Gluten-Free Diet and its Benefits

You may have heard the statement ‘gluten-free diet’ before. Gluten can be found in grains wheat, barley & rye. This can be confusing for people who are new to this topic. This type of diet is not designed for weight gain or weight loss. It is just a type of diet that has a healing impact on your gut and as a result, you start absorbing all the nutrients from your diet which makes you healthier.

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, that means your immune system has started reacting to gluten present in your diet and is damaging your gut. To get fit, you need to remove gluten from your diet, which is the only solution for the celiac disease known to date.
Let us discuss all the basic terms like’ gluten-free’, ‘gluten-free diet’, ‘what foods are gluten-free, ‘gluten-rich food ‘ and ‘gluten-free food’ so that you have basic knowledge about this topic and you know what changes to make in your diet.

Let us have a look at some gluten-free food eatables such as:

• meat
• fish
• fruits and vegetables
• rice
• potatoes
• lentils

You can also consume processed food that is gluten-free, such as ready meals and soups. Also, there are gluten-free alternatives available in the market around us, such as gluten-free bread, flour, pasta, crackers, and biscuits. The gluten-free food list also contains plenty of alcoholic as well as soft drinks. They include:

• fruit juice
• flavoured water
• fizzy drinks
• cider
• wine
• sherry
• spirits
• port
• liqueurs

Also, there is a variety of gluten-free beer and lagers available around us.

For an introduction, gluten is a family of proteins found especially in wheat, barley, and rye. It gets its name from a Latin word that means ‘ glue’ because it gives the flour a sticky nature when mixed with water. This glue-like property of gluten establishes a sticky and dense network that gives bread the ability to rise in height when baked. It also provides bread with a chewy and satisfying nature. Curiously, some people feel uncomfortable after eating food articles that contain gluten. The most severe reaction is known as ‘celiac disease.

Broadly speaking, celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, in which the body harms itself mistakenly. It affects approximately 10% of the population and can damage both of the intestines heavily. If you feel uneasy after consuming gluten-rich food, the best thing to do is to see a doctor.

The common ways to test yourself for celiac disease are:

Blood test- A blood profile will check on the antibodies that interact in an incorrect manner with the gluten protein. The most common blood list for the same is the tTG-IgA test.

Biopsy of your small intestine– If you have a positive blood test, you further need to carry out a small intestine biopsy. In this process, a small tissue sample is taken from your intestine & is checked for any damage.

If you do not have celiac disease but still feel uneasy after consuming gluten-rich food, it is better for you to have gluten-free food for a few weeks and notice if your symptoms improve. Be sure to seek assistance from a medical practitioner or a dietician. After a few weeks, reintroduce gluten-rich food into your diet and test for symptoms. If a gluten-free diet does not help you with your symptoms, something else is causing your problems related to gut and digestion.

What foods are gluten-free

Completely avoiding gluten or fully eliminating gluten from your diet can be a challenging task. This is because gluten is found in a wide number of nutrients that are added to almost all edibles. The main sources of gluten in the diet include-

Wheat-based foods like wheat flour and wheat bran.
Barley, rye, triticale, malt & brewer’s yeast.

Gluten-rich foods include

Bread- All wheat- background bread, all wheat-based types of pasta, cereals unless labelled, muffins, pizzas and pastries, snacks such as candies, roasted nuts, flavoured chips, popcorns, muesli bars, all types of sauces such as soy sauce, salad dressings, many beverages such as beer and flavoured alcoholic beverages. The easiest way to avoid gluten from your diet is to include unprocessed, single-ingredient food in your diet. Also, you should read all the food labels of all the food items that you buy for consumption.

Oats are naturally gluten-free foods. But they are often contaminated with gluten, as they might be processed in the same factory as wheat-based products are food articles.

Health benefits of a gluten-free diet

• Relieves digestive symptoms- Gluten-free diet can track the number of digestive ailments such as bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, gas, fatigue, etc.
• Reduces chronic inflammation in particles with celiac disease- inflammation is a natural process by which the human body treats and hears infections. A gluten-free diet can further reduce the inflammation of the body.
• Boots energy:- Patients with celiac disease often have a sluggish experience. This may be due to nutrient deficiencies as the gut is damaged, an option for a gluten-free diet can help boost the energy of your body.
• Collecting everything that has been stated so far, gluten is a natural protein that some people may find allergic. I have already listed the introduction and all the important information about gluten and everything that you need to know.

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