Benefits of a Gluten Free Diet

Gluten-free diets have become a very popular trend in recent years. You can find numerous gluten-free products nowadays in all supermarkets and most recipes that contain gluten, can be modified to create a gluten free recipe. Nevertheless, many people still don’t have a clear understanding about the health benefits of a gluten-free diet and what are the reasons for changing to this kind of diet.

Gluten Free Diet Benefits

For many people, the advantages of a gluten free diet translate to better health. However, people with Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and/or allergies, the transition to a gluten-free diet can actually be life changing. Some of the benefits that they experience by adopting a gluten-free diet are:

  • Increase of Energy Level:  Fatigue is a common issue among people suffering Celiac disease. By eliminating gluten, an increased level of energy can be experienced because the inflammation in your intestines will be reduced and therefore, your body can absorb nutrients better.
  • Healthier Diet: People adopting a gluten-free diet avoid processed and junk food due to the big quantities of gluten that they contain. These products contain other harmful chemicals too such as preservatives, artificial ingredients and dyes. Gluten free diet encourages consumption of whole foods and an increased fruits and vegetables intake.
  • Improve Cholesterol Levels: One of the most important benefits of a gluten free diet is the decrease of Cholesterol levels. The is caused by the elimination of unhealthy and processed food that contains, among other things, partially hydrogenated trans fats. Reducing or eliminating these harmful fats results in lower LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol levels.

People suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Crohn’s disease or any gastrointestinal issues, may also suffer from Celiac disease or might have a gluten intolerance/sensitivity. Trying a gluten-free diet for at least two weeks can be a good idea to test if there is any improvement in your symptoms as some people with gastrointestinal diseases have been reported to feel better after cutting out gluten from their diets.

Gluten Free Diet Risks

The only major risk of going gluten-free is missing out ingredientes of a healthy, well-balanced diet by assuming that essentially all gluten-free products are healthy. This will be explained in the next section.

Gluten Free Diet for Weight Loss

Does a gluten-free diet promote weight loss? A gluten free diet can be a very good option for weight loss, especially if it is a well-balanced diet containing the right amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fats and an increased intake of vegetables and fruits.

If your objective is to lose weight with a gluten-free diet, you need to beware of labels, remember that gluten-free products do not automatically mean healthy products. An unhealthy product containing gluten can be reproduced without using gluten but it will still remain unhealthy.

I hope that after reading this article you have a more clear understanding about which are the main benefits a person can obtain on a gluten-free diet! If you need some gluten-free inspirational ideas, make sure to check out my favorite gluten-free recipes!