Usually, an individual diets when they want to lose weight. When they want to get an envious silhouette or maybe want to fit into that perfect dress they have snuck under the closet.
But this blog will discuss the impact of a gluten-free diet and how it is a must for certain people. This also gives us another lesser-known perspective of a diet which is its occurrence in situations where individuals are forced to restrict themselves from eating certain foods.
Consuming them in any way could be life-threatening. This is especially true for those who are suffering from Celiac disease and its after-effects. To learn more, read this in detail.
What is gluten and what happens if someone with a gluten allergy eats it?
Gluten is a sticky substance found in dough. This could decide the elasticity of the bread made from wheat, barley, or rye. It is generally not harmful in any case but with celiac disease, the repercussions could be catastrophic.
For the unversed, Celiac disease is a disorder often known to be auto-immune which would attack the villi if the body ingests gluten. This is because it processes the gluten as a foreign body and starts attacking it.
If this exists for a long time, it could end up damaging the structures completely and the person cannot digest nutrients of any kind, gradually growing weak.
Though medications are available to manage the symptoms, the only way to cease it is by stopping eating gluten altogether. This means planning a careful gluten-free diet as below.
A beginner’s guide with a meal plan
This is a 5-day gluten-free meal plan.
Day-1
➡️ Breakfast
Gluten-free oatmeal bowl
Ingredients- 1 cup of rolled gluten-free oats, 11/2 cups of almond milk,½ cup mixed berries, 1 tablespoon of honey, and a sprinkle of chia seeds. Cook these oats in almond milk until it get creamy. They are often topped with mixed berries, honey, and chia seeds.
➡️Lunch
Grilled chicken salad
Ingredients-4 oz grilled chicken breast, mixed greens, cherry tomatoes ½ avocado, and olive oil. Grill the chicken breast with protein until fully cooked. Combine it with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, and olive oil.
➡️Dinner
Grilled salmon with quinoa
Ingredients- Salmon fillet without skin, I cup cooked quinoa, steamed vegetables(broccoli, bell peppers, carrots), lemon wedges. To make this assortment you need to lightly grill the salmon until cooked. Serve it with cooked quinoa and vegetables. Sprinkle a few drops of lemon wedges.
Day-2
➡️Breakfast
Green smoothie with 1 cup spinach, 1 banana, 1 tablespoon almond butter, and 1 cup coconut milk. Blend it well without residuals.
➡️Lunch
Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Sliced turkey should be filled with lettuce leaves, hummus, and a sliced bell pepper and cucumber.
➡️Dinner
Stir-fried tofu with brown rice
Ingredients-Tofu, 1 cooked brown rice,1 cup broccoli florets, 1 carrot sliced, 2 tablespoons with gluten-free soy sauce. All you have to do is stir-fry the tofu, broccoli, and sliced carrots and then add some gluten-free soy sauce to garnish it.
Day-3
➡️Breakfast
Greek yogurt parfait
Ingredients- 1 Granola bar, greek yogurt, honey, and fresh berries. Make it by layering all these ingredients to get the perfect gluten-free breakfast.
➡️Lunch
Lentil soup
This could be made by mixing vegetables and spices including lentils, soup, carrots, celery, and onions. You can always pair it up with gluten-free crackers.
➡️Dinner
Chicken curry
Prepare chicken using curry paste with gluten-free ingredients. It could be tasted with basmati rice or cauliflower rice. You could use bell peppers to garnish it.
Day-4
➡️Breakfast
Chia seed pudding
Mix chia seeds with almond milk and vanilla extract. You should top it off with mango and coconut shreds to add some taste.
➡️Lunch
Quinoa salad- To make this, you need to assort quinoa with vegetables and olives. People are also known to add feta cheese and lemon peel dressing.
➡️Dinner
Beef chili
Cook beef chili using ground beef, kidney beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and spices. Serve with gluten-free cornbread or tortilla chips.
Day-5
➡️Breakfast
Gluten-free toast- You could enjoy it by applying avocado paste elaborately on toast and eat with poached eggs, and a sprinkle of salt and sugar.
➡️Lunch
Chickpea salad-Mix chickpeas with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and lemon. Sprinkle it with parsley and olive oil.
➡️Dinner
Vegetable curry- You can make this using vegetables such as cauliflower, peas, and tofu. You could use basmati rice to mix it with and eat.
For the last two days, you could repeat the menu from the other two days. For snacking, eat fresh fruits, gluten-free rice cakes, mixed nuts, almond butter and vegetable sticks.
This plan is not comprehensive and can be modified according to your wishes. If you are on a diet then portion control should be your aim. Drinking fluids is also suggested.
Also Read: What Is A Good And Healthy Diet Plan? Crafting A Path To Wellness
Conclusion
This 5-day gluten-free meal is precise and can be used without fear. However, you should still not substitute it for the doctor’s advice including prescriptions. The medicines are often prescribed for some of the symptoms of celiac disease that make it unmanageable.
The main idea with the diseases is to not put pressure on the intestines which are crucial for the functions. Like all auto-immune diseases, it is not curable and the only way is to control the diet.
The residual symptoms could be vomiting or severe headache. In any case, you should not stop taking medicines. You should also consider that this plan suits you like it suits others.
If it doesn’t, don’t be afraid to change it as the individual perspective should be of utmost importance. Exercise is a good way to maintain your health.
However, you should be concentrating more on strength training as well as cardio. Both of these can strengthen your inner body and the muscles adjacent to it. The power of confidence and self-belief cannot be discounted either.
Manifesting good energy and vibes that the disease is not above you and can be controlled with proper lifestyle changes. Alcohol and smoking are injurious to health so shouldn’t be practiced either.
References:
- Barbaro, M. R., et al. (2018). Recent advances in understanding non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6182669/ - Vici, G., et al. (2016). Gluten free diet and nutrient deficiencies: A review [Abstract].
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27211234/ - Questions and answers on the gluten-free food labeling final rule. (2020).
https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/questions-and-answers-gluten-free-food-labeling-final-rule
