Home/Blog-EN/Gluten-free diet leads to nutrient deficiency!
To understand the whole situation with gluten, gluten-free, nutrient deficiency and weight loss it is important to know what gluten actually is.
And therefore foods like pasta, bread, crackers or beer can contain gluten.
Gluten has a special role when it comes to baking. When water is added to flour and then mixed the protein gives the dough it´s elasticity and strength. The gluten is, for example, pretending bread from moisture loss. You can see it as a natural preservative.
Most people don´t know what gluten is and they just follow a hype. There is a funny video from Jimmy Kimmel and it shows that gluten is mostly related to weight gain and being unhealthy. They are all proud to be on a gluten-free diet. But when digging deeper, the real knowledge behind their food choices is missing.
Now that you know where gluten is to be found you might get a first idea why gluten-free can lead to some serious lack of nutrients. If you cut out nutrient-dense foods like whole grains you automatically cut out good sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Which are crucial to every healthy, balanced diet.
The right amount of healthy carbs from whole grain foods is the best method to keep your blood sugar balanced. Additionally, you are avoiding the chance of diabetes. Another bonus is your hunger will be more satisfied throughout the day.
To make foods gluten-free they have to be highly processed. And as you can imagine, everything that is processed loses its natural high quality and therefore necessary health benefits.
Most gluten-free foods are “designed” with nutrient-poor alternatives. A package labeled as gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s a healthy food. In fact, it says nothing about nutritional value.
Why do people feel healthier after removing gluten?
As long as you don’t have serious health problems like celiac disease there is no need to abandon gluten from your diet. The reason people see an improvement in their health, might be due to the bad food choices they made before. It makes sense that they feel better when they no longer consume sugary, high carb meals. Most of the snacks and treats come gluten loaded.
Keep that in mind: “Gluten-free is not a synonym for healthy or low in calories.” Just because you see more and more foods labeled as gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s good. You get fewer nutrients for more money. Bad deal, right?!
However, if you have a serious health condition and your body can’t handle gluten at all, it is important to avoid gluten at any cost. You will be surprised to see which foods can contain traces of gluten. Sometimes gluten is used as a thickening agent and filler.