Gluten-free Diet: Pathway to Weight loss?

Going Gluten Free has been hailed as the Magic bullet for easy weight loss success, But will jumping on the gluten free bandwagon going to give you the results you seek?

Today’s guest post written by my colleague Anna gives you a look inside the Gluten free lifestyle.

Gluten-free Diet: Pathway to Weight loss? 

As the girlfriend/roommate of a man with severe allergies that include dairy, nuts, soy, and gluten; I’ve had to seriously modify my diet to create a safer food-space for him. 

And in doing so, I’ve ended up on the same gluten-free diet as he, who suffers from Celiac’s disease, follows.  

While in general the only real changes I experienced with gluten-free products was about the price increase (one loaf of bread can cost anywhere between $5-9), everyone I talked to about the changes in my diet were positive that I would lose so much weight while eating gluten-free. Everyone had some story about an uncle or friend who had turned out to have Celiac’s disease and upon going gluten free had lost a lot of weight. 

First off, let’s get on thing straight: If you don’t have Celiac’s disease or some sort of gluten intolerance, there’s really no benefit in you going gluten-free.  

If you happen to be making a switch from, for example, white bread to the whole-grain, gluten free quinoa, then yes, your health will improve. Not because you switched to a gluten-free product, but because you switch from a refined grain to a whole grain. 

If you’re just swapping out wheat bread with gluten-free bread, you’re not going to have any health boost. You’re just swapping a refined grain containing gluten for a refined grain without gluten. 

Additionally, many companies make up for the lack of wheat by adding extra sugar, fat, and calories into the gluten-free bread, crackers, or health bars. Anyone who’s adjusted to a gluten-free diet will notice immediately if they’re eating wheat bread as it tastes significantly more bitter than the sweet gluten-free alternative.  

Secondly, those who are losing weight by switching to gluten free? They’re likely just swapping out coincidentally higher-calorie refined grain for lower-calorie whole grains.  

My boyfriend gained weight when he went on a gluten-free diet, which was good for him. He’d lost a lot of weight when eating wheat because his body couldn’t properly absorb the nutrients and he was, in essence, suffering from malnutrition. As soon as he switched to a gluten-free diet, he started feeling a lot better and could properly absorb the energy in his food – but only because previously, as a celiac disease sufferer, his body rejected the gluten.  

Unless you’re planning to swap out high-calorie refined grains for lower-calorie whole grains that happen to be gluten-free, you’re not going to see any kind of weight loss or other health benefits by switching to a gluten-free diet. In the end, you might just be paying a higher price for products higher in fat , sugar and calories. Your waistline and your wallet will be paying the price.

Is Gluten Free for you? if so, what results were you seeking were you successful? Comments and feedback are welcome. Please share this with friends and family.

 

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