Is it tough to stick to a gluten-free diet?
There are numerous diets around, vying for your attention, but is there one that suits your body and pocket alike? Well, one of those famous, and comparatively easier ones is supposed to be a gluten-free diet.
The gluten-free diet is a dietary regime that caught up with celebrities both in Hollywood and Bollywood, and continues to make its presence felt with the masses (quite vigorously, in fact).
What is a gluten-free diet?
To understand its sustainability, we need to first know what the diet is.
- A gluten-free diet is a way of eating that avoids a protein called gluten.
- Gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, and rye, shapes grains and is common in foods like several types of bread, soups, pasta, cereals, sauces, and dressings.
- Protease enzymes break down gluten in the intestine. While most people tolerate undigested gluten, it poses problems for those who cannot.
- People follow a gluten-free diet if they have celiac disease or if they are sensitive to gluten. However, people who do not have any such concerns have also started opting for this diet.
What can you eat on a gluten-free diet?
If you are sensitive to gluten, it does not mean that your world has come to a standstill. Though it is recommended that you stay clear of pasta, bread and some cereals, there are always alternatives.
Bangaluru-based dietician Silky Mahajan, told India Today, “In a gluten-free diet, you can eat many naturally gluten-free foods like fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Grains and starches such as rice, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, and gluten-free oats are also allowed.
It’s important to check labels and avoid foods with gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, rye, and their derivatives. Using gluten-free options for bread, pasta, and other processed foods can help you keep a balanced diet.”
