Gluten Free Tips for Nutrition Month
Celebrating Nutrition Month in March, we’d like to share some healthy tips for your gluten-free patients and clients. The gluten free diet has been perceived by many as unhealthy and lacking in nutrition. However, the gluten free diet can be healthy and can provide all the necessary nutrients if done the right way.
Here are some tips inspired by AND, but customized for your gluten free patients and clients.
*Source: https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/nutrition-myths-debunked-facebook/slide/4
- Eat Breakfast: Start your morning with a healthy breakfast that includes lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables.
Unprocessed protein, fruit, and veggies, and most dairy are naturally gluten free. It is the grains that need special attention when on the gluten free diet. Recommended gluten free grains that also can be used at breakfast time include gluten free certified oats and the new breakfast grain, quinoa. This grain is not only naturally gluten free but it also is the only plant-based source of complete protein.
- Watch Portion Sizes: Remember to use half of your plate for fruits and vegetables and the other half for grains and lean protein foods.
The same principle applies here. However, there’re other gluten free grains that can be incorporated into your gluten free patients’ or clients’ lunch and/or dinner. These include rice, corn, amaranth, millet, and buckwheat. People are often confused about buckwheat as it has “wheat” in its name. However, buckwheat is actually a plant that’s cultivated as a grain. Other good sources of gluten free starch alternative to gluten free grains include potatoes, beans, and lentils.
- Eat Fish at least 2 a week.
Fish and seafood are not only a great source of lean protein, healthy fats, and omega-3’s, but when unprocessed can be safely consumed on the gluten free diet.
- Detox and the Gluten Free Diet.
Detox diets have been trending for some time now. Many people believe they’re the magic solution to weight loss. However, studies are conflicting and do not confirm detox is the healthiest way to approach weight loss. There’re also many different definitions of detox. Although juice detox is most likely to be gluten free, most health professionals do not recommend staying on a juice diet for a prolong period of time.
Detox may also mean excluding processed foods, especially refined sugars, sodium, alcohol etc. Relying solely on fresh unprocessed lean protein, veggies and fruits, and gluten free whole starches may as well make a difference in your gluten free patients’ health and also contribute to weight loss, especially if combined with regular exercise.
- Relying on Facebook for diet advice: Some diet and nutrition information on Facebook is worthwhile, but the social media site is also littered with bad diet advice, and readers should research the source's credentials before following advice.* As this newsletter is exclusively designed for health professionals, it is very likely that you couldn’t agree more and have yourself cringed when reading some of the nutrition-related information available online and/or social media. This is why it is crucial for health professionals and manufacturers of specialty foods to stress the importance of consulting a certified health professional who specializes in food and nutrition when attempting a new diet or making any dietary changes, especially if those are recommended for health reasons.
*Source: https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/nutrition-myths-debunked-facebook/slide/4
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