You may have heard all the buzz lately about eating wheat-free or you may have possibly been told by a healthcare professional that a wheat-free diet is recommended for you.
So what are the benefits of eliminating this well known grain? There are several and they may vary by person depending on your own body and your level of intolerance for wheat-based products. These are some of the most common benefits…
1. Lose weight.
Not all people lose weight when they eliminate wheat and gluten from their diets but it is definitely a side-benefit for many. Eliminating wheat often means cutting out many processed and fatty foods and instead focusing on a more whole food diet. That in itself tends to lead to weight loss and overall better health.
If you really start reading labels and learning what contains wheat products, you will find yourself turning to healthier choices and probably doing more cooking. Although this can take extra time, it can also mean a far healthier diet.
2. Have less joint pain.
Unfortunately over the years wheat has been tampered with so much in order to keep it strong and resistant to natural disasters that it now can have some disastrous effects on our digestive system.
The new wheat hybrid that we all eat today contains a compound called lectins. The lectins help the wheat fight off foreign bacteria and fungus and keep farmers from losing their crops. However the large amount of lectins will do the same thing in our digestive tract which ends up causing inflammation.
The majority of people can tolerate eating some of the new hybrid wheat but when you start eating it daily, your digestive tract becomes inflamed. Among other things, this can cause all kinds of aches and pains in your joints. Eating less wheat, means you will have less lectins to deal with and very possibly less joint pain.
3. Absorb more nutrients.
Products made with processed wheat and refined wheat flour have been stripped of beneficial nutrients. Therefore when you eat a diet high in processed wheat, you may be greatly lacking in those nutrients.
Eliminating wheat and eating more whole foods such as rice, quinoa, vegetables, meat, fish, oats, millet, etc. will mean better nutrient absorption and a healthier body.
4. Keep your GI index down.
GI stands for Glycemic Index. It is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels.
High GI foods break down fast during the digestion process and consequently release glucose very quickly into the bloodstream. When that happens, the pancreas gets triggered to quickly produce high amounts of insulin.
Constant high insulin levels in the body have been associated with type 2 diabetes, weight gain, cardiovascular disease, cancer and gall bladder disease.
Eliminating processed wheat from your diet which has a high GI index, can help to keep your blood sugar levels down.
5. Have more energy.
One of the biggest benefits that I have enjoyed from eliminating wheat products from my daily diet is that I have far more energy.
When your digestive system is taxed and working overtime to try and deal with the lectins, your energy will drop dramatically.
Besides a possible sore stomach, bloating and overall feeling of ‘yuckiness’, you will find your energy level drops to almost nil. At least that is what happened to me.
When I was eating processed wheat on a daily basis, I had such a low energy level that after my meals I could barely move. After eliminating wheat and cleaning up my diet, I had my normal energy level back.
For me, that was enough of a reason in itself to cut out wheat-based foods. No energy can be very depressing. Life is far more rewarding when you have the energy to enjoy it.
See our wheat-free recipes for some delicious alternatives to wheat-based foods.
