There are two sides to every story, likewise, there are two sides to what we eat and consume too.
One side could be presumed good and the bad. When we are provided an opinion of what to eat and what to avoid we must carefully examine our choices and then decide what would be best for us according to our findings.
Each of us would have likes and dislikes, especially where food is concerned. Some of us also have allergies to certain types of foods too, so we need to be careful as to what we eat.
There could be opinions expressed by some that a gluten-free diet may not be good for us but let us take a realistic look and then decide whether it would suit us. If it does, then we should not hesitate to proceed with it.
There are many advantages where a gluten-free diet would be good for us and we will look at them. This will of course depend on our personal preferences and how they may be affected by any health conditions you may have.
Those who have been diagnosed with celiac disease which affects the small intestine and causes a loss of appetite, malabsorption, chronic diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems are advised to follow a gluten-free diet. But this does not mean that others will not also benefit from following a gluten-free diet.
The advantage is that those who are not diagnosed with gastrointestinal problems can benefit greatly from this as well.
What Is Gluten
Let’s first take a look at what gluten is so that we can better understand it.
Gluten is a plant-based protein. Wheat, rye, and barley are high in gluten and these are bases for many food items that we regularly and often consume.
Two of the most common foods that we consume that can be high in gluten are bread and cereal.
Does Gluten Have any Good Uses
Gluten is said to help in digesting food by helping what we consume retain its elasticity, basically, it is a binding agent that helps our food stick together. It is also high in fiber which helps with digestion.
We could achieve the same levels of digestion without gluten, so it is a meaningless ingredient.
Some would argue that gluten helps to keep the stomach and the intestines clean and free of deposits, but the same could be achieved by eating vegetables and fruits which are free of gluten.
Some food manufacturing companies tend to add gluten to their preparations to ensure it is chewy and the ingredients stick together, but this could be just a gimmick to sell those products and not serve any beneficial purpose other than making their food more appealing to us.
The presence of gluten in food is not a necessity and refraining from consuming it would not harm us since we have been consuming foods without it for a very long time.
We have not derived many benefits from gluten and avoiding it would be better than consuming it. Looking at what a gluten-free diet would do to us, would be in our best interests.
What Are The Benefits Of Being Gluten-Free?
- Eating gluten-free foods can help us naturally decrease our cholesterol levels and reduce the need for medications. This can work out very well for someone who had borderline cholesterol levels. A few points can be the difference in whether we need medications or not.
- Being gluten-free can help in keeping your digestive tract healthy and would also promote the better breakdown of foods which would lead to better absorption of nutrients and other food values.
- This will help in increasing and improving your energy levels, helping you to lead a more active lifestyle.
- Following a gluten-free diet, will help to ensure that you keep your body away from other harmful ingredients like oil, sugar, and others.
- Consumption of vegetables and fruits that are gluten-free that are high in fiber will help your digestive tract.
- Will reduce the risk of various heart diseases, prevent the incidence of some cancers which are related to the presence of gluten in those foods, and may also help to control diabetes.
- Being gluten-free would also ensure that viruses and germs are kept at bay since most foods that you would then consume as alternatives would be high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- Helps to keep body weight at manageable levels and be free from obesity. An effective way to acceptable weight loss would be to be on a diet that is gluten-free.
- Could help those with arthritis and other joint problems and also prevent issues that could cause problems with your bowels.
- Sticking to foods that are low in gluten would make you more selective of what you would consume and in effect make you more health-conscious and healthier in body and mind.
Final Thoughts on Gluten
Consuming a gluten-free diet can help to ensure that we are providing your body with better quality food that is healthier for you.
By selecting the right foods, you will help your body absorb more nutrients, which will improve your overall health and energy levels.
Your body may be rejecting some foods that are high in gluten but you may not know till it is too late, so being gluten-free would be in your best interests.
There are many people out there who are following a very strict gluten-free diet that is quite healthy and hearty too.
Before making any major changes in your diet, I would recommend consulting your doctor first.
Other articles to read:
Dr. Steven Gundry Books – Top 6 Best Sellers
Why A Plant-Based Diet Is Better – It Just Is Healthier
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