Can a gluten-free diet make me fat?
If you’ve adopted a gluten-free diet you may be surprised that “…many gain weight on a gluten-free diet.” “Despite the word ‘diet,’ the gluten-free diet is not a weight-loss program…if weight loss is the goal, just going gluten-free isn’t the answer” (1).
The trick to losing pant sizes on a gluten-free diet is to limit pastas, cookies, breads, pizzas and crackers, not just the gluten-free ones because “…many gluten-free foods are made mostly from empty calories, refined grains, starches and added sugars” (1).
I eat gluten-free six days a week to stay lean, but the trick to my healthy gluten-free meals is because they consist of lean proteins and veggies, and on occasion, I’ll include a grain or fruit as an accompaniment. Going gluten-free can be the right choice for good health even if you don’t have issues with gluten, but it all depends on the choices selected. Try fish with mango salsa, or a chicken salad with sliced strawberries with slivered almonds instead of a gluten-free pizza with fake cheese.
- Source: Living Without’s Gluten Free magazine article titled, “Watching your weight; how to maintain a healthy weight on the gluten-free diet” pg. 20-21.
Photo: This tiny and tasty apricot gluten-free pastry has 180 calories. The ingredients include fruit juices, oats, potato starch, tapioca flour, safflower oil and guar gum (this is a partial list). I’d be better off having a piece of fruit with some homemade granola.
