Popular amongst celebrities for weight loss and athletes for improved performance, gluten-free diets have gained a lot of fame in the last few years. For someone who has celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), a gluten-free diet is either a necessity or a preferred choice.
But what exactly is a gluten-free diet, you might ask? Gluten is a protein found in as all varieties of wheat, barley, rye, and a cross between wheat and rye called triticale. A gluten-free diet involves excluding these foods. A gluten-free diet is followed by people who want to manage the symptoms of celiac disease, NCGS, or has a wheat allergy. However, it has gained popularity amongst people without gluten-related medical conditions.
Now that we know what a gluten-free diet is, the next and most obvious question is what all can a person eat while following this diet?
Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, Sheela Krishnaswamy talks about 3 foods that make for a great addition to the diet, if you plan on going gluten-free in the near future.
Almonds
Gluten-free and guilt-free, start your day right by including almonds in your breakfast, or as a snack during the day. Almonds are available in many different forms, all of which make an excellent and nutritious addition to the gluten-free diet: whole natural almonds, roasted almonds, and flavored almonds. Just a handful of these power-packed nuts may help you in your journey towards overall good health. As per a recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who consumed 43 grams of dry, roasted, lightly salted almonds every day experienced reduced hunger and improved dietary vitamin E and monounsaturated (“good”) fat intake without increasing body weight. Almonds may lower total and LDL cholesterol when included in a healthy diet and reduce levels of heart-damaging inflammation7. Almonds can also help lower the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods that they are eaten with, which affects fasting insulin levels.
Maize (Corn)
High in fiber, corn has a rich source of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that act as antioxidants. Maize is one of the gluten-free cereals that is consumed across the globe. Studies have reported maize to be a good source of carotenoids and polyphenols and the consumption of these antioxidants is associated with a lower risk of various degenerative diseases. Additionally, the carotenoid lutein can benefit eye health by decreasing the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss in older adults11. There are numerous ways to eat corn: it can be grilled, boiled, or roasted for a healthy side dish to a well-balanced meal. In North India, maize flour is used to make Rotis (makki ki roti).
Rajma (Kidney beans)
Composed of primarily carbohydrates and fibre, rajma is also a good source of protein; more importantly, they are gluten-free! They provide fiber, protein, carbohydrate, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorous. Kidney beans are naturally low in fat, are practically free of saturated fat, and because they are plant foods, they are cholesterol-free as well. Along with being a highly nutritious food, kidney beans can play an important role in the prevention of weight gain, constipation, and management of blood sugar levels.
