A gluten free diet has become a popular trend recently. Some are considering it to be a fad, but most people are still in the dark when it comes to its benefits.
Gluten is basically a special type of protein that is found in
foods such as cereals, certain grains, and wheat. One of the main
purposes of gluten is to keep intact the elasticity in foods during
the phase of food production. Gluten makes bread “chewy,” and
prevents other foods from having a sticky, doughy-like texture.
Benefits of Avoiding Processed Foods
Many processed foods that are available on the market contain a lot
of gluten, which is essentially unhealthy for you. Overly-processed
food is bad for you because it contains lots of chemicals and
artificial flavors.
On a gluten free diet, you are expected to eat more fruits and
vegetables, because they represent food sources that are
non-starchy, and almost completely gluten free. By eating only
gluten free foods, you will also be eliminating unhealthy oils from
your diet, as well as unhealthy carbohydrates found in bread
products like doughnuts and pastries.
A Gluten Free Diet Reduces Risk of Certain Diseases
Eliminating processed foods and following a gluten free diet can
help reduce your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and other
health-related conditions, like diabetes, if you are gluten
intolerant.
A Gluten Free Diet Helps Body Fight Viruses
One of the benefits of the gluten free diet is that it can also
help your body ward off viruses and germs, just because many of the
foods you eat will be full of antioxidants and essential vitamins
and minerals.
Gluten Free Diet Benefits for Healthy Weight Loss
Once you start the gluten free diet trial, pay attention to food
labels and beware of replacements. Most of gluten free foods
available are healthy for you, and can also help you lose weight
with the right combination and other foods proportions. Always keep
the portion size in mind!
Benefits of a Gluten Free Diet for Athletes
The carbo-load myth according to which athletes need carbs before
an event to maintain their energy over long periods of physical
exertion makes it difficult for their digestive systems to break
down gluten, causing digestion problems that hinder the amount of
energy they have for use.
Gluten free carbohydrates such as quinoa, brown rice and corn are
easier to digest and thus leave athletes with more energy and
quicker recovery times. Of course, the athletes are not strict
gluten free dieting all of the time, just before and during their
respective seasons for better performance.
Read more on the topic:
Inge Ignat
Former art school student, trend scout, cat person, foodie, Italophile, internet junkie. Current obsessions: reading, Instagram, makeup.
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