Experts summarize the statistics with horror: 18% of women in our country are overweight, and obesity is becoming more common among children and adolescents. Ignoring this problem leads to irreparable consequences, since obesity is the main cause of many serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, varicose veins and diseases of the cardiovascular system.
The problem of obesity needs to be addressed. Specialists have developed special methods based on proper nutrition, the exclusion of certain foods, physical activity and medication. Some of them ensure 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 that? How safe is it for the body? How does it affect him? Let's take a closer look at it in this article.
what is gluten
Gluten or gluten (from Latin gluten - glue) is a special protein found in seeds and grains. Especially a lot of it in wheat, rye, barley.
Gluten in its pure form is a dry white powder with no taste, color or odor. But when water is added, it turns into a gooey substance that resembles jelly. As a result, the dough rises during baking and becomes elastic. The more gluten in the composition of the flour, the more magnificent the baking will be.
Gluten is contained in many foods. Let's take a closer look at the main gluten-containing foods:
| Contains gluten | Have "hidden" gluten |
|---|---|
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Hidden gluten is damaged, altered gluten molecules that result from processing.
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It is necessary to carefully study the composition of products, but you cannot always trust the "gluten-free" label. It all depends on the honesty of the manufacturer.
What is dangerous and why is gluten needed?
The gluten-free diet was specially developed for patients suffering from celiac disease - an autoimmune disease in which the natural functions of the intestine and peristalsis are disturbed. This disease occurs in one in every hundred people. With such a pathology, gluten is not recognized by the patient's immune system, and the body uses all its strength to fight it. The problem, however, is that the structure of gluten protein is similar to the cells of the thyroid and pancreas, some tissues. As a result, the body begins to destroy itself. This is the main disadvantage of a gluten-rich diet for both a sick and a healthy person.
However, it should be understood that such symptoms are inherent in people with celiac disease or an individual intolerance to gluten. In all other cases, the question of whether a special diet is necessary or not should be decided individually with a weight loss specialist.
The essence of a gluten-free diet
A special diet based on the introduction of gluten-free products has its own principles, features and rules:
- Gluten-free products help improve digestion, peristalsis and the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. That is why they are the basis of nutrition. There are now a large number of such products on the market, there is even gluten-free alcohol;
- Diet dishes are prepared with a minimum amount of oil, it is advisable to use a grill or a special frying pan that does not require the addition of fat.
- Gluten-free foods should be the basis of the diet. Based on the list of allowed and forbidden foods, you can make a menu yourself or use a ready-made one. On the Internet you can find recipes for main dishes, snacks.
Such a diet will benefit patients with celiac disease, as well as people with symptoms of allergies or individual intolerance. In all other cases, however, it can be harmful. The thoughtless exclusion of food from the diet can lead to deficiencies in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Therefore, for weight loss, it is better to use a proven technique based on proper nutrition, changing eating habits and psychotherapy. Only such an approach will protect the patient from breakdowns, depression and other disorders of the psychoemotional state and health, and prevent negative consequences.
For whom is a gluten-free diet suitable?
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;
- hyperexcitability;
- Nervous system disorders: schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, etc. ;
- Skin and skin diseases, especially psoriasis, vitiligo;
- frequent migraines;
- autoimmune hepatitis;
- Diabetes;
- atherosclerosis;
- Obesity.
If the patient does not have any of the listed diseases, it is better to use other weight loss methods. One option is to go to a good weight loss clinic. It uses a special integrated approach that combines the principles of proper nutrition and psychotherapy. Specialists teach the patient to distinguish between "good and bad" products, to independently create a menu, to cope with life's problems, not to cope with stress and fatigue. You will be able to pinpoint the causes of a number of extra pounds and get rid of them. This method is officially recognized by the world scientific community and is considered the most optimal and safe for health.
Gluten-free diet rules
A gluten-free diet will bring certain results, but only with strict adherence to the rules. The main one is the complete rejection of products containing gluten, the list of which is given above. Diet will not be effective if you indulge and deviate from the intended regimen. And this is a strong psychological pressure that 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 need for all the necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals, including meat products, chicken eggs, vegetables, fruits and grains.
List of approved products
A gluten-free diet includes the following foods in the diet:
- fresh and frozen vegetables, berries, some fruits;
- natural meat, poultry, fish;
- natural milk products without sweeteners, stabilizers, starch;
- natural vinegar: apple, wine, rice;
- homemade sauces without the addition of flour, starch, gluten, cereals;
- tea, coffee without flavor 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 usually 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 allowed foods, with "forbidden" foods to be reduced or eliminated altogether. However, such a diet is prescribed for those with gluten intolerance or an allergic reaction to it. It may be ineffective for weight loss: it is usually difficult for a person toRefusing favorite foods for no apparent reason, which leads to breakdowns and psychoemotional disorders. For this reason, weight loss experts recommend not to experiment on your body, but to get help from specialists. Leave the meal plan for the week for celiacs.
Recommendations for children
Research shows that a gluten and lactose free formula is ideal for the first meal as it is light and does not overwhelm the body and gastrointestinal tract. It helps the baby to adapt to new foods and gradually switch to a different diet.
The list of products for children differs little from that of an adult, they all contain the same elements: soups and broths based on meat or fish, gluten-free cereals, lean meats, 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 it. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of this disease:
- flatulence;
- Pains;
- Diarrhea;
- foamy stools with an unpleasant odor;
- a sharp decrease or increase in weight;
- 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, total avoidance of forbidden foods.
- The diet should consist of animal proteins, vegetables and fruits, gluten-free grains, herbs, spices, spices, nuts.
- Such a diet provides for lifelong adherence. This is the only key to maintaining health and well-being.
- A gluten-free menu for a week should be balanced, taking into account the body's need for vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Patients should undergo regular clinical examination and be monitored by a doctor.
Gluten-free dishes are best steamed without the addition of 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 some snacks).
Weekly gluten free diet menu
Nutrition on such a diet should be fractional about 5-6 times a day: three main meals and two or three snacks. Again, the usual "plate rule" applies here: half should be filled with vegetables, the other half with meat and complex carbohydrates. Such a diet provides the body with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Gluten-free meals can be suitable for the whole family and, when prepared correctly, taste no different from the usual dishes. The main thing is to use only approved products.
The following menu is an example. It can be adjusted to individual preferences, allergies or intolerances.
Monday
- Breakfast: a portion of rice porridge cooked in milk, you can add fresh berries.
- 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 yoghurt.
- Dinner: Wheat porridge with a side of nuts or steamed vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with honey or sugar, fruit.
- Lunch: Rice or grain bread, tea.
- Lunch: chicken soup with vegetables, salad.
- Afternoon snack: yoghurt with diet gluten-free biscuits.
- Dinner: cottage cheese casserole, supplemented with fruit.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, cheese sandwich.
- Lunch: a handful of dried fruit, tea.
- Lunch: any soup with the addition of fresh herbs, chicken with buckwheat garnish.
- Snack: Syrniki on rice flour with honey and berries.
- Dinner: chicken baked in foil with vegetables.
Thursday
- Breakfast: special cornflakes (must be gluten-free) with added milk, kefir or yoghurt.
- Lunch: two boiled eggs, tea.
- Lunch: borscht, chicken and vegetable salad.
- Afternoon snack: a portion of berries or a fruit drink from them, diet biscuits.
- Dinner: meatballs, buckwheat porridge.
Friday
- Breakfast: gluten-free donuts with honey.
- Lunch: a glass of kefir or yogurt and biscuits.
- Lunch: Chicken chops with rice, vegetable salad.
- Snack: a portion of nuts, fruit.
- Dinner: fish stew with vegetables, mushrooms.
Saturday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with honey and fruits.
- Lunch: Carrot salad 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 flour.
Sunday
- Breakfast: scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs with any vegetables.
- Lunch: A sandwich with gluten-free bread, lettuce, tomato, cheese or a seasoned chicken fillet.
- Lunch: fish soup, chicken chops 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 consumed, as well as the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates:
- It is necessary to calculate the daily calorie intake using one of the following formulas and subtract 10-15% from it - that's exactly how much is needed to lose weight: Formula for men: 66 + (13. 7 x weight in kg) + ( 5 x heightin 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;
- fats - 0. 7-1 grams per kilogram;
- Carbohydrates - 1-2 grams.
To calculate, you can use an online calculator, a smartphone application or special tables.
Without psychotherapy, a healthy change in diet is hardly possible. Because only something fundamental, stable can count as real change and not an accidental temporary deviation. Well, more reliable than personal principles, beliefs, ideas - humanity has not come up with anything yet.
A nutritionist's opinion
The gluten-free industry has grown exponentially over the past five years. More and more people are striving for a gluten-free diet to improve their health, including weight loss. Let's try to figure out what gluten is and what it is eaten with.
Gluten is a special type of plant protein, often referred to as gluten. It occurs naturally as a component of some grains in wheat, rye and barley. When it comes to oats, experts have differing opinions, with some emphasizing them as a possible source of gluten and others not. Gluten can also be artificially added to other products - bread, ice cream, sauces such as ketchup, kvass (as a result of fermentation of 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 suffers from such a disease as celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a congenital genetic disease of gluten intolerance. When a sick person's diet contains it, immune cells begin to attack the villi of their small intestine, where something called parietal digestion takes place. In this case, inflammation begins, the absorption of nutrients is disturbed, and symptoms of the disease appear. The clinical signs are extremely varied and can include up to 300 symptoms, the most important of which are diarrhea, vomiting, mouth ulcers, weakness, iron deficiency anemia and many others. The prevalence of celiac disease in different population groups is 0. 5-1% of the population.
If a person has celiac disease, eating foods with gluten is accompanied by the development of the clinical picture of the disease. These products mainly include foods made on the basis of or using wheat, rye and barley - cereals, baked goods and pasta made from traditional flour; Candy - chocolate, candy, cakes, waffles, regular cookies, ice cream, as well as alcoholic beverages made from grain. Without these products in the diet, patients with celiac disease feel normal.
At the same time, a gluten-free diet is often among the recommendations for patients without celiac disease but who are overweight. What happens 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 greatly decrease in the diet. Because of this, the daily calorie content of food can be reduced. When it is at a level lower than daily energy expenditure, weight can begin to drop. Again, the weight loss is not due to the elimination of gluten from the diet, but to a possible reduction in calorie content. That is, if you reduce it in other ways and leave foods containing gluten in the diet, the weight will disappear at the same rate.
Weight loss is possible with a gluten-free diet, but as a side effect of avoiding excess carbohydrate-rich foods. At the same time, if you completely avoid carbohydrates, the body can enter a state of ketosis, which can be accompanied by symptoms and side effects. A gluten-free diet is therefore not more suitable for weight loss, but a balanced diet with a balanced ratio of protein, fats and carbohydrates. And whether or not gluten will be included in the composition of these products is not important for 99% of people without celiac disease.