Experts sum up the statistics with horror: 18% of women in our country are overweight, and obesity in children and adolescents is becoming more and more common. Ignoring this problem will lead to irreparable consequences, because excess weight is the main cause of many serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, varicose veins and pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
It is necessary to solve the problem of obesity. 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 harming health, while others, on the contrary, can lead to exacerbation of chronic diseases, new health problems and pathologies.
A relatively new approach to weight loss is a gluten- and dairy-free diet. What is this? How safe is it for the body? How does this affect him? Let's take a closer look in this article.
What is gluten?
Gluten or gluten (Latin Gluten - glue) is a special protein found in seeds and cereals. It is especially abundant in wheat, rye, and barley.
In its pure form, gluten 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 this, the dough rises and becomes elastic during cooking. The more gluten the flour contains, the better the baking will be.
Gluten is found in many foods. Let's take a closer look at the main foods that contain gluten:
| Contains gluten | "Hidden" itself |
|---|---|
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Latent gluten are modified gluten molecules that have been damaged by processing.
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You need to carefully study the composition of the products, but you can't always rely on the "gluten-free" label. It all depends on the honesty of the manufacturer.
What is dangerous and why is gluten necessary?
Gluten-free nutrition is specially designed 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 out of a hundred people. With 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 destroy itself. This is the main drawback of a gluten-rich diet for both the sick and the healthy person.
However, it should be understood that such symptoms are specific to people with celiac disease or individual gluten intolerance. In all other cases, the question of whether a special diet is necessary should be decided individually with a weight loss specialist.
The essence of a gluten-free diet
A special diet based on the use of gluten-free products has its own principles, features and rules:
- gluten-free products help to improve digestion, peristalsis and work of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, they are the basis of nutrition. Now you can find many such products on the market, there is even gluten-free alcohol;
- diet food is 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 oil;
- Gluten-free foods should be the basis of the diet. Based on the list of permitted and prohibited foods, you can prepare a menu yourself or use a ready-made one. You can find recipes for main dishes and snacks on the Internet.
Such a diet will benefit patients with celiac disease, as well as people with symptoms of allergies or individual intolerance. In all other cases, on the contrary, it can be harmful. Careless elimination of foods from the diet can lead to vitamin, mineral and nutrient deficiencies. Therefore, it is better to use a time-tested technique based on proper nutrition, changing eating habits and psychotherapy to lose weight. Only such an approach will protect the patient from disorders, depression, psycho-emotional state and other disorders of health and prevent negative consequences.
Who is the gluten-free diet for?
Special diets and gluten-free diets should be prescribed by a weight loss specialist. It is usually prescribed for the following diseases:
- celiac disease;
- autism;
- hyperexcitability;
- disorders of the nervous system: schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, etc. ;
- skin and dermatological diseases, especially psoriasis, vitiligo;
- frequent migraine;
- autoimmune hepatitis;
- diabetes;
- atherosclerosis;
- obesity.
If the patient does not have any of the listed diseases, it is better to use other methods to lose weight. 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 make an independent menu, to cope with life problems, to avoid stress and fatigue. They can accurately identify the causes of extra pounds and get rid of them. This method is officially recognized by the world scientific community, it is considered the most optimal and safe for health.
Gluten-free diet guidelines
A gluten-free diet will give certain results, but with strict adherence to the rules. The main thing is the complete rejection of gluten-containing products listed above. If you indulge yourself, if you deviate from the intended scheme, the diet will not be effective. And this is a strong psychological pressure, as a result of which it is almost impossible to cope on your own - disorders, depression, stress.
The gluten-free diet has a special menu for the week. It should be prepared by a specialist, including meat products, chicken eggs, vegetables, fruits, cereals, taking into account the body's needs for all necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
List of permitted products
A gluten-free diet includes the following foods in the diet:
- fresh and frozen vegetables, berries, some fruits;
- natural meat, poultry, fish;
- sweeteners, stabilizers, natural dairy products without starch;
- natural vinegar: apple, wine, rice;
- home-made sauces without the addition of flour, starch, gluten, grains;
- tea, coffee without flavored additives;
- legumes;
- natural soy sauce;
- chicken egg.
The main thing is to carefully study the composition of 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 with the need to reduce or completely eliminate "forbidden" foods. However, this type of nutrition is prescribed for gluten intolerance or an allergic reaction to it. It can be ineffective for losing weight: it is generally difficult for a person to give up favorite foods without an obvious reason, which leads to breakdowns, psycho-emotional disorders. Therefore, weight loss experts recommend not experimenting on your body, but seek help from experts. Leave the weekly menu for celiac patients.
Recommendations for children
Research shows that a gluten-free, lactose-free first food formula is ideal because it is light and does not tire the body or the gastrointestinal tract. It will help the baby to adapt to new foods, it will gradually switch to a different diet.
The list of products for children differs little from that of adults, it contains all the same elements: soups and broths 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:
- swelling;
- pain;
- diarrhea;
- foamy feces with an unpleasant odor;
- sudden weight loss or gain;
- the appearance of a rash on the skin;
- Headache;
- weakening of the immune system.
A special diet has been prepared 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, and nuts.
- Such a diet ensures 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 needs for vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Patients should undergo regular clinical examination and be under the supervision of a doctor.
Gluten-free foods are best steamed without added oil. It is also recommended to apply the principles of fractional nutrition: reduce the volume of portions, but increase the number of meals to 5-6 (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a few snacks).
Weekly gluten-free diet menu
In such a diet, nutrition should be fractional, about 5-6 times a day: three main meals and two or three snacks. The standard "plate rule" also applies here: half should be filled with vegetables, and the other half should be filled with meat and complex carbohydrates. Such a diet will provide the body with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Gluten-free meals can be suitable for the whole family and, when prepared correctly, they will taste indistinguishable from regular meals. The main thing is to use only approved products.
The menu below is an example. Can be adjusted according 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 yogurt.
- Dinner: wheat porridge with a side dish of nuts or cooked vegetables.
Tuesday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with honey or sugar, fruits.
- Lunch: rice or any cereal bread, tea.
- Lunch: chicken soup with vegetables, salad.
- Afternoon snack: yogurt with diet gluten-free cookies.
- Dinner: cottage cheese stew with any fruit.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: omelette or boiled eggs, sandwich with cheese.
- Lunch: a handful of dried fruit, tea.
- Lunch: any soup with fresh herbs, chicken with buckwheat garnish.
- Snack: syrniki in rice flour with honey and berries.
- Dinner: chicken baked in foil with vegetables.
Thursday
- Breakfast: special corn flakes with added milk, kefir or yogurt (they must be gluten-free).
- Lunch: two boiled eggs, tea.
- Lunch: borsch, chicken and vegetable salad.
- Afternoon snack: a portion of berries or a fruit drink made from them, diet cookies.
- Dinner: meatballs, buckwheat porridge.
friday
- Breakfast: gluten-free dumplings with honey.
- Lunch: a glass of kefir or yogurt and cookies.
- Lunch: chicken cutlets with rice, vegetable salad.
- Snack: any nuts, a piece of 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 cookies, any fruit.
- Dinner: potato pancakes, but rice flour should be used instead of wheat flour.
Sunday
- Breakfast: omelette or omelette with any vegetables.
- Lunch: Gluten-free bread, lettuce, tomato, cheese or spicy chicken fillet sandwich.
- Lunch: fish soup, chicken cutlets with rice, any vegetable.
- 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 recommended to calculate the number of calories consumed and spent, the ratio of proteins, fats, carbohydrates:
- you need to calculate the daily calorie intake using one of the following formulas and subtract 10-15% from it - how much is needed to lose weight: formula for men: 66 + (13. 7 x weight in kg) + ( 5 x height 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 about 1. 5-2 grams per kilogram of body weight;
- fats - 0. 7-1 grams per kilogram;
- carbohydrates - 1-2 grams.
You can use an online calculator, smartphone application or special tables for calculation.
Healthy diet changes are almost impossible without psychotherapy. After all, only something fundamental, stable, and not a random temporary deviation can be considered a real change. Well, it is more reliable than personal principles, beliefs, ideas - nothing that humanity has yet come up with.
A nutritionist's opinion
The gluten-free industry has grown exponentially over the past five years. More and more people are trying to follow a gluten-free diet to improve their 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 and is often referred to as gluten. It is found as a natural component of some cereals in wheat, rye and barley. Experts have different opinions about oats. Some highlight it as a possible source of gluten, some don't. Gluten can also be added artificially as a natural thickener to other products - bread, ice cream, ketchup, sauces such as kvass (as a result of fermentation on grain or bread). By itself, it is safe for a healthy person, but it plays a significant negative role when a person has a disease such as celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a congenital genetic disease of gluten intolerance. If a sick person contains it in his diet, the immune cells begin to attack the villi of the small intestine, called the parietal intestine. At this time, inflammation begins, the absorption of nutrients is disturbed, and symptoms of the disease appear. Clinical symptoms are extremely diverse and may include up to 300 signs, the main ones being 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 gluten-containing foods is accompanied by the development of the clinical picture of the disease. These products mainly include foods based on or using wheat, rye and barley - cereals, baked goods and pasta made from traditional flour; sweets - chocolate, sweets, cakes, waffles, ordinary cookies, ice cream, as well as alcoholic beverages made from cereals. In the absence of these products in the diet, patients with celiac disease feel normal.
At the same time, a gluten-free diet can often be seen among the recommendations for patients who do not have celiac disease but are overweight. What happens to a person with normal gluten tolerance who avoids gluten-containing foods?
Most likely, nothing catastrophically bad will happen. The amount of both simple and complex carbohydrates in the diet will be drastically reduced. Thanks to this, the daily calorie content of the diet can be reduced. If the daily energy consumption ends at a lower level, weight can begin to decrease. Again, the weight loss will not be due to the elimination of gluten from the diet, but rather a possible reduction in calories. That is, if you reduce it in any other way and put gluten-containing foods in the diet, the weight will go at the same speed.
Thus, it is possible to lose weight on a gluten-free diet, but as a side effect of eliminating too many 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, a balanced diet with a balanced ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates is more suitable for weight loss than a gluten-free diet. For 99% of people without celiac disease, it doesn't matter whether or not gluten is in these products.