How to Start a Gluten-Free Lifestyle | A Thorough Explanation of the Benefits and Tips for Continuing
What is gluten?
The true nature of gluten
Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley, and rye . This protein gives the dough elasticity and stickiness when water is added to flour and kneaded. Gluten is what gives bread, pasta, and pizza dough its chewy texture and makes it difficult to tear .
Gluten is found primarily in foods made from wheat flour. Specific examples include bread, udon, pasta, ramen, gyoza wrappers, shumai wrappers, pizza, cakes, cookies, and donuts. Gluten is also widely used in processed foods, and is often found in paste products such as ham, sausage, kamaboko, and hanpen, as well as in roux, dressings, and curry . In this way, gluten can be said to be a protein deeply ingrained in our diet.
Health risks posed by gluten
prone to indigestion
Gluten is a protein that is difficult to digest, so it is said to easily cause indigestion . Consuming a lot of gluten can cause digestive symptoms such as stomach upset, heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Gluten can damage the mucous membrane of the small intestine and inhibit nutrient absorption, so caution is required. For people with an autoimmune disease called celiac disease, gluten intake can cause severe symptoms, making complete gluten elimination necessary.
Cool the body
In traditional Chinese medicine, wheat, which is high in gluten , is considered a "cold food." It is believed that consuming too much of foods that cool the body can slow down metabolism and cause swelling, stiff shoulders, and sensitivity to cold. Sensitivity to cold and swelling are particularly common complaints among menopausal women. Excessive gluten intake may be causing sensitivity to cold and worsening swelling.
Causes a sudden rise in blood sugar levels
Refined wheat flour, which is high in gluten, has the effect of rapidly raising blood sugar levels . Refined wheat flour is made by removing the nutritious outer layer and germ from the original grain, leaving mainly carbohydrates. Wheat flour in this state is quickly digested and absorbed in the body, causing blood sugar levels to rise quickly after eating and promoting insulin secretion.
If high blood sugar levels persist, excessive insulin secretion will lead to the accumulation of blood sugar as fat . On the other hand, whole grains such as brown rice are rich in dietary fiber and are digested slowly, so blood sugar levels rise gradually. Excessive consumption of refined wheat flour may increase the risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome, so caution is advised.
Benefits and Examples of Gluten-Free Living
The benefits of gluten-free
The biggest benefit of going gluten-free is that it improves digestive problems . Gluten is a protein that is difficult to digest, so consuming large amounts can cause digestive symptoms such as stomach upset, heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation.
Avoiding gluten will help alleviate these unpleasant symptoms and allow you to live a comfortable daily life . Avoiding gluten will also naturally reduce your intake of refined flour and instead encourage you to choose more nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. As a result, the quality of your diet will improve, as will your physical condition and skin condition.
Gluten-free health benefits
Living a gluten-free lifestyle can bring about the following health benefits:
- Improves digestive disorders (heavy stomach, heartburn, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, etc.)
- Relief of general symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and joint pain
- Improves skin problems such as rough skin and eczema
- Eliminates swelling and chills
- Increased energy levels
- Concentration and mood stability
- Weight and body fat loss
- Improves symptoms of autoimmune diseases
Going gluten-free is especially essential for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, as completely eliminating gluten can prevent damage to the small intestine and significantly improve health.
Celebrity Success Stories
Many celebrities around the world are practicing a gluten-free lifestyle. Tennis player Novak Djokovic says that his performance improved significantly after switching to a gluten-free diet . Actress Gwyneth Paltrow also started going gluten-free after experiencing health issues, and says that her physical condition and skin condition have improved .
In Japan, actress Masami Nagasawa has revealed that she has experienced the benefits of a gluten-free diet and is now avoiding it for the sake of beauty and health. In this way, gluten-free diets are gaining attention as a health method practiced by celebrities all over the world .
Who is gluten-free recommended for?
Living a gluten-free lifestyle may be worth a try if you:
- People diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance
- People suffering from chronic digestive problems
- People with allergies or autoimmune diseases
- People with general symptoms such as headache, fatigue, or joint pain
- People who suffer from skin problems such as rough skin or eczema
- People who suffer from swelling or cold
- People seeking focus and mood stability
- People who want to lose weight or improve their physical condition
However, going gluten-free is not a one-size- fits-all solution. It varies from person to person, so it may not be effective for everyone. It's also difficult to completely avoid gluten-containing foods, and there are nutritional risks involved. Before starting a gluten-free diet, it's important to consult with a doctor or nutritionist to find a method that's right for you . It's recommended to start with a short-term trial and observe any changes in your physical condition.
How to start a gluten-free lifestyle
First, try cutting out wheat flour.
To start a gluten-free lifestyle, start by reducing your intake of wheat flour. Simply cutting out foods made with wheat flour, such as bread, pasta, and noodles, from your daily diet can significantly reduce your gluten intake. However, it may be difficult to completely eliminate gluten all at once. Therefore, try taking the following steps.
Aim to continue for 14 days
To see the benefits of going gluten-free, you need to continue for at least two weeks. Try continuing your wheat flour-free diet for one week at first, and preferably two weeks. During this period, it's a good idea to keep a record of any changes in your physical condition. You should be able to see changes in your body, such as improved digestive problems and improved skin condition. If you can continue for two weeks, then gradually adjust your wheat flour intake. If going completely gluten-free is difficult, it's important to continue within a reasonable range, such as by setting aside a few gluten-free days a week.
Japanese cuisine centered around rice is great.
When considering a gluten-free diet, Japanese cuisine is highly recommended. Japanese cuisine is originally a rice-based diet, and is characterized by the fact that many dishes do not use wheat flour. Japanese cuisine also has excellent nutritional balance, as it incorporates many vegetables, fish, and soy products. When starting a gluten-free diet, try to focus on a Japanese-style diet first. [Examples of Japanese cuisine] - Rice - Miso soup - Grilled fish - Simmered dishes - Salted dishes - Tofu dishes If you crave Western food, try using gluten-free alternatives.
How to Choose Gluten-Free Foods
To live a gluten-free lifestyle, it is important to make good use of commercially available gluten-free foods. In recent years, due to the gluten-free boom, gluten-free foods are becoming more and more available in supermarkets and online shops.
There are many products on the market that use rice flour or multigrain flour instead of wheat flour, such as bread, pasta, and cookies. When choosing gluten-free foods, keep the following points in mind:
- Check the ingredients to make sure they are wheat-free
- Choose products that are labeled "gluten-free"
- Choose products that use wheat flour substitutes such as rice flour, multigrain flour, and nut flour.
- Choose ingredients that are as simple as possible
- Choose foods with fewer additives and unnecessary processing.
Also, gluten-free foods are often relatively expensive, so consider making them yourself. Using rice flour, buckwheat flour, coconut flour, etc., you can make homemade gluten-free bread, cookies, cakes, and more. There are many gluten-free recipes available online, so it's a good idea to use them as reference. When starting a gluten-free diet, it's important not to aim for perfection, but to progress slowly at your own pace. Make small changes one after the other and find the gluten-free style that suits you.
Check for foods that are high in gluten
To start a gluten-free lifestyle, it is important to know which foods contain a lot of gluten. The following foods are particularly high in gluten, so you should be careful.
- bread
- Pasta
- Pizza
- Udon
- ramen
- Okonomiyaki
- Takoyaki
- Cake
- Cookies
- donut
- serial
- Noodles in general
These foods contain a lot of gluten because they are made primarily from wheat flour. Processed foods can also contain gluten, so it's important to check the ingredient label. The following processed foods may contain gluten:
-Lou
- Stew
- Curry
- Hamburger
- Fried Chicken
- Fried foods
- Sauces
- Dressing
- Mayonnaise
- sausage
- ham
- bacon
When purchasing processed foods, read the ingredients carefully to make sure they do not contain wheat or wheat gluten.
The key is to use rice flour and soy flour
The key to living a gluten-free lifestyle is to use alternative flours such as rice flour and soy flour instead of wheat flour. Rice flour can be used in the same way as wheat flour, so it is suitable for making bread, cakes, cookies, and other sweets. By using rice flour, you can enjoy the same texture as wheat flour while still being gluten-free.
On the other hand, soy flour is rich in protein and dietary fiber, so you can expect nutritional benefits. There are an increasing number of recipes using soy flour, so be sure to give it a try. There are also many other flour substitutes available, such as buckwheat flour, soybean flour, almond flour, and coconut flour. Find the flour substitute that suits your taste and incorporate it into your gluten-free lifestyle.
Eat out and enjoy sweets
Check out our gluten-free menu
Even if you're living a gluten-free lifestyle, there will be times when you want to enjoy eating out. Recently, the number of restaurants and cafes that offer gluten-free menus has been increasing. By checking the restaurant's information in advance and asking the staff, you can enjoy gluten-free meals with peace of mind.
Additionally, ethnic restaurants tend to be relatively easy to accommodate gluten-free diets, as many of their dishes use rice flour. Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian cuisines are recommended as they have a wide range of gluten-free options.
Enjoy sweets made with 100% rice flour
Even if you're living a gluten-free lifestyle, you don't have to give up on sweets. Sweets made with rice flour, such as cakes, cookies, and pancakes, are just as delicious as those made with wheat flour. In particular, sweets made with 100% rice flour have a chewy texture and can be safely eaten by people with wheat allergies.
Recently, there has been an increase in stores that specialize in rice flour sweets, so be sure to check them out. Online shops are also increasingly offering rice flour sweets, so you can easily enjoy them at home. Enjoying gluten-free sweets will help you live a healthy life without compromising the pleasure of food.
Introducing Komeko's Palette's gluten-free menu
Gluten-free rice flour bread
Komeko's Palette offers bread made with 100% rice flour, which does not contain any wheat . It has the chewy texture unique to rice flour and a gentle sweetness not found in wheat bread. This product is recommended not only for those who want to avoid gluten, but also for health-conscious people . We are also committed to being completely additive-free, and are mindful of safety and security. People with wheat allergies or those who require a gluten-free diet can also enjoy our delicious bread .
Gluten-free rice flour bagels
Gluten-free bagels made with rice flour are also a popular item. They have a unique chewy texture and a wide variety of flavors, from plain to fruit. They are also delicious as bagel sandwiches, providing a satisfying and satisfying meal . Palette's bagels are made with beet sugar instead of refined sugar, resulting in a refined sweetness. Be sure to try these new and innovative bagels , which are both healthy and delicious .
Gluten-free rice flour dumplings
Komeko's Palette also sells gluten-free gyoza. The dough, made with rice flour, has a chewier texture than gyoza skins made with wheat flour. The skin has a gentle flavor that brings out the umami of the filling. Gluten-free gyoza are hard to find commercially. With Palette's rice flour gyoza skins, you can enjoy gyoza without worrying about gluten . They're also the perfect product for making homemade gyoza at home.
Gluten-free rice flour dumplings
Palette's gluten-free dumplings, made with rice flour, are also popular. They have a chewy texture and gentle sweetness that only rice flour can provide.
This is a recommended item for those who want to enjoy a healthy snack time.It can also be safely enjoyed by those with wheat allergies or those avoiding gluten.
Summary | Start with a mild gluten-free diet
A gluten-free lifestyle is a diet that helps improve digestive disorders and promotes good health. It is essential for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, but it is also a recommended diet for those with health concerns . However, it may be difficult to completely eliminate gluten all at once. The important thing is to start a gluten-free lifestyle within a reasonable range .
First, try limiting your intake of wheat flour-based foods and incorporating rice-based Japanese cuisine. Then, we recommend gradually reducing your wheat flour intake while making good use of gluten-free foods and alternative flours. If you choose gluten-free options when eating out or eating sweets, you can live a healthy life without losing the joy of food. Start going gluten-free at your own pace and experience the changes in your physical condition.
If you experience the benefits of going gluten-free, continue with it in a way that suits you. There's no need to aim for perfection. A gluten-free lifestyle that you can continue without straining yourself is the most effective method . Going gluten-free is a health regimen that anyone can easily start. Please use this article as a reference and try living a gluten-free lifestyle. It will surely help improve your physical condition and promote your health. Thank you for reading to the end.
