HOW TO START A GLUTEN FREE DIET
Today there are many types of diet. These are prescribed based on the individual lifestyles and needs of the person. The main reason obviously in most of the cases is weight loss. However, sometimes a person may be prescribed a particular diet for health reasons as well. For example, there is an autoimmune disease called as celiac disease. In such a case, consumption of gluten will harm the immune system. Also there are some people who suffer from gluten sensitivity. So for such cases, the Gluten free Diet was created. However, today many across the world are trying to adopt a gluten free diet irrespective of the fact whether they are suffering from Celiac Disease or not.
So what exactly is a gluten? It’s a protein in grains. These can be found in bread, pasta, barley etc. as it acts as a binding agent in starchy foods. Since gluten is added commonly in many foods, it may be difficult to avoid it completely. The best or easiest way to avoid gluten is eating only whole, single ingredient foods. For example Oats. Natural Oats do not contain gluten. However, care needs to be exercised as sometimes gluten may be added to processed oats.
Before e starting a gluten free diet, there are a few points to consider and follow:
1. Advance Planning: It’s highly important to prepare, research and plan ahead of all the types of food to be eaten and to be avoided.
2. Check Food labels: It’s important to check the label on the food to make sure they do not contain gluten.
Today, on the internet there are many lists for the whole week about how to follow a gluten free diet. So here is a simple list of foods that can be eaten when following a gluten free diet:
1. Eggs : Eggs are naturally free of gluten
2. Fish and Meats: Unless coated, all fish and meats do not contain gluten
3. Dairy Products: Plain milk, yogurt etc. do not have gluten. But flavored dairy products may contain it, so it’s better to check the label
4. Fruits and Vegetables: All fresh fruits and vegetables are gluten-free
5. Nuts, seeds, Herbs etc.: All nuts and herbs and spices do not contain gluten.
Health benefits of maintaining a gluten free diet:
1. Primary benefit is losing weight. Because following a gluten free diet means elimination of many junk foods.
2. Digestive related problems such as bloating, constipation, gas, and even diarrhea can be relieved by sticking to a gluten free diet.
3. Chronic inflammation is shown to have reduced in patients who have celiac disease and who followed the gluten free diet
Many foods are available today that are gluten free. So if a gluten free diet has to be a success, simply eat fresh foods and avoid processed foods. It’s that simple. And when in doubt, double check the labels on the food to ensure that gluten is not added. And then you can strictly follow a gluten free diet. All the best to you.
