Gluten-free diets have been all the craze lately, and this diet has indeed made its stamp in the health and nutrition world. The gluten free diet is not going anywhere anytime soon; you can be certain of that!

Whether you have been eating gluten free, or your thinking about starting a gluten free diet, there may be things you don’t necessarily know about this diet.

While it’s obvious that a gluten-free diet means eating gluten free, there is more to this diet than that.

We are going to discuss what a gluten free diet is as well as all the ways this diet may be able to benefit your health, let’s get started!

What can you Eat on a Gluten Free Diet?

The first and the most important thing most people want to know about what a gluten-free diet is all about is what you can eat while avoiding gluten.

Food is essential to life, and we want to enjoy foods that taste good while also fueling out bodies right, and a gluten-free diet may just be able to do the trick.

Before we get into the health benefits of this diet, let’s take a look at what you can eat.

Of course, a gluten-free diet means avoiding all sources of gluten, but you may be surprised to find out that you still have plenty of food options even when gluten is off the table.

Let’s begin with the naturally gluten free foods. There are countless different foods that are naturally gluten-free that are outstanding for your health.

Here are a list of some of the safe gluten free foods you can include in your diet when going gluten-free.

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts
• Legumes
• Potatoes
• Eggs
• Meats
• Fish
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Corn
• Buckwheat
• Flax
• Soy
• Cassava
• Millet

What Does a Gluten-Free Diet Consist of?

While there are too many gluten free foods to name, a gluten free diet primarily consists of unprocessed foods If you do this diet the right way.

If you go gluten free, and you are loading your diet up with processed and packaged foods that are labeled gluten-free, this doesn’t mean these foods are any healthier for you than their gluten-containing counterparts.

However, if you go gluten free and you do it the right way, a gluten-free diet can be excellent for your health.

Why? Well because many of the processed foods today contain gluten, and are packaged store bought products.

Take for example cookies, crackers, and cakes. These foods are all packed with gluten, refined flours, and damaged fats.

When you go gluten-free, you eliminate these products. Just be sure not to get stuck in the trap of thinking that just because it says gluten free, it’s healthy.

Do your health a favor, and focus on the foods that are naturally gluten-free, free from artificial ingredients.

Go with foods that have very minimal ingredients, and foods that don’t even have food labels such as fruits, and veggies.

If you focus on the whole foods, you will naturally phase gluten out of your diet, and do your body a massive favor.

What Not to Eat on a Gluten Free Diet?

So we now know what you can eat on a gluten-free diet, but what about what you cannot eat.

As I mentioned if you focus on naturally gluten-free foods, you will not run into any issues, and you will have endless food options. However, not all foods are naturally gluten-free, so it’s important to know what contains gluten and what does not.

Here are some of the foods to stay away from when on a gluten-free diet:

• Wheat
• Malt
• Rye
• Barley
• Oats (If not labeled gluten free)
• Spelt
• Kamut
• Matzo
• Cake flour
• Durum
• Semolina
• Couscous
• Cereal
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Muffins
• Crackers
• Pretzels
• Pasta
• Licorice

What are the Benefits of a Gluten Free Diet?

When you go gluten-free, you’re doing it for a reason and most of the time that’s to reap the wonderful health benefits this diet is known to have.

While the gluten-free diet is still being researched for various other health benefits this diet may hold, here are some of the ways gluten free eating may be able to benefit your health.

• Reduced brain fog
• Improved digestion
• Possible weight loss from giving up processed carbohydrates
• You may discover a taste for healthy and delicious gluten-free grains, and you may even find you get more fruits and vegetables into your diet.
• You may even give your body an antioxidant boost! When you skip out on those processed and artificial snacks, you are likely to replace those with healthier options such as nuts, seeds, and fruits. By doing so, you are boosting your antioxidant intake and fighting off free radicals in the body, way to go!

Anyone can go on a gluten free diet; this diet is not just for those who suffer from celiac disease.

Gluten sensitivity is on the rise, and people are starting to have a harder time digesting wheat and gluten containing products than ever before.

This is leading to an increased demand in gluten-free foods being offered in restaurants, and grocery stores.

If you suspect you may have a gluten sensitivity, and you want to attempt a gluten free diet, if done right there is a good chance this diet may have some awesome health benefits.

Just remember to stick to whole and natural foods, and ditch the artificial and processed gluten free foods items. These foods are just as bad as the gluten containing box of cookies sitting on the shelf.

Be cautious of the sugar content as well, and you should be on your way to enjoying a gluten free diet in no time.