The gluten-free diet is one of those diets that everyone just seems to keep talking about.  Gluten can have a terrible effect on your body – if you are gluten intolerant. One of the biggest negative side effects of gluten is that it seems to slow you down, draw the energy right out of your body and result in instant fatigue the moment you are done enjoying a meal.  More and more Australians have recognised the symptoms of gluten intolerance and are switching over to a gluten-free diet. Some that can tolerate gluten fairly well are also choosing to make the switch because of the weight loss benefits of this diet. But the switch often isn’t as easy as online fitness fanatics make it look. While the efforts of going gluten-free are tough the rewards of a healthier, happier and more satisfied body is well worth your journey.

How to develop a healthy gluten-free diet

While you are starting out on your all-new gluten-free diet, there is one thing you should remember; gluten-free food doesn’t always mean you won’t gain weight.  In fact, consuming too much of a fattening non-gluten food or eating the wrong combination of gluten-free foods can also result in a weight increase. But all in all a gluten-free diet is greatly similar to all of those health diets that so many fitness experts keep faffing about.  You can fill your plate with naturally gluten-free foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, fish, lean meats, protein and even dairy products. The big difference is that you should avoid grains that contain gluten. Rice, millet, quinoa, buckwheat are just a few of the many examples of grain foods that you can still consume. The only thing you need to exclude from your diet is gluten-rich grains.  If you are incredibly gluten intolerant then it might be wise to get a health professional to develop a diet plan for you because you could likely suffer from other deficiencies such as iron, calcium, Vitamin D and protein deficiencies that usually go hand in hand with gluten allergies.

Avoid this mistake if you decide to go gluten-free

Be careful of store-baked gluten-free products.  These products are usually loaded with carbs and sugars to compensate for the non-gluten ingredients and can increase your weight dramatically even if you are trying to eat healthily.

Gluten can hide away in many food sources

Gluten is used in a lot of different food products simply because food manufacturers find it much easier to create foods like pastries, pizzas and much more with a gluten-rich grain.  Where hypo allergy foods have labels to warn people off ingredients there usually isn’t a lot of warnings on other foods to indicate that these foods contain gluten sources. This makes it quite challenging for those on a gluten-free diet to identify which pre-prepared foods they can buy and which ones are best avoided.

How to eat gluten-free at restaurants

Dining out is another big hassle for those that are switching over to gluten-free foods.  The menus don’t contain warnings on gluten-rich foods. You can scout out restaurants with gluten-free menus or you can choose to stick to healthy foods that are sure to be safe.  Another good tip is to inquire about cooking methods. Ask whether supposedly gluten-free products like fries are fried in the same oil as gluten-rich foods like floured foods such as battered fish.  This will also help you avoid gluten so you won’t get a bad reaction.

One of the best ways to kickstart your gluten-free diet is by planning ahead.  With proper meal planning, you can shop according to your needs, get all your gluten-free recipes ready before you start cooking and you can ease into this new diet a lot smoother.