As we keep flowing and moving ahead in time, we come across new diet fads, wellness trends, and fitness tricks every day. Initially, the gluten-free diet culture came into existence to expand food options for those who have celiac disease. To be honest, there is no such thing as a gluten allergy. It’s just that some people find it difficult to digest wheat, barley, rye, and other gluten-containing foods. One of the classic symptoms of celiac disease is diarrhea. Other symptoms include bloating, fatigue, constipation, headaches, and stomach pain. This reduces their options for carb intake and fulfills nutritional needs. The modern gluten-free diet found across Madison, Huntsville, or any other city in the US is the product of the feeding trials and research of Willem-Karel Dicke’s study in the 1900s. What started as a remedial diet plan to control a medical condition slowly became a part of the weight-loss fad. Gluten-free diets are undoubtedly one of the most effective diet plans when it comes to hitting your body goals. Considering the implications of the pandemic, lowered physical activity, and sedentary lifestyle, if you have decided to take up this diet plan to shed a few pounds and consulting a dietician, here are a few things that you need to avoid altogether.
Focus Only on Consuming Fresh Foods
When it comes to a gluten-free diet, it focuses more on the contents of the food items rather than the calories. In either case, it requires you to eat more fresh food items. This includes fruits, vegetables, fresh meat and poultry, and low-fat dairy products.
Consume Selectable Grains, Starches, or Flours
The presence of gluten limits certain types of grains and starches that include wheat, rye, barley, triticale, or even oats (in some cases). However, certain selective grains, starches, or foods can be a part of a gluten-free diet. This includes:
● Buckwheat
● Corn
● Soy
● Sorghum
● Tapioca
● Amaranth
● Quinoa
● Millet
● Flax
● Teff
● Specific flours (rice, potato, soy, corn, bean)
● Arrowroot
Wheat-Free and Gluten-Free are Different
Well, this is a widespread misinterpretation. The terms wheat-free and gluten-free aren’t interchangeable. Gluten is a type of seed storage protein (formerly known as prolamins) with no essential nutrients naturally found in food items such as bread, pasta, pizza, and cereal. If you are restricting carbs (more specifically wheat) from your diet, you must look for labels that say ‘wheat-free’ or ‘no wheat’. Gluten-free indicates the absence of the protein and not wheat.
Stay Away from Packaged Food Items
All forms of packaged junk food items such as bagels, bread, cakes, pies, cereals, cookies, crackers, wafers, candies, licorice, malts, pretzels, rolls, among others, tend to use wheat, barley in their natural form. Make sure you stay away from them. Other food items include:
➔ Pizza
➔ Pasta
➔ Pancakes
➔ Icecream cones
➔ Sauces
➔ Stuffing
➔ Flour tortillas (ready-made/ store-bought)
➔ Chips
➔ Fries
➔ Soy sauce
➔ Beer (yes, it contains gluten too)
Just like any other diet plan, a gluten-free diet also suggests clean and healthy eating while being extra mindful of the presence of gluten protein. Now that we are done, you can make the most of your gluten-free madison diet!