Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDoes It Work for Weight Loss?Avoid Processed FoodsWatch Total CaloriesLow-Carb/Grain-Free/PaleoExercise
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Does It Work for Weight Loss?
Avoid Processed Foods
Watch Total Calories
Low-Carb/Grain-Free/Paleo
Exercise
However, it’s far from clear which of these factors is the most important It may be that a healthy diet and lots of physical activity are more important than eating gluten-free.
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Gluten Elimination and Weight Loss
There is debate about whether eliminating wheat andglutenhelps you lose weight more easily than simply dieting.
Somenutritionistssay that dropping gluten from your diet means limiting the number of available foods, which will lead to you consuming fewer calories overall. Others argue that wheat (and not just the gluten protein in wheat) actually augment your appetite, causing you to eat more.
Some healthcare providers believe that wheat contains appetite-stimulating compounds that encourage your body to produce moreinsulin, a hormone that can cause you to store fat. However, there’s no independent research to prove this claim.
Although there is some anecdotal evidence that eliminating wheat may help you lose weight, there hasn’t been any published research to show whether this is true.
The good news is, though, you can try several strategies that may maximize the results of your gluten-free weight loss efforts.
Can you lose weight on a gluten-free diet?There is limited evidence that a gluten-free diet can actually support weight loss. There is also some evidence that people with celiac disease may gain weight once they’ve adopted a gluten-free diet.
Can you lose weight on a gluten-free diet?
There is limited evidence that a gluten-free diet can actually support weight loss. There is also some evidence that people with celiac disease may gain weight once they’ve adopted a gluten-free diet.
Avoid Processed Gluten-Free Foods
Some grain-based gluten-free products like snacks, bread, pizza, cookies, and cakes actually have even higher calories than the wheat-based staples they’re replacing.
In addition, remember that “gluten-free” doesn’t means “calorie-free.” Eating more calories just because they’re found in gluten-free foods won’t help you lose weight.
Count the calories in gluten-free foods, because they count too, just like calories in non-gluten-free foods.
How to Get Rid of a Gluten Belly
Watch Your Total Calories
Going gluten-free tends to decrease your cravings and appetite overall (at least after your initial cravings for wheat-based treats have subsided), and a decreased appetite leads to fewer calories consumed.
To keep losing weight, you’ll need to start counting calories and try to stay within recommendations for your body.
Low-Carb, Grain-Free, or Paleo
Although it is controversial, a few advocates of using a wheat and gluten-free diet for weight loss believe a low-carb diet is best for weight loss. It isn’t just the wheat-based carbs that stimulate insulin production and make you hungry, the theory goes—it’sallthe carbs.
These diets limit high-carb foods like legumes and fruits and entirely eliminate gluten-free grain-based foods like cereals and bread, most snack foods (like gluten-free potato chips), and foods containing high-fructose corn syrup.
It’s possible to get the right nutritional when following a low-carb, gluten-free diet, but you do need to be careful of what you eat and choose healthy, nutrient-rich options.
The Paleo diet is still controversial. Some experts warn that you limit valuable vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients if you avoid foods like fruit, beans, and whole grain rice.
Is a gluten-free diet healthier?For those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, or conditions such as IBS, agluten-free diet offers benefits like improving nutritional intake and reducing pain. However, for the general population, there’s no proof that gluten-free diets help. On the contrary, there is some evidence that it may lead to nutritional deficiencies.Trying to adhere to the restrictions can also be a financial burden or create stress, which could negatively affect your overall health.
Is a gluten-free diet healthier?
For those with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, wheat allergies, or conditions such as IBS, agluten-free diet offers benefits like improving nutritional intake and reducing pain. However, for the general population, there’s no proof that gluten-free diets help. On the contrary, there is some evidence that it may lead to nutritional deficiencies.Trying to adhere to the restrictions can also be a financial burden or create stress, which could negatively affect your overall health.
Cutting the wheat and the gluten may help you lose weight, but if you want to accelerate your efforts, you will also need to exercise.
Exercise can help you build more muscle and lose fat, and muscle burns more calories, helping you lose even more fat.Don’t view your gluten-free diet as a replacement for exercise. Instead, make time for healthy physical activities.
Summary
A gluten-free diet is sometimes recommended for weight loss, however, these diets may work primarily because they encourage healthy eating and exercise, not necessarily because they are gluten-free.
If you decide to adopt a gluten-free diet for weight loss, avoid highly processed gluten-free foods and watch your calorie intake. Focus on getting plenty of exercise as well.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jones AL.The gluten-free diet: Fad or necessity?.Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(2):118-123. doi:10.2337/ds16-0022El Khoury D, Balfour-Ducharme S, Joye IJ.A review on the gluten-free diet: Technological and nutritional challenges.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1410. doi:10.3390/nu10101410Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diet review: Gluten-free for weight loss.Roszkowska A, Pawlicka M, Mroczek A, Bałabuszek K, Nieradko-Iwanicka B.Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a review.Medicina. 2019;55(6):222. doi:10.3390%2Fmedicina55060222Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;14(2):82-91.Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ.Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221Additional ReadingMarcason, W.Is There Evidence to Support the Claim that a Gluten-Free Diet Should Be Used for Weight Loss?Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2011 Nov;111(11):1786.Davis, William. Wheat Belly. Rodale Press, 2011.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jones AL.The gluten-free diet: Fad or necessity?.Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(2):118-123. doi:10.2337/ds16-0022El Khoury D, Balfour-Ducharme S, Joye IJ.A review on the gluten-free diet: Technological and nutritional challenges.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1410. doi:10.3390/nu10101410Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diet review: Gluten-free for weight loss.Roszkowska A, Pawlicka M, Mroczek A, Bałabuszek K, Nieradko-Iwanicka B.Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a review.Medicina. 2019;55(6):222. doi:10.3390%2Fmedicina55060222Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;14(2):82-91.Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ.Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221Additional ReadingMarcason, W.Is There Evidence to Support the Claim that a Gluten-Free Diet Should Be Used for Weight Loss?Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2011 Nov;111(11):1786.Davis, William. Wheat Belly. Rodale Press, 2011.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jones AL.The gluten-free diet: Fad or necessity?.Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(2):118-123. doi:10.2337/ds16-0022El Khoury D, Balfour-Ducharme S, Joye IJ.A review on the gluten-free diet: Technological and nutritional challenges.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1410. doi:10.3390/nu10101410Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diet review: Gluten-free for weight loss.Roszkowska A, Pawlicka M, Mroczek A, Bałabuszek K, Nieradko-Iwanicka B.Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a review.Medicina. 2019;55(6):222. doi:10.3390%2Fmedicina55060222Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;14(2):82-91.Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ.Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221
Jones AL.The gluten-free diet: Fad or necessity?.Diabetes Spectr. 2017;30(2):118-123. doi:10.2337/ds16-0022
El Khoury D, Balfour-Ducharme S, Joye IJ.A review on the gluten-free diet: Technological and nutritional challenges.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1410. doi:10.3390/nu10101410
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.Diet review: Gluten-free for weight loss.
Roszkowska A, Pawlicka M, Mroczek A, Bałabuszek K, Nieradko-Iwanicka B.Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a review.Medicina. 2019;55(6):222. doi:10.3390%2Fmedicina55060222
Niland B, Cash BD.Health benefits and adverse effects of a gluten-free diet in non-celiac disease patients.Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2018;14(2):82-91.
Miller T, Mull S, Aragon AA, Krieger J, Schoenfeld BJ.Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial.Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018;28(1):46-54. doi:10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0221
Marcason, W.Is There Evidence to Support the Claim that a Gluten-Free Diet Should Be Used for Weight Loss?Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2011 Nov;111(11):1786.Davis, William. Wheat Belly. Rodale Press, 2011.
Marcason, W.Is There Evidence to Support the Claim that a Gluten-Free Diet Should Be Used for Weight Loss?Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2011 Nov;111(11):1786.
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