Log in
The grain-free diet has typically been reserved for people with celiac disease because grains are a primary source for gluten. However, there are other types of gluten sensitivity, including simple intolerance to foods containing gluten. Gluten causes inflammation of the small intestines, and by reducing or eliminating grains—and gluten—from your diet can greatly relieve this discomfort.
There are two main groups of proteins in gluten: the gliadins and the glutenins. According to research,
“Gliadin is degraded to a collection of polypeptides (the building blocks of proteins) called exorphins in the digestive tract. Exorphins have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to certain areas to induce appetite and cause behavioral changes, such as loss of concentration or attention in some people and mental disturbance in others.”
According to other research,
“People who consume gliadin take in 400 more calories each day. People who remove gliadin from their diet reduce calorie intake by 400 calories each day.”
Moreover,
“Antibodies which are formed in reaction to gliadin are able to bind to nervous system cells. This can contribute to neurological impairment. It is also responsible for allergic responses.”
Gluten is not an ideal substance in general, so the grain-free diet can benefit more than those sensitive to gluten.
Low sugar fruits and some vegetables are great alternatives to grains. Some of them are avocados, bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, eggplant, lemons, leafy green vegetables such as lettuces, collards, spinach, broccoli, kale, chard, cabbage, onions, mushrooms, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, artichoke, alfalfa sprouts, green beans, celery, bok choy, radishes, watercress, turnip, asparagus, garlic, leek, fennel, shallots, scallions, ginger, jicama, parsley, water chestnuts. Fruits and vegetables have additional advantages to your health as well, such as detoxification.
There is also an extensive list of gluten-free fat and protein sources. These include extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, coconut oil, grass-fed tallow and organic or pasture-fed butter, ghee, almond milk, avocados, coconuts, olives, nuts and nut butter.
Proteins include whole eggs; wild fish like salmon, black cod, mahi-mahi, grouper, herring, trout, and sardines; shellfish and mollusks like shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, clams, and oysters; and grass-fed meat, fowl, poultry, and meet like beef, lamb, liver, bison, chicken, turkey, duck and ostrich.
It can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to cut out grains completely from our diet since grains are considered a staple food. But even a small reduction in your daily diet can have a significant impact on your health. Omit one grain product a day from your meals, and feel the difference!