Specialists summarize the statistics with horror: 18% of women in our country are overweight, and obesity is more and more common among children and adolescents. Ignoring this problem will lead to irreparable consequences, since excess weight is the main cause of many serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, varicose veins and pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
The problem of obesity must be solved. Specialists have developed special methods based on proper nutrition, exclusion of certain foods, physical activity and medication. Some of them provide stable weight loss without harm to health, while others, on the contrary, can cause exacerbation of chronic diseases, new health problems and pathologies.
A relatively new approach to weight loss is the gluten- and dairy-free diet. What is? How safe is it for the body? How does it affect him? Let's take a closer look in this article.
What is gluten?
Gluten or gluten (from Latin Gluten - glue) is a special protein contained in seeds and cereals. Especially a lot of it in wheat, rye, barley.
Gluten in its pure form is a dry white powder without taste, color or smell. But when water is added, it turns into a sticky jelly-like mass. Thanks to it, the dough rises during baking, becomes elastic. The more gluten in the composition of the flour, the better, the baking will be more magnificent.
Gluten is found in many foods. Let's take a closer look at the main gluten-containing foods:
| Contains gluten | They have "hidden" gluten |
|---|---|
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Latent gluten are damaged, altered gluten molecules as a result of processing.
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It is necessary to carefully study the composition of the products, but you cannot always trust the "gluten-free" label. It all depends on the correctness of the manufacturer.
What is dangerous and why gluten is needed
Gluten-free nutrition was developed especially for patients suffering from celiac disease - an autoimmune disease in which the natural functions of the intestines and peristalsis are disturbed. This disease occurs in one person out of a hundred. In such a pathology, gluten is not recognized by the patient's immune system, and the body throws all its strength into fighting it. But the problem is that the structure of the gluten protein is similar to the cells of the thyroid and pancreas, some tissues. As a result, the body begins to self-destruct. This is the main disadvantage of a gluten-rich diet for both the sick and the healthy person.
But it should be understood that such symptoms are inherent in people with celiac disease or suffering from individual intolerance to gluten. In all other cases, the question of whether or not a special diet is necessary should be decided individually with a weight loss specialist.
The essence of the gluten-free diet
A special diet based on the introduction of gluten-free products has its own principles, characteristics, rules:
- gluten-free products help improve digestion, peristalsis and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. That is why they are the basis of nutrition. You can now find a huge number of such products on the market, there is even gluten-free alcohol;
- dietary dishes are prepared with a minimum amount of oil, it is recommended to use a grill or a special pan that does not require the addition of fat;
- Gluten-free food should be the basis of the diet. Based on the list of allowed and prohibited foods, you can make a menu yourself or use a ready-made one. On the Internet you can find recipes for main dishes, appetizers.
Such a diet will benefit patients with celiac disease, as well as people with symptoms of allergies or individual intolerance. In all other cases, it can, on the contrary, be harmful. Recklessly excluding foods from the diet can lead to a lack of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Therefore, for weight loss, it is better to use a time-tested technique based on proper nutrition, changing eating habits and psychotherapy. Only such an approach will protect the patient from breakdowns, depression, other disorders of the psycho-emotional state and health and prevent negative consequences.
Who is a gluten-free diet for?
Special diets and a gluten-free diet should be prescribed by a weight loss specialist. It is usually prescribed for the following diseases:
- celiac disease;
- autism;
- hyper excitability;
- diseases of the nervous system: schizophrenia, attention disorder, etc. ;
- skin and dermatological diseases, especially psoriasis, vitiligo;
- frequent migraines;
- autoimmune hepatitis;
- diabetes;
- atherosclerosis;
- obesity.
If the patient does not have any of the listed diseases, then it is better to use other methods of weight loss. One option is to go to a good weight loss clinic. A special integrated approach is used, combining the principles of proper nutrition and psychotherapy. Specialists teach the patient to distinguish between "good and bad" products, to independently draw up a menu, to be able to cope with life's problems, not to suffer from stress and fatigue. They are able to accurately determine the causes of a set of extra pounds and get rid of them. This method is officially recognized by the world scientific community, it is considered the most optimal, safe for health.
Gluten-free diet rules
A gluten-free diet will bring certain results, but only if the rules are strictly followed. The main one is the complete rejection of products containing gluten, the list of which is given above. Eating will not be effective if you indulge yourself, deviate from the planned scheme. And this is a strong psychological pressure, which is almost impossible to cope with on your own, as a result - breakdowns, depression, stress.
The gluten-free diet has a special menu for the week. It should be compiled by a specialist, taking into account the body's needs for all necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including meat products, chicken eggs, vegetables, fruits, cereals.
List of permitted products
The gluten-free diet includes the following foods in the diet:
- fresh and frozen vegetables, berries, some fruits;
- natural meat, poultry, fish;
- natural dairy products without sweeteners, stabilizers, starch;
- natural vinegar: apple, wine, rice;
- homemade sauces without the addition of flour, starch, gluten, grains;
- tea, coffee without flavoring additives;
- legumes;
- natural soy sauce;
- chicken eggs.
The main thing is to carefully study the composition of the products purchased in stores. This is especially true for dairy products, canned meat and fish. They most often contain hidden gluten, such as corn or wheat starch.
Menu for the week
The gluten-free diet has a special menu for the week. It is based on a list of permitted foods, and it is necessary to reduce or completely eliminate "forbidden" foods. But such a diet is prescribed for gluten intolerance or an allergic reaction to it. For weight loss, it can be ineffective: it is usually difficult for a person to refuseyour favorite foods without clear reasons, which leads to breakdowns, psycho-emotional disorders. That is why weight loss specialists recommend not to experiment on your body, but to seek help from specialists. Leave the menu for the week for celiac patients.
Recommendations for children
Research shows that a gluten- and lactose-free first feeding formula is ideal because it is light and does not overload the body and the gastrointestinal tract. This will help the baby to adapt to new foods, gradually switch to a different diet.
The list of products for children differs little from that of an adult, it contains all the same elements: soups and broths of meat or fish, gluten-free cereals, lean meat, chicken eggs, fruits and vegetables, vegetable oils.
Gluten-free diet for celiac disease
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by disorders in the gastrointestinal tract and intestines. There is usually a genetic predisposition to this. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of this disease:
- bloating;
- pain;
- diarrhea;
- foamy stools with an unpleasant smell;
- sudden weight loss or gain;
- the appearance of a rash on the skin;
- headache;
- weakening of the immune system.
A special diet has been developed for such patients. It has the following basic rules and principles:
- Gluten-free diet, complete exclusion of prohibited foods.
- The diet should consist of animal proteins, vegetables and fruits, gluten-free cereals, herbs, spices, spices, nuts.
- Such a diet envisages compliance throughout life. This is the only key to maintaining health, well-being.
- The gluten-free menu for a week should be balanced, taking into account the body's needs for vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Patients should regularly undergo a clinical examination, be monitored by a doctor.
Gluten-free dishes are best steamed without adding oil. It is also recommended to introduce the principles of fractional nutrition: reduce the volume of portions, but increase the number of meals to 5-6 (breakfast, lunch, dinner and several snacks).
Weekly gluten-free diet menu
Eating on such a diet should be partial, about 5-6 times a day: three main meals and two or three snacks. Here, too, the standard "plate rule" applies: half should be filled with vegetables, the other half with meat and complex carbohydrates. Such a diet will provide the body with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Gluten-free dishes can be suitable for the whole family, and if prepared correctly, they will taste no different from regular ones. The main thing is to use only approved products.
The menu below is an example. It can be adjusted according to individual preferences, allergies or intolerances.
Monday
- Breakfast: a portion of rice porridge cooked in milk, you can add some fresh fruit.
- Lunch: sandwich on gluten-free bread with butter, fresh unflavored tea.
- Lunch: vegetable soup with broccoli and low-fat cheese, chicken with potatoes, vegetable salad.
- Afternoon snack: fruit salad with gluten-free yogurt.
- Dinner: wheat porridge with a side dish of nuts or stewed vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with honey or sugar, fruit.
- Lunch: rice or cereals, tea.
- Lunch: chicken soup with vegetables, salad.
- Afternoon snack: yogurt with dietary gluten-free sweets.
- Dinner: cottage cheese casserole, supplemented with any fruit.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs, cheese sandwich.
- Lunch: a handful of dried fruits, tea.
- Lunch: any soup with the addition of fresh herbs, chicken with a side of buckwheat.
- Snack: cheese cakes on rice flour with honey and berries.
- Dinner: chicken baked in foil with vegetables.
Thursday
- Breakfast: special corn flakes (must be gluten-free) with the addition of milk, kefir or yogurt.
- Lunch: two boiled eggs, tea.
- Lunch: borscht, chicken and vegetable salad.
- Afternoon snack: a portion of berries or a fruit drink made from them, dietary biscuits.
- Dinner: meatballs, buckwheat porridge.
Friday
- Breakfast: gluten-free fried with honey.
- Lunch: a glass of kefir or yogurt and biscuits.
- Lunch: chicken cutlets with a side dish of rice, vegetable salad.
- Snack: a portion of any nuts, any fruit.
- Dinner: fish stew with vegetables, mushrooms.
Saturday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with honey and fruit.
- Lunch: carrot salad topped with cheese slices and a handful of nuts.
- Lunch: vegetable soup with lentils, chicken stew with vegetable salad.
- Afternoon snack: tea with gluten-free biscuits, any fruit.
- Dinner: potato pancakes, but rice flour should be used instead of wheat.
Sunday
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs with any vegetables.
- Lunch: Sandwich made with gluten-free bread, lettuce, tomato, cheese or chicken fillet with spices.
- Lunch: fish soup, chicken cutlets with rice, any vegetables.
- Snack: a small portion of nuts (20-30 grams), any fruit
- Dinner: fish stew with vegetables.
Gluten-free diet for weight loss
If you need to lose weight through this diet, it is also recommended to count the number of calories consumed and spent, the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates:
- it is necessary to calculate the daily calorie intake using one of the formulas below and subtract 10-15% from it - this is exactly the amount needed to lose weight: formula for men: 66 + (13. 7x weight in kg) + ( 5 x height in cm) - (6. 8 x age); formula for women: 655 + (9. 6 x weight in kg) + (1. 8 x height in cm) - (4. 7 x age);
- the protein norm is approximately 1. 5-2 grams per kilogram of body weight;
- fat - 0. 7-1 grams per kilogram;
- carbohydrates - 1-2 grams.
For calculation, you can use an online calculator, a smartphone application or special tables.
Changing your diet in a healthy way without psychotherapy is almost impossible. After all, only something fundamental, stable can be considered real change, not a random temporary deviation. Well, more reliable than personal principles, beliefs, ideas - humanity has not yet invented anything.
A nutritionist's opinion
The gluten-free industry has grown exponentially over the past five years. A growing number of people are looking to follow a gluten-free diet to improve health, including weight loss. Let's try to understand what gluten is and what it is eaten with.
Gluten is a special type of plant protein that is also often called gluten. It is found as a natural component of some cereals in wheat, rye and barley. Regarding oats, the opinions of experts differ, with some highlighting it as a possible source of gluten, others not. Gluten can be artificially added to other products - bread, ice cream, sauces such as ketchup, kvass (as a result of fermentation on grain or bread) as a natural thickener. By itself, it is safe for a healthy person, but it plays an important negative role when a person has such a disease as celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a congenital genetic disease of gluten intolerance. If the diet of a sick person contains it, then the immune cells begin to attack the villi of his small intestine, on which the so-called parietal digestion takes place. In this case, inflammation begins, the absorption of nutrients is disturbed, and symptoms of the disease appear. Clinical symptoms are extremely diverse, they can include up to 300 symptoms, the main of which are diarrhea, vomiting, mouth ulcers, weakness, iron deficiency anemia and many others. The prevalence of celiac disease in different populations is 0. 5-1% of the population.
If a person has celiac disease, then eating foods with gluten is accompanied by the development of the clinical picture of the disease. These products mainly include foods produced on the basis of or using wheat, rye and barley - cereals, baked goods and pasta made from traditional flour; sweets - chocolate, sweets, cakes, waffles, ordinary biscuits, ice cream, as well as alcoholic beverages made from cereals. In the absence of these products in the diet, celiac patients feel normal.
At the same time, a gluten-free diet can often be seen among the recommendations for non-celiac but overweight patients. What will happen to a person with normal gluten tolerance who refuses foods containing gluten?
Most likely, nothing catastrophically bad will happen. The amount of carbohydrates, both simple and complex, will sharply decrease in the diet. Therefore, the daily caloric content of the diet can be reduced. If it turns out to be at a level lower than the daily energy expenditure, the weight can begin to decrease. Again, the weight loss will not be due to the disappearance of gluten from the diet, but due to a possible reduction in calorie content. That is, if you reduce it in another way, leaving gluten-containing foods in the diet, the weight will disappear at the same pace.
Thus, weight loss on a gluten-free diet is possible, but as a side effect of eliminating excess high-carbohydrate foods. At the same time, if you completely give up carbohydrates, the body can reach a state of ketosis, which can be accompanied by discomfort and side effects. Therefore, it is not a gluten-free diet that is more suitable for weight loss, but a balanced diet with a balanced ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And whether gluten will be in the composition of these products or not, for 99% of people without celiac disease it is not important.