Gluten-Free Diet: Is It Right for Me?

Featured Experts : There ’ s a batch of hum around going gluten-free, with everyone from celebrities to pro athletes touting the benefits of a gluten-free diet. But these diets aren ’ t for everyone. Selvi Rajagopal, M.D., a specialist in internal medicine and fleshiness, explains the risks and benefits of cutting gluten and shares how you can make a healthy feed plan .

What is a gluten-free diet?

A gluten-free diet excludes any foods that contain gluten, which is a protein found in pale yellow and several other grains. It means eating lone whole foods that don ’ thyroxine control gluten, such as fruits, vegetables, meat and eggs, angstrom well as processed gluten-free foods like gluten-free bread or pasta .
“ Gluten is a protein naturally occurring in certain foods, but it can besides be added to foods during processing for texture, ” explains Rajagopal. Gluten can be used as a bind agent and flavorer, so you can sometimes find it in foods you wouldn ’ thymine expect. In addition to foods like pizza, pasta, cereal and bake goods, gluten can be in everything from soy sauce and frost cream to certain medications, beauty products and dietary supplements.

Some people think going gluten-free means not eating any carbohydrates, but this international relations and security network ’ t the event. Lots of foods that contain carbs, such as rice, potatoes and beans, don ’ triiodothyronine incorporate gluten .

Who should eat a gluten-free diet?

People with celiac disease

A gluten-free diet is necessary for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune reply to gluten that causes the body to attack the belittled intestine, causing belly annoyance, nausea, bloat or diarrhea. People with celiac disease can ’ thymine allow gluten in any human body, and need to follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of their lives. If you have celiac and by chance eat gluten, you ’ ll credibly experience the same symptoms you did before you went gluten-free .

People with gluten sensitivity

Another condition that may prompt person to cut gluten from their diets is a non-celiac gluten sensitivity, sometimes called gluten intolerance. “ We don ’ t have a clear definition for gluten intolerance or a clear way to explain it, ” says Rajagopal. “ We know that some people eat something that contains gluten and then they don ’ thyroxine feel well. ”
It ’ s crucial not to assume that gastrointestinal excitation is the resultant role of gluten. If you think you may have a gluten intolerance, Rajagopal recommends working with a doctor and a registered dietician to get to the bed of your symptoms .
“ There international relations and security network ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate a quiz for gluten intolerance, so we might try a process of elimination such as the broken FODMAP diet, ” says Rajagopal. This is a temp eat plan that eliminates lots of foods that can irritate the intestine, including wheat-based products. If gluten is the reservoir of the irritation, you may notice an improvement in symptoms such as :

• Bloating
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Gas
• Stomach pain

People who are allergic to wheat

People with a wheat allergy should avoid certain foods containing gluten, but not because of the gluten. Wheat triggers an immune response in their bodies, which can cause symptoms such as a bark rash, concern or sneezing. They can hush eat gluten in other grains, including barley and rye .

Can you go gluten-free to lose weight?

People who adopt a gluten-free diet frequently fall back weight, but it ’ mho normally because they besides cut out a lot of processed foods and refined carbohydrates that contain gluten. If you stop eating gluten to lose weight, it ’ sulfur significant to watch your dowry sizes, get regular practice and feed batch of solid foods such as fruits, vegetables and lean proteins .

Are there risks to trying a gluten-free diet if you don’t have celiac disease?

If you cut all gluten out of your diet, there ’ s a risk that you could miss out on alimentary hale grains, fiber and micronutrients. Getting enough whole grains in your diet is specially crucial if you ’ re at hazard for affection disease or diabetes. wholly grains can lower cholesterol levels and even help regulate your blood sugar. In addition, some gluten-containing foods are sources of important vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins, iron and magnesium .
Keep in beware that some processed gluten-free foods contain high amounts of unhealthy ingredients such as sodium, sugar and fatty. Consuming these foods can lead to weight gain, rake boodle swings, high blood coerce and early problems. so, a gluten-free pronounce doesn ’ t inevitably make a food healthy .
If you don ’ t have coeliac disease or gastrointestinal pique, Rajagopal recommends removing highly processed foods from your diet before removing gluten. Add in more fruits, vegetables, whole-grain boodle or pasta, and tend proteins. many people find they feel good barely by eating better, not by removing gluten.

Will I go through gluten withdrawal if I start eating gluten-free?

There ’ s no scientific tell to suggest that people actually go through “ withdrawal ” when they stop eating gluten. Some people report feeling dizziness, nausea, extreme hunger and even anxiety and depressive disorder when they on the spur of the moment go from eating a distribute of gluten to being gluten-free. These symptoms normally go away after a few weeks on a gluten-free diet, but talk to your health care provider if they persist .

How do I get started with a gluten-free diet?

If you ’ rhenium interested in trying a gluten-free diet, talk to a doctor or a read dietician. They can guide you toward a balance corrode plan that meets your singular nutritional needs .
Tips for making dietary changes if you have coeliac disease include :

• Check for warnings on packages. Many products that don’t contain gluten may have been processed in a facility where there are gluten products.
• Keep kitchen utensils, dishes and other food prep items that are used for gluten-containing foods separate from your utensils.
• Read ingredient labels carefully to check for any traces of wheat. Some artificial colors and seasonings also contain gluten.
• Substitute oat, buckwheat, quinoa or other gluten-free or alternative grain flours for wheat flour in cooking and baking.

reference : https://nutritionline.net
Category : Healthy