6 Surprising Benefits of a Gluten-Free Diet

BY AMANDA BENTLEY

Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, rye, and barley and we consume it when we eat cereals, bread or grains. This protein gives bread its elasticity, accounting for its chewy texture.

It’s no fresh news that gluten is bad for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but little do most people know that a gluten-free diet can do wonders to our body and eliminate so many unexplained problems that we are going through.

Many people who avoid gluten-containing foods do it simply because they are aware of its remarkable benefits and have felt significant positive changes in themselves.

Better Digestion

There is a medical reason behind a gluten-free diet for people with celiac disease. People with celiac disease experience aggressive reactions when they consume even a tiny amount of gluten and their immune systems react by damaging the inner lining of the small intestine.

Research reveals that up to 6-percent of Americans have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. They may show symptoms of bloating, diarrhea or constipation after eating gluten-containing foods.

Celiac disease also leads to malabsorption which means your body will contain lower levels of essential nutrients. These symptoms vanish once gluten is cut from their diet.

Mental clarity

Gluten can cause brain fog. You may feel unfocused, dull and exhausted and can’t seem to concentrate on your work. You may find yourself reading a paragraph again and again because your mind can’t process it at once.

Going gluten-free will provide you with mental clarity leading to more productivity and better mental health. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, malabsorption may hinder mental development in children and cause deficiencies.

The brain requires a lot of vitamins, minerals, protein, starches, and healthy fats for optimal function. Eating gluten for people suffering from celiac disease can activate the immune system with symptoms appearing throughout the body.

Improves cholesterol levels

Gluten elevates blood cholesterol levels but not many physicians pay attention to this fact. Instead, they may prescribe you statins for high cholesterol. Statins have numerous side effects and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Research reveals improvement in LDL cholesterol levels after implementing a gluten-free diet. If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, try going on a gluten-free diet and prepare to get amazed at the results.

Improves Arthritis

Celiac disease is autoimmune and people with this disease are more likely to have other autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. A non-drug way to manage arthritis is by eliminating gluten from your diet. It can alleviate joint pain caused by gluten sensitivity.

Some foods are pro-inflammatory and gluten foods are among them so when you eliminate these foods from your diet, arthritis may drastically improve.

Autism

A GFCF(Gluten-free and Casein-free) diet is used as an alternative treatment for children with autism. When following this restrictive diet, all foods containing gluten and casein are eliminated from the child’s food.

Many parents of autistic children prefer this treatment option because the benefits they observe are remarkable including changes in speech and behavior.

Choosing healthier alternatives

Once you’ve decided to go gluten-free, you suddenly take more control over your diet and instead of unheedingly tossing anything into your grocery cart, you actually start to ponder on what is good for you. This kind of control is both uplifting and healthy.

While some people make little changes to eating other foods instead of gluten ones, others use it as an opportunity to reassess their whole diet.

Eliminating gluten completely means you can now introduce healthier foods into your diet. Instead of your usual breakfast of cereal, opting for a healthier gluten-free alternative such as fruit, chia pudding, eggs with high protein gluten-free toast.

For snacks, have nuts, and fresh fruit instead of cookies, all of which will have a positive effect on your body and may even help you lose weight.

Amanda Bentley has 5 years experience in the food and beverage industry and currently works as a Content writer at Qavashop. Qavashop.com is an online store for all the “coffee aficionados” located in the GCC. Apart from providing its customers with quality coffee machines and consumables, it also provides them with skilled, knowledgeable advice on how to make their own restaurant quality espresso at home

For simple yet wholesomely delicious gluten-free recipes click here ->

This article is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical advice