Are you thinking about giving up grains for good? We gotchu. Heres everything you need to know about the grain-free diet. That includes a deep dive into the potential perks and possible problems.
Bonus: We also have a 3-day sample menu and a long list of all the foods you can and cant eat.
A grain-free diet is an eating pattern that excludes grains. These include:
BTW, pseudocereal grains like quinoa and buckwheat are technically seeds. So, a lot of folks who follow a grain-free diet avoid them, too.
Grain-free diets dont have a one-size-fits-all vibe. The specific dos and donts vary from person to person, so there isnt a lot of research to explain the exact perks.
But a small 2019 study showed that dietary patterns that dont include grains have some potential benefits. Heres the lowdown.
Eating refined carbs on the reg can have a negative effect on your health. Research shows that ultra-processed foods like refined grains can increase your risk of:
Also, cutting out grains that contain gluten (e.g. wheat, barley, rye, and triticale) might help reduce the symptoms of autoimmune diseases and IBS.
Refined grains are easily digested into simple sugars, which can cause blood-sugar spikes and quick crashes. So, eating less refined grains can keep your levels in check. This is extra important for folks who have diabetes, but anyone can benefit from better blood glucose regulation.
FYI: Just because you cut out grains doesnt mean youre in the clear. Its your overall diet quality and food choices that matter most when it comes to staying healthy and managing health conditions.
Going grain-free might improve your overall diet quality if your current diet is filled with a lot of processed foods. If you replace refined grains with more nutrient-dense foods, youll prob get more fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, and other important nutrients.
Also, a grain-free diet is free from gluten. So, it obvs will have benefits for folks who have celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).
A grain-free diet might help you hit your weight loss goals.
Generally, refined grains dont have a lot of nutritional value. On top of that, processed grain products are often filled with other not-so-healthy ingredients like refined sugars. None of these ingredients are great at keeping you feeling full and satiated.
So, replacing refined grains with more nutritious foods like proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds can help you feel fuller for longer.
Keep in mind that were talking about refined grains, not whole grains. Also, reducing your intake of refined carbs is great, but its not a weight-loss cure-all.
Like any diet that cuts out a lot of food options (were looking at you, keto) the grain-free diet has some downsides.
Cutting out grains might be beneficial for people who have health conditions like celiac disease, NCGS, and diabetes. But generally, cutting out all grains from your diet isnt necessary.
Eating whole grains and pseudograins like oats, brown rice, quinoa, and amaranth, as part of a balanced diet may actually help improve health and reduce the risk of certain conditions including:
Grains can also contain important nutrients like fiber and minerals including magnesium and zinc. This doesnt mean that a grain-free diet will always lack these nutrients. But you do have to replace these nutrients with other nutrient-dense grain-free foods.
Its also worth noting that a lot of grains in the United States are fortified or enriched with iron and folate. According to a 2021 research review, cutting out all grains can make it harder to hit your daily requirement of these vital nutrients.
When following a grain-free diet, its important to fill up on:
But these days, you can find loads of grain-free products in your local grocery store. You can also sub traditional grain products with tasty ingredients like:
Psst. Make sure to read nutrition and ingredients labels. Just because somethings grain-free doesnt mean its nutritious.
When on a grain-free diet, its important to avoid (surprise!) grains and grain-based products. These include:
PSA: You customize your grain-free diet based on your unique preferences. A lot of grain-free folks avoid pseudocereal grains like buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. Also, some people give up grains that contain gluten (e.g. wheat, barley, rye, triticale, farina, and spelt), but not gluten-free grains. Thats up to you, though.
Ready to eat? Heres an idea of what 3 days on a grain-free diet can look like.
Grain-free diets tend to be a lot more flexible than other restrictive diets. Sure, you have to cut out grains, but you can still eat a wide variety of other foods.
Meanwhile, diets like the paleo or Whole30 make you cut out grains along with many other foods like legumes and dairy. And as for keto, you can technically eat grains as long as you dont go over your daily net carb count.
Also, while a grain-free diet is gluten-free, its not the same thing as a gluten-free diet. Someone following a gluten-free diet doesnt have to exclude all grains because not all grains contain gluten.
A grain-free diet is a way of eating that excludes all grains and grain-based products like wheat, oats, and white flour. Some studies suggest cutting out refined grains from your diet might benefit your overall health. But we need more evidence to show how it stacks up to other types of diets.
P.S. If youre interested in going on the grain-free diet, you might want to hit up a registered dietitian. They can help you decide whether going grain-free is a good idea based on your health background.
See the original post here:
Grain Free Diet: Pros, Cons, and Approved Foods - Greatist
