Following a gluten-free diet does help you manage your weight better but it’s not that easy at first. Well, not all diets are that easy to follow, anyway and a gluten-free diet can be tough. Still, when you do get a hang of it, you will find that it’s easier to stick to it in the long run. However, most of us who follow a gluten-free diet end up making mistakes along the way. Well, if you want to try this one out, you need to avoid these common errors when following a gluten-free diet.
Thinking something is gluten-free
One of the most common mistakes that people do in this diet is that they assume some foods are gluten-free because they look the part. Well, before you do buy everything that you see that looks free from gluten, you should take the time to read the list of ingredients. You might be surprised to find that the ones you are buying are packed with gluten.
You don’t need the diet
If you don’t have celiac disease or intolerance, you don’t really need to follow this diet at all. Yes, you can lose weight when you follow this diet, since you are removing any processed foods from your diet, but this is highly recommended to those who have intolerance or are sensitive to gluten. When you skip eating gluten when you don’t really need to, you are at risk of missing on some vital nutrients that your body needs. This is why, if you don’t have intolerance, you are better off following other diets instead.
Hoarding packaged foods that are gluten-free
There is a common misconception that gluten-free packaged foods are good for you but when you look at them closely, you will find that they are high in oils that can trigger inflammation, sugar, soy and corn products that can be bad for you. It’s easy to grab this kind of packaged food especially when there is a sign that says “gluten-free” but you need to keep in mind that this is not always true.
Bingeing on processed foods
Yes, there are plenty of food options that no longer contain gluten but you might be surprised to find that in place of gluten, you have tons of sugar in them or even extra fat that can actually make you gain more weight. If you do have intolerance to gluten, instead of going for these new products, better go for whole foods instead as they are healthier for you.
Not familiar with cross contamination
Another mistake that most gluten-free diet followers make is that your food shouldn’t even touch anything that has gluten in it. Cross contamination can occur which means that you can actually ingest minute amounts of gluten. This can lead to inflammation, irritation, and the like. If you want to be successful in your gluten-free diet, make it a point to prepare your food in a proper environment. Avoid contamination at all cost and you’ll be safe.
You don’t understand food labels
If you are going to go on a gluten-free diet, it is important that you learn to read food labels as much as possible. This way, you will have a much better idea on which foods to avoid and which ones are good for you. It is important that you read up on what gluten is all about and what to look for when it comes to buying food.
These are just a few mistakes that most people make when going gluten-free. Learn them by heart and you’ll be able to stick with your gluten-free diet easily.
