Gluten free diets. Is it a fad or an important healthy lifestyle change? We’ve all heard of the gluten free craze, but what actually mean? According to the Food and Drug Administration, being gluten free means not consuming foods containing wheat, barley, and rye.
Believe it or not, gluten free diets weren’t designed for weight loss purposes. Celiac Disease is a condition where the body can’t handle the mixture of proteins found in foods containing gluten. There is no cure for this disease, so the only way to maintain it is to eat a gluten free diet.
For people who don’t have Celiac, is being gluten free the solution to getting that perfect beach body?
If you’re considering going gluten free, there are some things you should be aware of first. If all you do is eat gluten free packaged foods like gluten free cookies and crackers instead of sticking to a healthy, planned diet, then you are bound to gain weight instead of lose weight.
Also, if the proper nutrients aren’t replacing the absence of gluten, you can suffer nutritional deficiencies. Cutting out gluten means that you must make up for lost nutrients through increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables. It is important to find healthy alternatives to the loss of folate, protein, and fiber, which are extremely essential for your body. Going gluten free means that you must plan out your eating habits in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Although it may be tough, there are some pros to going gluten free. Cutting out gluten reduces chances of getting certain health diseases like anemia or diabetes. You’ll also introduce healthier carbs into your diet because you’ll be getting rid of a lot of refined grains. You’ll also become a total pro at creating a healthy lifestyle by planning out your meals. Read food labels will become a breeze!
The controversy over gluten free diets will always be there. If you do decide that a gluten free diet is for you, then just make sure to do your research, plan meals and find healthy alternatives to replace the lacking nutrients.