Celiac disease is a condition akin to an allergy, of which there is an increasingly growing awareness. And with the awareness of celiac disease is an increasing number of people who are gluten intolerant. A gluten free diet is naturally the healthiest choice for a person with celiac. But even for those who are not gluten intolerant, eating gluten free has the benefit of a healthy diet and the ability to maintain a healthy body weight.
A Balanced Gluten Free Diet
As wheat is a staple grain in several countries, especially in Europe and North America, most breads, pastries and snack foods contain gluten, and rarely is a diet without gluten. This can make it difficult to eliminate or even cut down on gluten in the diet, but it is not impossible. Eliminating gluten in the diet allows for a naturally healthy diet and a healthy body weight.
A well-rounded gluten free diet tends to be healthier for four main reasons: many store-bought gluten free foods are made organically from the most natural products; gluten free food contains healthier grains than traditional food; the need to eat gluten free encourages more home baking; and eating gluten free avoids most fast food, which is a threat to a healthy body weight.
Gluten Free Breads and Pastries
A look at the ingredients lists of several store-bought gluten free goods will inform gluten free shoppers as to the nutritional value of the food in comparison to traditional food. Store-bought gluten free foods, especially gluten free cereal, tend to have more fibre, less refined sugar and less saturated and trans fats than traditional food.
Wheat especially is not necessarily a healthy grain, as the gluten in it is never fully digested. Wheat flour is best for baked goods, as it gives breads and pastries a palatable texture. It is the gluten itself that helps bread be fluffy and moist. And because bread is a staple food in a common diet, it is consumed far too much in comparison to more nutritious food like fruits and vegetables. Cutting gluten out of the diet helps maintain a good balance between food groups, and this balance maintains a healthy body weight.
The Gluten Free Path: A Healthy Diet
A gluten free diet encourages more home baking. As there is a growing awareness of celiac disease, gluten free food can be more commonly found, even in regular grocery stores. However, gluten free baking may prove to be the best way to have gluten free pastries. There are great gluten free cookbooks that include natural and healthy ingredients to make tasty gluten free recipes. The Complete Gluten Free Cookbook by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt and You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten Free! by Roben Ryberg are two excellent examples.
Moreover, a gluten free diet, by default, avoids most fast food. Fast food is not the healthiest choice for anyone, as it has the tendency to be processed, greasy, fatty and for the most part contains plenty of gluten. Avoiding gluten avoids fast food, and avoiding fast food will help one lose weight.
Gluten intolerance does not have to cause suffering. Instead, eating gluten free, whether it be because of celiac disease or not, can be an adventure in healthy eating, healthy living, and enjoying a healthy body weight.
Sources:
Celiac.com, "Food Cravings, Obesity and Gluten Consumption" (accessed June 10, 2010).
Roben Ryberg. You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free! Da Capo Press. 2008
Michelle Wright - Michelle is an avid reader and writer, with a focus on book, film and music reviews, gluten free recipes, and fiction writing "how-tos."
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