These days people are obsessed with the idea of being fit and eating only what benefits their health. Well, it is not something that one should not be doing; having the proper diet is essential for keeping your health in a perfect state, especially for people diagnosed with some disease like diabetes or heart disease. Having a good diet and workout routines keeps us far from difficult conditions. And since people are following their workout routine so actively, something has taken an important place in their lives, the Gluten-free diet.
The demand for gluten-free food is so high that there might not be one grocery store that does not provide gluten-free food items like bread, pasta, pizza, cookies, ice cream, crackers, and whatnot. But since we were discussing people diagnosed with the disease, let us take it a little further. If people with diabetes are advised to follow a workout routine, are they also recommended to have a gluten-free diet with a set diabetes management plan? Let us find out, but first, let us look at what exactly it is Gluten.
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What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and oat starting from the very basics. So, the food containing gluten is pasta, white bread, crackers, cookies, cereal, and not just, but gluten is also hidden in some food like soy sauce, canned soup, some chocolates, and salad dressings, and some more.
People might take Gluten as some source of bad carbohydrates or fat, but the exciting part is that the food containing starchy fats and carbohydrates is naturally gluten-free, like rice, potatoes, corn, etc. Fruits, vegetables, and fresh meats are also Gluten-free.
People prefer to avoid taking Gluten because the food containing gluten is high in carbohydrates which further leads to rising blood glucose levels. The reason behind this is that Gluten is found in grains. But another exciting part is that Gluten itself does not impact your blood glucose level.
Being unaware of this fact, people do not understand that gluten-free foods that do contain carbohydrates will have the same impact on your blood glucose as carbs-containing foods that do contain Gluten. So, it is more about the foods containing carbs and not about whether the food is gluten-free.
Now that you have understood what Gluten is and how it may affect us, let us come back to people with diabetes and if they should take the same diet or not.
Diabetes and Gluten-Free Diet
It is often assumed that Gluten is not safe for people with diabetes since even those people who are not diagnosed with it are avoiding it. But the truth is Gluten is safe for diabetic people. It is just that many foods that contain Gluten also contain carbohydrates and sugars and such type of food is not suitable for diabetic people. Such types of food like white bread, cookies, etc., directly impact blood sugar levels. And this is the reason that people with diabetes are advised to avoid such types of food with high sugars and carbohydrates and not the ones with Gluten specifically.
But people should keep in mind that foods that do contain Gluten also contain sugars, carbohydrates, and some calories; therefore, they can be dangerous to your health.
Let us discuss it briefly for people with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes and Gluten-Free Diet
It is an undeniable fact that there is no robust evidence that a gluten-free diet is advantageous for people with type 2 diabetes.
But this also does not mean that a gluten-free diet is harmful to people with type 2 diabetes; the reason behind this is that some studies prove- a gluten-free diet reduces the risk of obesity and even type 2 diabetes. But more evidence and research are needed to put all our faith in this.
And it is also true that no doctor suggests their patients with type 2 diabetes not to have a gluten-free diet.
Usually, it is only advised for people with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to avoid Gluten. In this case, people experience significant problems when eating gluten-free food. But if that is not the case with you, there is no point in avoiding Gluten.
Not avoiding Gluten unless you are sensitive to it is a misconception. A gluten-free diet is not recommended for weight loss. This is where people lack knowledge. What is the difference between avoiding sugary food and starchy food and food with carbohydrates? A gluten-free diet is majorly focused on healing the intestines, so in this way, our body can consume all the essential nutrients and salts needed by it. Because as discussed before, Gluten is nothing but a form of protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and other foods.
Let us now look at some gluten-free foods that people with type 2 diabetes can opt for.
Gluten-Free Food for People with Type 2 Diabetes
When you start with a gluten-free diet plan, you may find out that gluten-free food has too many limitations. But when you take your time. You will know that there is a wide variety of gluten-free food that you can consume.
While planning a gluten-free meal, it helps you and your body get all the essential nutrients required by your body. Especially when you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is always advised to have a strict diet and workout routine to keep your body healthy.
Here is a list of gluten-free food that people with type-2 diabetes can consume:
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Nuts, olive oil, avocado
- Greek yogurt
- Cheeses
- Gluten-free grains, buckwheat
- Beverages with zero sugar and calories
- Legumes
- Peanut butter
- Beans
- Hummus
- Quinoa
- Unsweetened fruits
- Fish
- Beef
- Pork
These are just a few; there is a long list of gluten-free foods for people with type 2 diabetes. Especially when there’s so much demand.
Research has proven that gluten-free diets are helpful for diabetes control. Hence, only people with gluten sensitivity do not have to consume gluten-free food. It is not rigorous for anyone. And you are allowed to consume all kinds of foods that suit you and your body.
