A gluten-free diet is a healthy food in which all gluten-containing foods are excluded from the diet. The diet is indicated for diseases of the endocrine and nervous systems, as well as for pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
Gluten (gluten) is a complex of plant proteins (prolamins, glutenins) found in cereals such as wheat, oats, rye and so on.
Who is the diet suitable for?
Using a gluten-free diet is a prerequisite for treating diseases such as:
- celiac disease;
- glutenin intolerance (in severe and atypical forms);
- irritable bowel syndrome;
- autism, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis;
- anemia in children under 3 years of age.
The use of gluten-containing foods for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and neurological pathologies can lead to the following consequences:
- It causes chronic inflammation of the small intestine as a result of the entry of pathogenic bacteria and toxins into the bloodstream.
- Disrupts the balance of the intestinal microflora and leads to increased reproduction of pathogenic bacteria.
- It impairs digestive processes as a result of the adhesion of villi to the walls of the small intestine, which are designed to digest and assimilate proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
- It causes autoimmune diseases because the immune system releases antibodies against gluten molecules, which attack not only the gastrointestinal tract, but also gluten-like proteins in the cells of the thyroid gland, heart and nervous system. This is how autoimmune thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, dermatitis, infertility, and early menopause occur.
The presence of foods containing gluten in the diet is manifested by constant fecal disturbances (constipation, diarrhea), flatulence, frequent edema, caries, as well as the appearance of ulcers in the oral mucosa and constant skin rashes.
In most cases, gluten intolerance causes iron deficiency anemia, which manifests itself as constant fatigue, brittle nails, hair loss and weight loss.
List of allowed and prohibited products
To maintain a gluten-free diet, two food categories are excluded from the diet: with too much gluten in the composition (eg wheat bread) and with hidden gluten (eg mayonnaise, ketchup, etc. ).
On a gluten-free diet, the following foods are excluded from the diet:
- cereals, namely wheat, rye, oats, barley;
- products derived from the flour of these cereals, including bread, lavash, cakes, biscuits, grain bread;
- cereals (oats, rolled oats, bulgur, pearl barley);
- bran of these cereals;
- products with a small amount of wheat flour in the composition (bouillon cubes, soy sauce, buckwheat noodles, sausages and preserves, crab sticks, mayonnaise, ketchup, tea bags, yogurt, ice cream);
- chocolates, store jams, caramel;
- kvass, beer and other alcoholic beverages made from cereals;
- coffee with flavors and additives, decaffeinated coffee;
- products with "trace of gluten" due to production, namely table vinegar, food starch, semolina, some types of cheese, dry seasoning and spices, etc.
Due to the presence of hidden gluten in food, the diet will not be effective as the inflammatory processes in the intestine do not stop even with a negligible amount of gluten in the food. It is necessary to carefully study the composition of the product in the package. Some manufacturers label their labels as "Contains traces of gluten".
If you are on a gluten-free diet, you can include gluten-free foods in your diet, namely:
- vegetables and fruits;
- pulses, soybeans;
- buckwheat, sorghum, quinoa, flax, rice;
- domestically produced milk and dairy products;
- meat and fish;
- Seafood;
- vegetable and animal fats;
- yeast, spices, soy sauce.
Weekly gluten free diet menu
A sample menu for a week should consist of 4 or 5 meals every 2-3 hours. A gluten-free diet can consist of cereal, vegetable, meat and cottage cheese dishes, and fruits and berries are used as snacks.
Monday
- Breakfast: cottage cheese with banana and berries, tea;
- Lunch: buckwheat soup with meatballs, pilaf, tomato salad;
- Afternoon snack: apple, 25 grams of walnuts;
- Dinner: chop with vegetable salad.
third
- Breakfast: rice porridge, coffee with soy milk;
- Lunch: broccoli puree soup, gluten-free pork dumplings;
- Afternoon snack: banana, 5 pieces of almond;
- Dinner: cottage cheese casserole with berries.
Wednesday
- Breakfast: cream cheese and banana cream cheese pancakes, cocoa in almond milk;
- Lunch: tomato soup, meatballs in broth, vegetable salad;
- Afternoon snack: 3 tangerines, pumpkin seeds;
- Dinner: roast duck, fresh vegetable salad.
Thursday
- Breakfast: omelet with herbs and cheese, tea;
- Lunch: Rice soup with meatballs, gluten-free bread, baked fish with broccoli;
- Afternoon snack: 150 grams of raspberries, walnuts;
- Dinner: cheesecake with banana, sour cream.
Friday
- Breakfast: corn tortillas with banana puree, jam;
- Lunch: fish soup, vegetable stew, roast chicken with spices;
- Afternoon snack: fruit puree with homemade yogurt;
- Dinner: cottage cheese casserole and wild berry sauce.
Saturday
- Breakfast: pumpkin porridge, coffee;
- Lunch: borscht, veal cabbage rolls, green salad;
- Afternoon snack: assorted fruits;
- Dinner: cottage cheese with honey.
Sunday
- Breakfast: hummus with carrots and peppers, tea;
- Lunch: okroshka with homemade kefir, fish casserole, salad;
- Afternoon snack: strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries;
- Dinner: French meat, pepper and tomato salad.
for a child
A gluten-free diet is mandatory for children with celiac disease, autism and gastrointestinal illnesses. For additional indications (eg, iron deficiency anemia and other nutrient absorption disorders), a gluten-free diet is prescribed for children under 3 years of age.
Gluten-free foods for children can be not only healthy but also tasty, since despite the exclusion of a number of flour and cereal products, many vegetables, fruits, meats and fish dishes remain in the child's diet.
Children's sample menu for 3 days:
Day 1
- Breakfast: omelet with rice porridge, banana;
- Lunch: Cheesecakes with fruit topping, jam;
- Lunch: borscht with cream and gluten free croutons, dried fruit jams;
- Afternoon snack: chicken meatballs, fresh vegetable salad;
- Dinner: homemade cakes with honey, milk.
Day 2
- Breakfast: sweet rice casserole with banana and strawberries;
- Lunch: homemade pasta, jam;
- Lunch: buckwheat soup with meatballs, fruit jam;
- Afternoon snack: fruit;
- Dinner: cottage cheese with nuts and honey.
Day 3
- Breakfast: millet porridge with pumpkin, jam;
- Lunch: berry jam, gluten-free muffins;
- Lunch: soup with broccoli, zucchini and potato with herbs, stew, apple;
- Afternoon snack: cream cheese casserole with orange, jam;
- Dinner: minced meat and rice meatballs, homemade tomato juice.
An important condition for proper digestion and movement of food through the gastrointestinal tract during a gluten-free diet is the use of vegetable fiber from fruits, vegetables and cereals.
slimming
Weight loss on a gluten-free diet occurs by eliminating gluten-containing fast carbohydrates from the diet. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the caloric content of the products.
A gluten-free weight-loss diet will help reduce weight by 2-3 kilograms per week, as long as the ideal daily caloric intake is ideal, there are no excesses and the following principles are observed:
- eat food 4 times a day without snacks;
- drink 1, 5-2 liters of water a day;
- there is a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables and dairy products;
- limit the use of cereals to 200 grams (raw) and high-calorie nuts to 25 grams per day;
- exclude the use of sugar, pure fructose and any sugar substitutes, as all of these products cause increased appetite;
- do not eat 3 hours before bedtime.
After completing the diet, limit the use of baked goods, sweets and sugary soft drinks, as sugar and white flour lead to rapid weight gain.
delicious recipes
The gluten-free food menu, as a rule, consists of meat, vegetable and dairy dishes. To expand your diet, you can use gluten-free recipes and baked goods using a variety of gluten-free flours.
Chicken breast meatballs with mashed potatoes
Cooking requires 1-2 chicken breasts, salt, black pepper, oil for frying, 0. 5 kg of potatoes, 50 grams of sour cream for seasoning.
Peel the potatoes, add water, salt and boil until tender. At this time, the breast must be washed, cut into thin slices by the fibers, beat each piece on both sides, salt and pepper.
Drain the water from the pan with the ready potatoes, add the cream and blend in a blender. Put the mashed potatoes on the plates, sprinkle with dill and start cooking the chops.
Cutlets are cooked in a hot skillet with butter, frying the meat on both sides for 2-4 minutes. It is important not to dry the meat as the chops will be dry and hard.
Chicken meatballs are placed on the plate immediately after being cooked and served.
Rice flour sponge cake in a crockpot
To prepare a biscuit, you will need 6 eggs, 180 grams of sugar, 150 grams of rice flour, vanillin, lemon zest, butter or vegetable oil for lubrication.
First, separate the whites from the yolks and intensely beat the yolks with the sugar and vanilla for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture doubles in volume. Then, in a separate bowl, the whites are dropped for 8 to 10 minutes into a dense foam. Then the lemon zest and rice flour are added to the yolks and mixed well with a spoon. Gradually, proteins are introduced into the dough until the dough becomes homogeneous.
A bowl for a multicooker is greased with oil, the dough is poured and put into cooking mode for 40-50 minutes, depending on the multicooker model. Check the readiness of the biscuit with a match.
Gluten free cornmeal muffins
To make muffins, you need 170 grams of corn flour, 90 grams of cornstarch, three eggs, 100 ml of milk, 100 grams of butter, 150 grams of sugar, a tablespoon of baking powder and vanillin.
First you need to mix the dry ingredients: flour, starch, yeast. Then, in a separate bowl, you need to drop the eggs, sugar and vanillin until the sugar dissolves and the foam appears, add the softened butter, warm milk and beat again. Then you must mix all ingredients until smooth and pour into shapes.
Muffins are baked in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes.
For a gluten-free diet to be effective, it is necessary to completely eliminate prohibited foods and adhere to dietary principles throughout life.