluten-free, they need to be careful not to eat too many highly processed, packaged gluten-free foods instead of naturally gluten-free foods, Foroutan tells us.
For example, Fruity Pebbles are gluten-free, but does that mean the cereal is good for you? Unfortunately, many people who follow a gluten-free diet haven’t gotten the memo. A 2013 study by Mintel revealed that 65 percent of people think gluten-free foods are healthier than others, and 27 percent said the foods would help them lose weight. So be aware that just because a food has that “GF” seal, it doesn’t mean you should overdo it.
Risks To A Gluten Free Diet
One reason that a gluten-free diet can be a bad idea is that itâs harder to eat a balanced diet without gluten. Studies show that people who have celiac disease and follow a gluten-free diet have a hard time getting enough whole grains in their diet. Only about 1% of people were eating the recommended amount of grains, and 80% of people were eating less than half the recommended amount.
A restrictive nutrient diet should not be your first choice for losing weight. For people with celiac disease, this diet is mandatory in order to improve quality of life and avoid long-term health issues. For people without celiac disease, a restrictive diet is unnecessary stress on their health. It can also be costly! Manufactured gluten-free foods are notoriously more expensive than their gluten-containing counterparts.
Some risks of a gluten-free diet also include:
These risks of a gluten-free diet are of course acceptable for those who have been diagnosed with celiac disease and gluten intolerance. These risks pose a challenge that they will have to work to overcome, but itâs preferable to living with constant digestive issues and pain, and for celiac disease is a necessary choice. As someone with celiac disease, the gluten-free diet is the only medical treatment for celiac disease currently.
Read Also: How To Know If You Have A Gluten Intolerance
The Best Foods To Volume Eat
Fruits and vegetables should take center stage when youre volume eating, including:
- Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, and kale
- Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and sweet potatoes
- Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower
- Skinned vegetables such as peppers, onions, zucchini, and celery
But, meals should still be balanced, with lean protein, low-fat dairy, legumes, healthy fats, and whole grains, Welper says.
While eating a lot of vegetables is great, a lack of protein can cause significant health issues because the body needs enough protein every day to function optimally, says Yann Harstein, a registered dietician at the nutrition app Foodvisor. Healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and flaxseed oil, are good for the brain, eyes, and heart.
Mixing vegetables into your meals makes your plate look more bountiful, Welper says. For instance, add cauliflower to mashed potatoes, diced vegetables to rice, and steamed broccoli or roasted vegetables to pasta.
Increasing your fluid intake also helps you feel full, Scott says. Drink plenty of water and add broth-based soups with vegetables, legumes, and whole grain rice or pasta.
Even though youre eating more low-calorie foods, its still important to pay attention to your portion size and how often youre eating, Welper says. Theres also a tendency to sneak in foods, generally carbs, under the false assumption you can eat larger portions of those.
What If You Dont Have Celiac
Studies showing the gluten-free diet can lead to weight loss in some people with celiac disease dont apply to people without the condition, of course.
However, Dr. Davis believes that eliminating wheat from your diet will lead to weight loss even if you dont have celiac diseasehe says hes seen it happen in several thousand patients whom he has treated for cardiovascular disease.
He claims that many protein and starch compounds in wheatnot just the gluten proteinare harmful, and he routinely counsels his patients to drop all wheat products from their diets .
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Nutritions Role In Fertility Health
The relation between diet and fertility can be significant, but this isnt a time to do a complete overhaul of your pantry or stress about everything you consume. Simple steps and adjustments can have a big impact on you and your partners fertility health. Here are some dietary guidelines that are easy to incorporate that can make a significant impact:
A Dietitian Explains Why Going Gluten
Going gluten-free is trendy, feels healthy, and is definitely something to consider for those of us with intolerances and sensitivities. It involves cutting products with wheat, rye, barley, and other gluten-filled ingredients out of your diet, and people whove done it tout benefits such as weight loss, higher energy, and just feeling better. Its persuasive, but maybe worth a second look.
Gluten has been completely vilified in the past decade, registered dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick of the Cleveland Clinics Wellness Institute told POPSUGAR. Shows, books, blogs, and celebrities including Gwenyth Paltrow and Miley Cyrus have hopped on the trend, for intolerance reasons and more, and spread it far and wide. But Kristin told us that for someone not sensitive to gluten that is, if you dont have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity its probably just fine.
This is especially true when it comes to weight loss. People transitioning to a gluten-free diet may well lose some weight, Kristin noted, but research has shown that this usually has nothing to do with the gluten content. Most gluten-free weight loss actually comes from separate dietary improvements, like higher intake of fruits, veggies, and fiber that come along as positive side-effects.
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How Do People Lose Weight On A Gluten
The most common reason why people experience weight loss when on a gluten-free diet is because they eat foods with lesser calories since they are most likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and healthier foods most of the time. When you are on a gluten-free diet, you cannot eat fast food, junk food, and processed foods.
When individuals go for the gluten-free diet, it is necessary to be mindful of the calories and contents of the food that they intake. When you cut off gluten from your diet, you can have more room for healthier and nutritious foods that can help facilitate weight loss.
Does My Child Need A Gluten Free Diet
Contributors: Sarah Klemm, RDN, CD, LDN
May 25, 2022
Reviewed: May 16, 2022
Going gluten free is a popular diet trend among adults. So, might your child benefit from a gluten-free lifestyle?
Gluten is a protein found naturally in certain grains including wheat, barley and rye. Foods that contain gluten can also be used to alter the taste and texture of foods. Gluten has come to be commonly added to everything from deli meats to french fries. For most children, gluten is completely harmless, with two exceptions. Children with celiac disease or with non-celiac gluten sensitivity must follow a gluten-free diet.
Celiac Disease and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
For kids with celiac disease, even the slightest amount of gluten can spell trouble. The gluten triggers the release of antibodies which begin an assault on their bodies. These attacks damage the small intestine, which makes it hard for kids to absorb the nutrients needed to grow and thrive. Gluten may also give these children gas, bloating and diarrhea. Some kids with celiac disease lose weight, while others gain weight. Untreated, celiac disease also can lead to health problems such as anemia, disorders affecting the nerves and osteoporosis.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or NCGS, has similar symptoms to celiac disease but the reaction to gluten is thought to be less severe. For example, when these children consume gluten, its not certain if they have the same level of intestinal damage.
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Three Reasons To Go Gluten Free And Three Reasons Not To
By: Shannon Lewis, M.D., gastroenterologist, The Oregon Clinic, and Niki Strealy, RD, LD, outpatient dietitian, Providence Nutrition Services
Sitting on top of the hot list of todays diet fads is the gluten-free diet. People with certain medical conditions have very good reasons to avoid gluten, the gluey, chewy protein found in wheat, kamut, spelt, rye, barley, triticale and malt. But there are equally good reasons not to go gluten free if you dont have to. Here are the top three reasons on each side of the issue.
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Nutrition expert Brenda Bennett is the writer and photographer behind Sugarfreemom.com an allergy-friendly low-carb diet food blog that focuses on fresh whole-food recipes that are free of grains, gluten, and of course sugar.
She launched the blog in 2011 as a place for her family and friends to find her recipes easily, and it quickly because a leading resource for low-carb versions of high-carb favorites.
She has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book releases Dec.6th. The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole food meal plan that offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto.
Brenda is a sugar detox coach, keto coach and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who lives in Rhode Island with her husband, 3 children and a dog.
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To Supplement Or Not To Supplement
Ideally, every person would get all of their daily nutrition needs from food, but the reality is, most people are not eating the perfect diet that checks off every important vitamin and mineral necessary for robust health. While supplements shouldnt be the only way we get these essential nutrients, there is a place for them to help us achieve our health and wellness goals, including those related to fertility health.
Heres what you need to know if youre thinking about adding supplements to your routine:
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Can Help Reduce Chronic Inflammation In Those With Celiac Disease
Inflammation is a natural process that helps the body treat and heal infection.
Sometimes inflammation can get out of hand and last weeks, months, or even years. This is known as chronic inflammation and may lead to various health problems in the long run .
A gluten-free diet can help reduce chronic inflammation in those with celiac disease.
In fact, a gluten-free diet can reduce markers of inflammation, like antibody levels, and may also help treat gut damage caused by gluten-related inflammation in those with celiac disease .
People with NCGS may also have low levels of inflammation, but its not completely clear if a gluten-free diet can reduce their inflammation .
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