Avoid Gluten For Fat Loss

It’s interesting how most people in Britain seem to think that the only viable option for lunch is a sandwich. To me that sounds like serious lack of imagination covered by the usual excuse: “I’m too busy.” Possibly it’s alsobecause people don’t realise what the gluten in wheat products do to their bodies and long-term health.

Finally we have some scientific evidence to confirm what physique competitors and well-rounded fitness professionals have known for years – you can lose fat by eliminating gluten from your diet. Going gluten-free can benefit everyone, and not just people with celiac disease and wheat intolerances.

New Scientific Study Links Gluten With Body Fat Gain

Here’s what has been found by a recent study from a Brazilian research team that published a report in the January 2013 Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry:

Researchers fed two groups of mice a high-fat diet in order to induce fat gain, but one group was gluten-free and the other ate 4.5 percent gluten in their diet. Results showed that the gluten-free animals had lower body fat, less belly fat, less inflammation, and better insulin sensitivity and blood sugar tolerance.

They concluded that the weight gain associated with wheat consumption has little to do with caloric content. Gluten disrupts hormonal processes within the body, as well as directly modulates nuclear gene expression to alter metabolism in the direction of weight gain.

Why Is Gluten Causing This Havoc In Your Body?

We have never had adequate stomach enzymes necessary to break gluten down so that it can be properly digested.  This has been made much worse by the genetic engineering of wheat over the last 100 years. According to a new study analysis published in BMC Medicine, the amount of gluten in the wheat of today has increased to 14 percent from only 4 percent a century ago. Unsurprisingly, the rates of gluten intolerance have increased 4-fold over the last 50 years. There is also evidence suggesting that just because you aren’t born with a sensitivity to gluten doesn’t mean you won’t become gluten intolerant.

What To Do?

- Avoid all wheat products e.g. bread, cookies, crackers, pizza, pasta, spelt, couscous etc.

- Avoid processed gluten-free foods in favor of whole foods that are naturally gluten free. Avoid eating gluten-free substitutes such as bread and pasta because these foods are processed, often nutritionally empty, and still high in blood sugar-elevating simple carbs.

- If you’re going to cook with flour, use coconut, pea, quinoa, or flaxseed flour (all gluten-free).

- Plan you diet around high-quality protein from whole foods sources such as wild and grass-fed meats, fish and eggs. Also add some beans, nuts, and seeds.

- Eat a wide variety of vegetables, especially leafy greens, and fruit like berries, grapefruit, kiwi etc.

- Always think ahead when planning your meals and snacks. Obviously, you aren’t going to be able to rely on getting food without some effort if you are trying to avoid gluten. Make the right choices when you’re on the go e.g. grab some chicken breast slices from a supermarket instead of getting a sandwich.