How can a gluten-free diet help manage celiac disease. What foods should be avoided on a celiac disease diet plan. Which gluten-free alternatives can replace common wheat-based products. How to read food labels effectively when following a celiac disease diet. What are the potential complications of untreated celiac disease. How to maintain a balanced diet while eliminating gluten. What strategies can help in transitioning to a gluten-free lifestyle.

Understanding Celiac Disease and Its Impact on Nutrition

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system, specifically the small intestine. When individuals with celiac disease consume gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, their immune system responds by damaging the villi in the small intestine. These tiny, finger-like projections are crucial for nutrient absorption.

How does celiac disease affect nutrient absorption? The damage to the villi impairs the body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients from food, potentially leading to malnutrition despite adequate food intake. This malabsorption can result in various health complications, including anemia, seizures, joint pain, osteoporosis, and even an increased risk of certain cancers.

The Gluten-Free Diet: A Lifelong Commitment for Celiac Patients

For individuals diagnosed with celiac disease, adopting a strict gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment. This dietary change is not a temporary measure but a lifelong commitment. Even minute amounts of gluten can trigger an immune response and cause intestinal damage.

What does a gluten-free diet entail? It involves eliminating all sources of gluten from one’s diet, including most grains, pasta, cereals, and many processed foods. This dietary shift requires a new approach to meal planning and food selection, with a focus on naturally gluten-free foods and specially prepared gluten-free products.

Common Sources of Gluten to Avoid

• Wheat and its derivatives (including durum, semolina, and spelt)
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Most types of bread, pasta, and baked goods
• Many processed foods and condiments

Navigating the Grocery Store: Tips for Gluten-Free Shopping

Successfully following a gluten-free diet requires becoming an expert at reading food labels. Many products that seem gluten-free may contain hidden sources of gluten or be contaminated during processing.

How can you ensure the products you buy are truly gluten-free? Look for products specifically labeled as “gluten-free.” Be aware that even some naturally gluten-free grains, like oats, may be contaminated with gluten during processing unless certified gluten-free. Always check ingredient lists for any wheat, barley, or rye derivatives.

Hidden Sources of Gluten to Watch Out For

• Malt (including malted barley flour, malt extract, and malt flavoring)
• Modified food starch (unless specified as gluten-free)
• Some soy sauces and teriyaki sauces
• Certain seasonings and spice blends
• Some medications and supplements

Gluten-Free Alternatives: Expanding Your Culinary Horizons

While eliminating gluten may seem restrictive, there are numerous gluten-free alternatives available that can help maintain a varied and nutritious diet. Many of these options are naturally gluten-free, while others are specially formulated to replace traditional wheat-based products.

Which grains and flours are safe for celiac patients? Safe options include rice, corn, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, and sorghum. Flours made from these grains, as well as nut flours and bean flours, can be used in cooking and baking to create gluten-free versions of favorite dishes.

Popular Gluten-Free Substitutes

1. Rice pasta or quinoa pasta instead of wheat pasta
2. Almond flour or coconut flour for baking
3. Tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce
4. Lettuce wraps or corn tortillas instead of wheat bread
5. Zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash as pasta alternatives

Maintaining Nutritional Balance on a Gluten-Free Diet

While a gluten-free diet is essential for managing celiac disease, it’s crucial to ensure that eliminating gluten doesn’t lead to nutritional deficiencies. Many gluten-containing foods are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, so it’s important to find alternative sources of these nutrients.

How can celiac patients ensure they’re getting adequate nutrition? Focus on consuming a variety of whole, unprocessed foods. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and gluten-free grains in your diet. Consider working with a registered dietitian who specializes in celiac disease to develop a balanced meal plan.

Key Nutrients to Monitor on a Gluten-Free Diet

• Iron (found in lean meats, leafy greens, and fortified gluten-free cereals)
• B vitamins, especially B12 and folate (found in eggs, lean meats, and leafy greens)
• Calcium (found in dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified non-dairy milks)
• Fiber (found in fruits, vegetables, and gluten-free whole grains)
• Vitamin D (found in fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods)

Dining Out Safely with Celiac Disease

Eating out can be challenging for individuals with celiac disease, but with proper precautions, it’s possible to enjoy meals at restaurants while maintaining a gluten-free diet. Many restaurants now offer gluten-free options or even entire gluten-free menus.

What steps can you take to ensure a safe dining experience? Always inform your server about your gluten intolerance and ask about gluten-free options. Inquire about food preparation methods to avoid cross-contamination. When in doubt, choose simple dishes made with whole, unprocessed ingredients.

Strategies for Safe Restaurant Dining

1. Research restaurants in advance and look for those with gluten-free menus
2. Call ahead to discuss your dietary needs with the restaurant staff
3. Ask about dedicated gluten-free preparation areas
4. Be cautious of sauces, dressings, and marinades that may contain gluten
5. Consider bringing your own gluten-free condiments or salad dressings

Cross-Contamination: A Hidden Danger for Celiac Patients

For individuals with celiac disease, avoiding obvious sources of gluten is not enough. Cross-contamination, where gluten-free foods come into contact with gluten-containing items, can pose a significant risk. Even tiny amounts of gluten from cross-contamination can trigger symptoms and intestinal damage.

How can you minimize the risk of cross-contamination at home? Designate separate cooking utensils, cutting boards, and toasters for gluten-free use. Store gluten-free products on upper shelves to prevent crumbs from gluten-containing foods falling onto them. Clean all surfaces thoroughly before preparing gluten-free meals.

Common Sources of Cross-Contamination

• Shared toasters and bread machines
• Colanders used for both gluten-free and regular pasta
• Deep fryers used for both breaded and non-breaded items
• Shared butter dishes or jam jars where breadcrumbs may be present
• Bulk bins in grocery stores

Beyond Food: Gluten in Medications and Personal Care Products

Gluten can be found in unexpected places beyond food items. Some medications, vitamins, and even personal care products may contain gluten or gluten-derived ingredients. For individuals with celiac disease, it’s important to be vigilant about these potential sources of gluten exposure.

Are medications and supplements always gluten-free? Not necessarily. Some medications use gluten as a binding agent or filler. Always check with your pharmacist or the manufacturer about the gluten content of your medications. For over-the-counter drugs and supplements, look for those labeled as gluten-free.

Non-Food Items That May Contain Gluten

• Prescription and over-the-counter medications
• Vitamin and mineral supplements
• Lip balms and lipsticks
• Toothpaste and mouthwash
• Play-doh (relevant for children with celiac disease)

By being aware of these potential sources of gluten and taking appropriate precautions, individuals with celiac disease can effectively manage their condition and maintain optimal health. Remember, a gluten-free lifestyle requires ongoing vigilance and education, but with proper planning and support, it’s possible to enjoy a diverse, nutritious diet while avoiding gluten exposure.

Dietary Changes for Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is a disorder that damages your small intestine and keeps it from absorbing the nutrients in food. The damage to your intestinal tract is caused by your immune system’s reaction to gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Some oats contain gluten. 

When you have celiac disease, gluten causes your immune system to damage or destroy villi. Villi are the tiny, fingerlike tubules that line your small intestine. The villi’s job is to get food nutrients to the blood through the walls of your small intestine. If villi are destroyed, you may become malnourished, no matter how much you eat. This is because you aren’t able to absorb nutrients. Complications of the disorder include anemia, seizures, joint pain, thinning bones, and cancer.

Lifestyle changes to cope with celiac disease

A gluten-free diet is the only treatment if you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease. You’ll have to avoid gluten for the rest of your life. Even the slightest amount will trigger an immune system reaction that can damage your small intestine. Eating a gluten-free diet requires a new approach to food. A gluten-free diet generally means not eating most grains, pasta, cereals, and processed foods. The reason is that they usually contain wheat, rye, and barley. You’ll need to become an expert at reading ingredient lists on packages. Choose foods that don’t contain gluten. You can still eat a well-balanced diet with many different foods, including meat, fish, rice, fruits, and vegetables, along with prepared foods that are marked gluten-free. 

Gluten-free bread, pasta, and other products have long been available at organic food stores and other specialty food shops. Today, you can find gluten-free products in just about every grocery store. Gluten-free dishes are on menus at all kinds of restaurants.

Tips for following a gluten-free diet

Here are steps to take when getting gluten out of your diet.

Rethink your grains:

• Avoid all products with barley, rye, triticale (a cross between wheat and rye), farina, graham flour, semolina, and any other kind of flour, including self-rising and durum, not labeled gluten-free.

• Be careful of corn and rice products. These don’t contain gluten, but they can sometimes be contaminated with wheat gluten if they’re produced in factories that also manufacture wheat products. Look for such a warning on the package label.

• Go with oats. Recent studies suggest you can eat oats as long as they are not contaminated with wheat gluten during processing. You should check with your healthcare provider first.

• Substitute potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, or bean flour for wheat flour. You can also use sorghum, chickpea or Bengal gram, arrowroot, and corn flour, as well as tapioca starch extract. These act as thickeners and leavening agents.

 Become a label expert:

• Know terms for hidden gluten. Avoid einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamut, wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, and hydrolyzed wheat protein. Stay away from emulsifiers, dextrin, mono- and di-glycerides, seasonings, and caramel colors because they can contain gluten.

• Check the labels of all foods. Gluten can be found in food items you’d never suspect. Here are some likely to contain gluten:

  • Beer, ale, and lagers

  • Bouillon cubes

  • Brown rice syrup

  • Candy

  • Chips, potato chips

  • Cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, and sausage

  • Communion wafers

  • French fries

  • Gravy

  • Imitation fish

  • Matzo

  • Rice mixes

  • Sauces

  • Seasoned tortilla chips

  • Self-basting turkey

  • Soups

  • Soy sauce

  • Vegetables in sauce

More strategies for a gluten-free lifestyle

Here are ideas to better make the transition to a gluten-free diet:

• Separate all kitchen items used for preparing gluten and gluten-free foods. These include cooking utensils, cutting boards, forks, knives, and spoons.

• When eating out, if you’re not sure about the ingredients in a particular dish, ask the chef how the food was prepared. You can also ask whether a gluten-free menu is available. Most restau­rants have a website where you can review the menu in advance. 

• Ask your pharmacist if any of your medicines contain wheat or a wheat byproduct. Gluten is used as an additive in many products from medicines to lipstick. Manufacturers can provide a list of ingredients on request if they are not named on the product. Many herbals, vitamins, supplements, and probiotics contain gluten. 

• Watch your portion sizes. Gluten-free foods may be safe and good for you, but they’re not calorie-free.

If you still feel symptoms on your gluten-free diet, double check that you’re not still consuming small amounts of gluten hidden in sauces, salad dressings, and canned soups or through additives, such as modified food starch, preservatives, and stabilizers made with wheat. Even some medicines can contain gluten. Tablets and capsules can be sources of gluten contamination. The risk of your medicines containing gluten is very small but, if you are concerned, you should discuss this with your healthcare provider. 

As you and your family become experts in reading food and product labels, you’ll be able to find hidden sources of gluten before they can cause a problem. You might also get more ideas from joining a support group, in person or online, that can help you adjust to your new way of life. These are great forums for learning a wealth of delicious recipes for everything from gluten-free cookies and banana bread to biscuits, trail mix, and grits.

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Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that causes severe damage to the lining of the small intestine. Gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye — triggers its symptoms.

There’s currently no cure for celiac disease. A strict gluten-free diet — also known as the celiac disease diet — must be followed to allow your body to heal.

If you have celiac disease and consume even small amounts of gluten, damage to your intestines will continue, regardless of the absence of symptoms (1).

For those with celiac disease, avoiding gluten is essential but can be harder than it seems.

This article reviews the benefits of the celiac disease diet and provides lists of foods to eat and avoid, as well as a sample menu and helpful tips.

Anyone diagnosed with celiac disease must follow the celiac disease diet.

It requires avoiding gluten, a naturally occurring protein found in several grains, including wheat, barley, and rye (2).

When someone with celiac disease eats gluten, it causes an autoimmune response in their body that damages the lining of the small intestine.

As a result, the small intestine cannot properly absorb nutrients from food, creating symptoms like diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, and malnutrition (3).

The only way to prevent this damage is to strictly follow the gluten-free celiac disease diet.

Summary

The celiac disease diet avoids gluten-containing foods to prevent autoimmune intestinal damage in people with celiac disease.

The celiac disease diet is required for anyone diagnosed with celiac disease and has many benefits.

Reduces the Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Many people with celiac disease experience uncomfortable symptoms, such as diarrhea, indigestion, abdominal pain, fatigue, and headaches (4).

Following a gluten-free diet for at least one year has been shown to improve these symptoms in more than 90% of people with celiac disease, significantly improving quality of life (5, 6, 7).

Intestinal symptoms like diarrhea tend to be the quickest to resolve — with some people experiencing relief after just two days on a gluten-free diet.

Overall, it takes an average of one month to see significant improvements in bowel movements, bloating, and abdominal pain (8).

Prevents Small Intestinal Damage

For people with celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an autoimmune response that damages the small intestine, where nutrients are absorbed.

Avoiding gluten prevents this autoimmune process, and the small intestine can heal and return to normal function.

This process takes time — so the earlier a gluten-free diet is started, the better.

In one study, up to 95% of children with celiac disease who followed a gluten-free diet for two years no longer showed signs of intestinal damage (9).

Recovery tends to be slower in adults — with 34–65% achieving gut healing in two years.

However, this number jumps to at least 66% — and up to 90% — after five or more years on a gluten-free diet (9, 10).

Being vigilant about avoiding gluten is crucial. Exposure to even tiny amounts can hinder the healing of your intestines (11).

Improves Nutrient Absorption

Nutrient deficiencies are prevalent in people with celiac disease due to poor absorption in the damaged small intestine.

Deficiencies in iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B12, niacin, riboflavin, and folate, as well as vitamins A, D, E, and K, are the most common (12, 13).

In fact, unexplained iron deficiency anemia is one of the most recognized signs of celiac disease in adults (14).

Yet, supplementing will not always correct deficiencies in people with celiac disease if their intestines are still damaged and unable to absorb nutrients (15).

Following a gluten-free diet has been shown to repair the intestines enough to correct iron deficiency anemia within six to twelve months, even without taking a supplement (16).

Improves Fertility

Women with celiac disease have higher rates of infertility and may be at a greater risk of miscarriage than women without this condition (17, 18).

Research suggests that the autoimmune response that gluten triggers in people with celiac disease may be to blame (19).

However, following a strict gluten-free diet has been found to improve fertility and reduce miscarriage rates (19, 20).

May Reduce Cancer Risk

Celiac disease is associated with a three-times greater risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma — an aggressive form of cancer that occurs in the lymph system (21).

Several studies have found that diagnosing celiac disease early and following a gluten-free diet can reduce this risk — but more research is needed (22, 23, 24).

Lowers the Risk of Osteoporosis

Up to 75% of people with untreated celiac disease have lower bone density and a higher risk of osteoporosis (25).

This may be due to poor calcium and vitamin D absorption, as well as increased inflammation that interferes with the bone-building process (26).

Research shows that diagnosing celiac disease early and starting a gluten-free diet can help stop bone loss and reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis (26, 27).

Summary

Following a gluten-free diet has many benefits for people with celiac disease, including reducing symptoms, allowing the small intestine to heal and properly absorb nutrients, and decreasing the risk of infertility, cancer, and osteoporosis.

There are many naturally gluten-free foods to enjoy on the celiac disease diet, including (13):

• Animal proteins: Beef, chicken, dairy products, eggs, game meat, lamb, pork, seafood, and turkey.
• Fats and oils: Avocado, coconut oil, olives, oils, solid fats, and butter.
• Fruits and vegetables: In any form, including fresh, frozen, dried, or canned.
• Gluten-free cereals and pseudocereals: Amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, teff, and wild rice.
• Herbs and spices: All fresh and dried herbs and spices are naturally gluten-free and can be enjoyed liberally.
• Legumes: Beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, and soy.
• Nuts and seeds: Any type, including almonds, cashews, chia, flax, pecans, pepitas, pine nuts, and walnuts.

There’s also a wide variety of specialty products, including gluten-free bread, cereals, flours, crackers, pastas, and baked goods.

Summary

All animal proteins, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, and spices are naturally gluten-free. There are many naturally gluten-free grains and specialty products, too.

The only foods that should be avoided on the celiac disease diet are those that contain gluten.

Foods that naturally contain gluten include the following grains (13):

• Wheat
• Dinkel
• Durum
• Einkorn
• Emmer
• Farina
• Farro
• Graham
• Khorasan (KAMUT®)
• Semolina
• Spelt
• Wheat berries
• Wheat germ
• Wheat bran
• Barley
• Rye
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)

Products made with these ingredients include:

• Breakfast and baked goods: Bagels, biscuits, bread, cornbread, crepes, croissants, donuts, flatbread, flour tortillas, French toast, muffins, naan bread, pancakes, pita bread, potato bread, rolls, and waffles.
• Desserts: Brownies, cake, cookies, pastries, pie crust, and some candy.
• Pasta: Chow mein, couscous, dumplings, egg noodles, gnocchi, ramen noodles, ravioli, soba noodles, udon noodles, and wheat pasta.
• Snacks: Crackers, graham crackers, and pretzels.
• Some beverages: Beer and other malted beverages.
• Other: Breadcrumbs, croutons, wheat flour, barley flour, rye flour, gravy, malt flavoring/extract, panko, sauces thickened with flour, soy sauce, stuffing, and anything with a flour coating, such as chicken tenders or tempura.

Foods that are often cross-contaminated by gluten include:

• Commercially fried foods: Many restaurants fry all of their foods in the same fryer, which can contaminate gluten-free items like French fries.
• Improperly handled gluten-free items at restaurants: Gluten-free items should be prepared with designated gluten-free equipment and a clean pair of gloves.
• Oats: Oats are often processed on the same equipment as gluten-containing grains and may be contaminated unless specifically labeled gluten-free.

Foods that frequently contain hidden gluten include:

• Brown rice syrup: Brown rice is naturally gluten-free, but the syrup is often made with barley malt, which contains gluten. Look for gluten-free varieties.
• Chips: Can be dusted with flour or contain malt vinegar, so check ingredients.
• Ice creams and frozen yogurts: Watch for cookie, cake, or brownie mix-ins.
• Lunch meats: Some brands add starches that contain gluten.
• Marinades and salad dressings: May contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, or flour.
• Meat substitutes: Seitan, veggie burgers, veggie sausages, imitation bacon, and imitation seafood can contain gluten.
• Meats: Some commercially prepared meat mixtures contain gluten or are marinated with gluten-containing ingredients.
• Seasoning packets: May contain gluten-containing starch or flour.
• Soup: Watch for flour thickeners (often used in creamy soups) or barley.
• Stock, broth, and bouillon: Some varieties contain flour.

Summary

Wheat, barley, and rye should be avoided on the celiac disease diet, as well as anything made with these grains or cross-contaminated with gluten.

Monday

• Breakfast: Hard-boiled eggs with fresh fruit and almonds.
• Lunch: Lettuce wrap with gluten-free deli meat, potato chips, and guacamole.
• Dinner: Shrimp and vegetable stir-fry with tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) over rice.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Plain Greek yogurt with sliced fruit, nuts, and honey.
• Lunch: Leftover stir-fry.
• Dinner: Chicken tacos with sautéed peppers and onions served in corn tortillas with refried beans and salsa.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Gluten-free toast with avocado and a fried egg.
• Lunch: Tuna stuffed avocados with a side of sugar snap peas and trail mix.
• Dinner: Baked chicken with lentil pasta, marinara sauce, and roasted vegetables.

Thursday

• Breakfast: Fruit smoothie made with plain Greek yogurt.
• Lunch: Leftover chicken and lentil pasta.
• Dinner: Dinner bowl made with quinoa, sauteed kale, avocado, and sweet potatoes with herbed tofu dressing.

Friday

• Breakfast: Overnight oats made with gluten-free oats, milk of choice, nuts, coconut, and blueberries.
• Lunch: Spinach salad with quinoa, chickpeas, vegetables, and olive oil dressing.
• Dinner: Pizza made with gluten-free crust.

Saturday

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs with breakfast potatoes and berries.
• Lunch: Leftover pizza and a side salad.
• Dinner: Baked salmon with steamed vegetables and brown rice.

Sunday

• Breakfast: Omelet with mushrooms, peppers, and onions, along with a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Vegetarian chili topped with cheddar cheese, green onion, and avocado.
• Dinner: Roast beef with potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Summary

Meals do not have to change too much on a gluten-free diet. There are many gluten-free substitutes for items like bread, pasta, and soy sauce.

Following a gluten-free diet is relatively simple, but there are a few common pitfalls to avoid.

Nutrient Deficiencies

In the US, products made with refined flour like bread, crackers, and pasta are required to be fortified with the B vitamins niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, and folic acid (28).

However, gluten-free versions of these foods are not required to be fortified. This may increase your risk of nutrient deficiencies if you eat a lot of these products (29, 30).

Additionally, whole-grain wheat, barley, and rye are good sources of fiber, so it’s important to consume other fiber-rich foods, like oats, beans, and legumes when you have to avoid gluten (31).

Expenses

Gluten-free products like bread, baked goods, crackers, and pasta can cost more than double the price of traditional wheat-based items (32).

However, these specialty items aren’t required on the celiac disease diet. You can easily meet your nutrient needs by eating less expensive, naturally gluten-free foods.

If you lack inspiration for what to cook on the celiac disease diet, browse the web for gluten-free recipes or look for a gluten-free cookbook online or at your local library or bookstore.

Less Flexibility

While gluten-free items are becoming more widely available in stores and restaurants, the celiac disease diet can sometimes feel limiting and isolating (33).

This is especially true in social situations that involve food, such as weddings, parties, or dining out with friends (34, 35).

However, following a gluten-free diet gets easier with time and experience. Research shows that most people are accustomed to the diet after five years (36).

Some tips to make eating out a better experience include reading menus online beforehand, calling restaurants to verify gluten-free options, or bringing at least one gluten-free item to a party.

Staying positive and focusing on the foods you can eat, rather than those you can’t, helps make the celiac disease diet more enjoyable.

Summary

Potential pitfalls of the celiac disease diet include nutrient deficiencies, higher costs, and less flexibility when dining out. Eating a balanced diet of naturally gluten-free foods and planning ahead can help you avoid these drawbacks.

The celiac disease diet is a gluten-free diet that reduces symptoms of the condition, allows your gut to heal, improves nutrient absorption, and decreases your risk of infertility, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Avoid wheat, barley, rye, and anything made with these grains, and focus on naturally gluten-free foods and grains.

While the celiac disease diet can seem expensive and limiting at first, planning ahead and learning to enjoy new foods can make the transition easier.

menu for a week, list of allowed and prohibited foods, results, reviews of nutritionists

The name of the gluten-free diet speaks for itself. All foods in the diet are free of gluten, a plant-based protein found in the gluten of wheat, barley, rye, and their products. Most often, such a diet is prescribed by a doctor for celiac disease – an autoimmune disease, expressed in gluten intolerance, as well as for gluten allergy ¹ .

Lately, the gluten-free diet has been increasingly promoted as a healthy lifestyle. Fans of such a diet talk about improving digestive functions, increasing mental and physical activity, and strengthening immunity. In addition, a gluten-free diet, like all other types of diets, helps to lose weight. The other side of the coin is the loss of many useful nutrients for the body.

Benefits of a gluten-free diet

Unfortunately, the proven benefits of a gluten-free diet are only health benefits for celiac disease and gluten allergy. This is a purely medical diet, and switching to it without a doctor’s prescription will do more harm than good. Many of its adherents claim that the rejection of gluten:

• helps to get rid of heartburn, disturbances in the digestive tract;
• improves immunity;
• causes a surge of strength and energy;
• helps to lose weight.

However, these problems can also be solved with a less radical method recommended by the doctor.

Cons of a gluten-free diet

Avoiding gluten deprives us of a large number of vitamins, amino acids and minerals essential for the body. In addition, gluten is the main source of low-fat and protein-rich fiber. Therefore, this diet has much more minuses than pluses:

• deprives the body of an important source of B and D vitamins, zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium and folic acid;
• reduces the amount of fiber necessary for the digestive tract;
• due to an excess of fatty foods in the diet, it can lead to an increase in cholesterol levels, disorders in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and the development of diabetes;
• Gluten-free foods tend to be higher in calories;
• requires careful monitoring of nutrition for vitamins and trace elements;
• gluten-free products are significantly more expensive.

What you can eat on a gluten-free diet

Even if you completely cut out gluten-containing products, you can easily diversify your menu, but you will need to change your eating style. The list of “permitted” products is quite large:

• all types of vegetables and fruits, berries without restrictions and drinks from them;
• any meat, poultry and fish;
• legumes, buckwheat, wild and brown rice, millet, amaranth;
• seeds and nuts;
• soya and products thereof;
• eggs;
• almond, coconut and buckwheat flour;
• vegetable oils;
• cocoa and natural teas;
• low fat dairy products.

What not to eat on a gluten-free diet

With this type of diet, all products from wheat, barley, and rye should be excluded from the diet ² . The list of such products is also quite impressive:

• flour, starch, potato chips and cereals;
• bakery and confectionery products, crackers;
• all kinds of pasta;
• cereals and sweets;
• sausages;
• canned and prepared foods;
• sauces, gravies and salad dressings;
• seasonings with additives and impurities;
• fast food;
• seafood imitations;
• beer and malt-based drinks;
• Celiac disease should not consume oats and products based on it.

Weekly menu for gluten-free diet

With a gluten-free diet, there are no restrictions on the number of meals and their volume. It is recommended to eat at least 4 times a day, and do the last meal 3-4 hours before bedtime. Do not forget to drink clean water – up to 2 liters per day. The main thing is not to overeat and, if possible, avoid traditional snacks.

Below is a sample weekly menu that you can use as a basis and modify as needed. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be complemented with your favorite drinks. If desired, lunch can be divided into two meals. As additional meals and desserts, you can use vegetables, nuts, fruits and berries.

Day 1

Breakfast: rice porridge with milk.
Lunch: mushroom soup, roast meat with potatoes, vegetable salad.
Dinner: syrniki.

Day 2

Breakfast: cottage cheese casserole with berries.
Lunch: borscht, fried fish with rice and vegetables.
Dinner: Seafood salad with vegetables and eggs.

Day 3

Breakfast: corn porridge.
Lunch: meatball soup with broccoli and cauliflower, Greek salad.
Dinner: fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes.

Day 4

Breakfast: pancakes with jam.
Lunch: fish soup, baked vegetable salad with beans and chicken.
Dinner: cottage cheese with fruit.

Day 5

Breakfast: bacon and eggs.
Lunch: Rabbit stew with mushrooms and vegetables.
Dinner: fruit salad.

Day 6

Breakfast: buckwheat porridge with milk.
Lunch: cheese soup, beef stew with rice.
Dinner: fried liver with vegetable salad.

Day 7

Breakfast: Omelet with mushrooms, vegetables and cheese.
Lunch: chicken broth with rice noodles, braised pork with vegetables.
Dinner: salmon steak with mixed salad.

Results

If you’re on this diet to lose weight, you’ll have to limit your portion sizes. Gluten-free meals tend to be higher in calories and higher in fat, so weight loss is a moot point.

Avoiding gluten in healthy people does not improve athletic performance or improve health. A gluten-free diet is a system of therapeutic nutrition prescribed by a doctor based on laboratory tests.

Reviews of nutritionists

According to nutritionist, gastroenterologist, therapist, nutritionist Svetlan a Nezvanov a , the attitude towards a gluten-free diet causes a lot of controversy among nutritionists ov. The diet, of course, implies the rejection of many “harmful” foods, but also depletes the diet of foods containing fiber, vitamins and trace elements.

According to nutritionists, there are many other diets aimed at improving the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, preventing various diseases and promoting a healthy lifestyle, and the benefits of a gluten-free diet for healthy people are a controversial issue.

Popular Questions and Answers

We asked our expert, dietitian, gastroenterologist, therapist, nutritionist Svetlana Nezvanova, to answer the most popular questions about the gluten-free diet.

How many times a day should I eat on a gluten-free diet?

— Meals should be fractional, at least 3-4 times a day in small portions. No need to eat at night, the last meal should be 3-4 hours before bedtime.

What foods should I look out for on a gluten-free diet?

– Since this diet is gluten-free, you need to eat more foods rich in fiber, vitamins and trace elements. Eat more vegetables, fruits and greens. Make sure you have enough vitamins in your diet.

Can a gluten-free diet harm a healthy person?

– If you resort to this diet for a short time, there will be no harm to health. Products with gluten do not contain a critical amount of fiber, vitamins and trace elements. The main thing is to keep your diet balanced.

Sources:

1. Celiac disease: a modern view of the problem. V.V. Chikunov, N.A. Ilyenkov. Journal “Bulletin of the Clinical Hospital”, No. 51, 2018.
   https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/tseliakiya-sovremennyy-vzglyad-na-problemu/viewer
2. Diet for celiac disease. I.K. Nurtazina. Journal “Bulletin of Surgery of Kazakhstan”, 2017.
   https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/dieta-pri-tseliakii/viewer

Gluten-free diet: meal plan for losing weight

Read online 7days.ru

Gluten-free diet is used for celiac disease and autism. As part of
This diet a person refuses all products with gluten components. Maybe
it seems that he is depriving himself of some important substances, but in fact he is not.
People eat as usual, and the menu can be completely varied. lose weight on
this diet can be about three kilograms per week.

What can you substitute for bread on a gluten-free diet? For bread made from flour
brown rice, buckwheat and corn flour.

Fruit. Vegetables. Butter and vegetable oil. Corn (organic). Eggs. Natural fish, dairy and meat products. Buckwheat (organic). Rice. Wild rice. Potato. Maize (aka corn, mentioned above). Spices and spices (in pure form). Vanilla and pure vanilla extract. Millet. Arrowroot. Legumes (chickpeas, beans, beans, peas, soybeans, lentils). Nuts. Amaranth. Turkish peas. Tapioca. Quinoa (quinoa). Yucca. Sweet potato. Cassava. Teff. Compote, juice, tea, natural coffee. Honey.

Breakfast: gluten-free pancakes with sour cream/honey/jam

Lunch: mushroom soup with buckwheat, boiled rice with chicken cutlet, salad
chinese cabbage, dark yeast-free bread

Dinner: batter-fried telapia, mashed potatoes, beetroot salad with
garlic (with homemade mayonnaise)

Breakfast: two-egg sweet omelette, melted cheese bread

Lunch: turkey soup with gluten-free pasta, baked potatoes,
vegetable salad

Dinner: cornmeal patties stuffed with potatoes and eggs with
with sour cream

Breakfast: milk rice porridge made from rice semolina, crispbread
corn with chocolate and peanut butter

Lunch: lean borscht with beans, buckwheat porridge with mushrooms

Dinner: Vegetable casserole with rice, Valio yogurt cake

Breakfast: gluten-free pancakes with milk

Lunch: Kharcho soup, baked fish with vegetables, boiled rice, bread
corn tortilla

Dinner: navy pasta, cocoa, lemon shortbread

Breakfast: gluten-free cereal with milk

Lunch: chicken soup with dumplings, dark gluten-free bread, potatoes with
butter, chop, salad

Dinner: julienne with chicken and mushrooms

Breakfast: carrot-apple salad with crispbread or gluten-free bread

Lunch: borscht, mashed potatoes with chop, fresh vegetable salad

Dinner: Lasagna with gluten and lactose free meat

Breakfast: Pancakes with butter/sour cream/melted cheese

Lunch: Turkey soup with pasta, mung bean rice and vegetables
carrots

Dinner: potato casserole with cheese and mushrooms

“No effect on my weight
the fact that I also eliminated gluten.