Gluten Free Weight Loss Solutions

Gluten Free Weight Loss Solutions? Sounds Like Just Another Diet!

When most of you see the term, “gluten free weight loss solutions,” you probably think this is just another scam or fad diet. Well I can guarantee you its not! Most diets prohibit you from eating certain foods–the Paleo diet from eating anything not derived naturally, Atkins from eating carbs, etc. But none of these diets are ever called weight loss solutions or lifestyle changes.

A gluten free weight loss solution is a more natural way to reduce weight due to flexibility and balance it offers. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is used as a flavoring agent in processed food and also acts as a stabilizing agent to stick the ingredients together for preservation. You may not get to see the word gluten on tinned foods and manufactured food items as it is usually referred as a flavoring agent, stabilizing agent and thickener on the back. Gluten free diets tend to discourage all the ready-made processed food items due to this reason. Unless it is marked as ‘Gluten free’, you cannot take any manufactured food during this regime.

The gluten free diet plan I used stabilizes your metabolism by encouraging fresh foods ranging from fruits, vegetables, poultry, meat and brown rice. It also refreshes your energy by providing you all the important nutritional elements as well as stimulates healthy weight loss. How the gluten free weight loss solution stimulates weight loss depends on two factors:

Leveling blood sugar: By reducing the wheat intake as well as empty calories, your blood sugar will be leveled in a more balanced proportion. Wheat tends to turn into starch which gets absorbed by your blood quickly and raises the sugar level. The rise in blood sugar level gives you all the sugar cravings you experience every day and also is a major contributor to your weight. The gluten free diet will level the sugar in blood, reduce cravings and stimulate weight loss effectively.
Protein power: Protein is a major allay in any weight loss program. It increases the metabolism and helps in burning calories. Also you feel fuller when you take proteins more than fats and carbohydrates. Gluten free weight loss comes into action by reducing the fat and carbohydrates in your diet, giving a room for protein to play its magic.

Contrary to popular belief, the gluten free weight loss solution is a nutritional way to reduce weight. By picking out healthy foods and discarding the processed items from your diet, you tend to nourish your body without starving it. Offering lots of variety with excellent recipes to follow, you will feel lighter and healthier by adding good nutrition to your body in addition to shedding off the pounds.

Here’s a great video that discusses research studies that explain why a gluten free weight loss solution is the best route to take:

Gluten Free Diet Overview

A Gluten Free Diet Overview

Here’s a brief gluten free diet overview for those of you interested. If you’re like me and you’ve been trying diet after diet to lose weight, but haven’t gotten the results you want? For me, dieting that involved eliminating foods that I loved from my diet just make the cravings worse throughout the diet. And after I was off the diet? I wanted nothing but those “bad” and “junk” foods. And so all that weight I lost I ended up gaining back, which then led me to seek out the next trendy diet and so forth.

I was sick of the dieting yo-yo, so I did some research on long term lifestyle changes rather than diets. The one I was most interested in was (you guessed it!) the gluten free diet. Sure, you are eliminating a huge factor from your dietary equation–gluten–but I can guarantee you will not be eliminating food from your life. By eliminating gluten from your diet, you can not only lose weight, but you will start to feel physically and emotionally better. So without further ado, here is my gluten free diet overview!

Gluten Free Diet Overview:

By adapting a gluten free diet, you will lose weight quickly, reduce bloating and swelling, increase your fitness level and protect you from diseases like cancer. And by adopting a gluten free diet plan, you will eliminate the need to go on another yo-yo diet ever again!

Gluten is a type of protein which is generally found in many natural foods like rye, wheat, oat, malt and barley. By a total elimination of gluten from daily diet, you can give a boost to your metabolism increasing energy levels, decrease the cholesterol levels and improve the digestive system effectively. Gluten is utilized in all processed foods and is labelled as “natural flavoring,” “thickener,” and “stabilizing agent” on nutrition labels. These obscure titles for gluten in processed foods means you’re probably eating gluten and didn’t even know.

Because of this, the gluten free diet plan stresses the removal of typical processed foods from your life. However, gluten free alternatives to cereals, breads, cookies and processed snack foods do exist if you are in need of a daily fix. By making the switch to gluten free processed foods, you can actually start losing weight. Gluten Free Diet Plans also emphasize on intake of vegetables and brown rice, which will naturally increase your vitamin and nutrient intake.

By using a gluten free diet plan, you will start consuming fresh, whole and organic foods which will consistently improve your health in every aspect. The more you avoid processed foods to reduce gluten intake, the more you will eat fresh foods which will help you reduce fat and sugar intake to minimum. When you depend on this diet plan, you will have to be very active and cook food with fresh contents like vegetables, fruits, poultry, fish, rice, sweet potato and pulses. You will be avoiding all types of junk fast food items and supermarket meals which will obviously activate you metabolism to the maximum.

Thanks for checking out my gluten free diet overview everyone!

If you’re interested in learning more about gluten and its effects on your body, here’s a great quick video that explains the effects gluten can have on someone who is gluten intolerant:

Gluten Free Diet for Vegans

A Gluten Free Diet for Vegans Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

Gluten Free Diet for Vegans: Gluten free pizza

Source: TahiniToo

Are you a vegan who is interested in eating a gluten free diet? Or are you currently eating a gluten free diet and want to reduce or eliminate your intake of animal products? A gluten free diet for vegans is possible, and doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are three great recipes to get you started on a gluten free diet for vegans.

Gluten Free Pizzas

Everyone loves pizza! Once you have a great gluten free crust, you can add any toppings that you want. Find a frozen gluten free crust at your local natural foods store. For a delicious vegan pizza, try spreading a natural tomato sauce and adding loads of veggies. Mushrooms, sun dried tomatos, bell peppers, olives, broccoli, kale, and banana peppers all make great toppings. If you want a cheesy flavour you can try vegan “cheeze” (which is typically made from soy), or you can sprinkle your pizza with nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a yellow flake that has a savoury, cheesy flavour. It’s very high in B vitamins and is a healthy, vegan alternative to cheese.

Bob’s Red Mill makes a great nutritional yeast.

Superfood Green Bean Casserole

This healthy take on a holiday recipe is pretty simple, and very satisfying. It has a mushroom, garlic cream sauce so it’s very savoury. This casserole makes a great, filling meal on a cold day.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A gluten free diet for vegans can still include classic baked goods like chocolate chip cookies. Many conventional brands of semi-sweet chocolate chips are already vegan and gluten free, but you can also buy vegan chocolate chips at your local natural foods store.

Wheat flour can easily be replaced with a gluten free flour. Typically at least two kinds of gluten free flours, such as oat and chick pea flour, need to be blended in order to mimic the properties of wheat flour. It’s simpler to buy a gluten free flour that is pre-mixed and ready to be used. A gluten free flour blend can replace wheat flour at a 1:1 ratio.

Cow’s milk can be replaced with any non-dairy milk at a 1:1 ratio. Eggs can be replaced with a “flax egg.” 2 tablespoons of ground flax seed mixed with 6 tablespoons of water makes the equivalent of one egg.

Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten free line makes great gluten free flour blends for everything from pizza crusts to cookies.

For more great recipes check out these websites:
The Gluten Free Vegan
Gluten free recipes on veganbaking.net

Gluten Free Diet Plan and Exercise

Gluten Free Diet Exercise and Your Workout: How to Be Healthy and Fit without Gluten

Because carbohydrates play such a key role in long term energy resources for athletes, gluten free diet exercise can be challenging. But it isn’t impossible–professional tennis player Novak Djokovic is a perfect example of how you can properly balance a gluten free lifestyle and still be extremely athletic. Djokovic is ranked World No. 1 male tennis player by the Association of Tennis Professionals. He is considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Novack stated a couple years ago that he was switching to a gluten free diet plan. Although I can’t say there’s a link between his successful career and his switch to a gluten free lifestyle, it certainly doesn’t seem to have harmed his career!

For those of you who suffer from gluten intolerance or Celiac disease, you know just how debilitating consuming gluten can be on the body. Finding gluten alternatives that provide you with the same, if not netter nutritional value is challenging enough. If you’re extremely active and are making the switch to a gluten free diet plan makes meal planning even more crucial.

When you eliminate gluten from your diet, you decrease the likelihood of gastro-intestinal distress and inflammation. Choosing a gluten free diet plan decreases any long-term damage done to your digestive tract. Gluten free diets also decrease the amount of processed sugars you consume. If you’re properly switching to a gluten free diet plan, you will inevitably be eating more proteins, which are crucial for muscle development.

If you’re looking for ways to make a tasty and sustainable gluten free diet plan, here’s a fantastic webinar sponsored by Hawthorn University:

Gluten Free Substitutes to Wheat

Top 5 Gluten Free Substitutes to Wheat

I know I’ve started off this blog focusing on finding gluten free substitutes to some of my favorite gluten-filled foods like gluten free pancakes. I also thought it would probably be a good idea to do a post that focuses on basic alternatives to wheat. Whether you’re baking or cooking, sometimes finding the best gluten free substitutes for wheat can be challenging. Hopefully my top 5 gluten free substitutes will help open culinary doors for you when planning future meals.

Gluten is a part of protein found in wheat and other grains such as barley, oats and rye. Gluten gives dough elasticity, helping it rise and keep its shape. Especially if you’re a baker, finding the best gluten free substitutes to wheat and other grains is imperative when you’re on a gluten free diet plan.

There are tons of gluten free substitutes to wheat and other grains out there, and I’ve tried a lot of them. But here are my top 5, and I’ll explain why:

5. Wild Rice: More for cooking, wild rice is actually a grass. In it’s natural state it is gluten free, but check packaging at the grocery store for any gluten-based additives just in case. I love the taste of wild rice and the texture, it’s a bit more chewy than white rice, but that doesn’t bother me. Wild rice is also a great gluten free substitute for wheat because it is great in stuffing, casseroles, or by itself as a side dish. Wild rice is also pretty common to find in grocery stores, which is another reason why it’s in my top 5. I wouldn’t recommend using wild rice for Asian and Indian cuisine, it just doesn’t have the same texture and consistency as white rice.

4. Buckwheat: Technically a fruit, buckwheat is a great gluten free substitute for wheat, especially for flour. So for baking purposes, buckwheat flour is typically my go-to staple when I’m baking sweet breads, muffins, cookies, and pancakes. Soba noodles, a traditional Chinese and Japanese staple, are also a made from buckwheat, which lets you put pasta night back on the menu. If you plan on using buckwheat, I recommend you checking with your doctor to make sure you aren’t allergic–if you are allergic, it can result in anaphylaxis and in some cases death.

3. Tapioca: Extracted from the cassava root, tapioca is a great gluten free substitute to wheat for both baking and cooking. Tasteless, tapioca is great for dishes that require a little more finesse, like cupcakes, macaroons, crepes and non-sweet breads. Tapioca is also great for cooking–since it’s tasteless, tapioca flour can also be used as a thickening agent for stews, pies, etc. Tapioca flour can be a little hard to find in some grocery chains, but with the rise of gluten intolerance, it shouldn’t be too hard to find this gluten free substitute.

2. Coconut: You might be thinking, “Coconut, really?” but coconut is actually an awesome gluten free substitute to wheat and other grains. Coconut flour is high in protein and good fats, making it both nourishing and filling. Coconut flour is also very absorbent, so you use less (a .33:1 ratio coconut flour to wheat flour). Coconut flour may be a little hard to find because it isn’t as common as some of the other gluten free substitutes I’ve mentioned, but I simply love baking with it.

1. Quinoa: For those of you who haven’t tried quinoa, you are totally missing out. Quinoa seeds can be used as a flour or as a pasta/rice replacement, making it perfect for baking and cooking. It is actually a fruit, making it my number one gluten free substitute to wheat and other grains. Quinoa is a superfood–it is a good source of complete proteins, which also makes it a great choice for vegetarians and vegans.

If you’re searching for that perfect gluten free substitute to wheat flour, you probably won’t get it from just one type of wheat flour alternative. Here’s a great video that shows you the best recipe for perfect gluten free flour:

Delicious Gluten Free Brownies

Gluten Free Brownies That Will Knock Your Socks Off

I’m pretty partial to brownies, so my search for the perfect gluten free brownies recipe was the logical next step. No lie, there are tons of gluten free brownies out there, so how do you choose the right recipe for you? I’m pretty lazy–I’ll be the first person to admit it. And I’m not exactly a world-class baker either. So for me, a fool-proof, simple, gluten free brownies recipe was what I was searching for. Thankfully, brownies are by nature pretty easy to bake–all you have to do is plop all the ingredients into a baking dish and pop it in the oven! Well, maybe they require a few more steps, but you get the idea.

After a couple hours of scouring the internet and a few mediocre batches of “brownies” later, I found the perfect gluten free brownies recipe! The cool thing about this recipe is it’s completely flourless, but when you make them they totally look like regular brownies!

Gluten Free Brownies

Ingredients:

1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c cocoa powder
4 large eggs
3/4 c apple sauce, unsweetened (or vegetable oil)
2 t vanilla
1/4 t salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a square baking pan and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sugars, cocoa and salt until thoroughly mixed.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the applesauce/oil and vanilla. Add both sugars to the egg mixture and thoroughly combine or about two minutes.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined. Add the batter to your prepared baking pan and bake for 25 minutes.

If you’re looking for a visual guide for gluten free brownies (or flourless brownies), here’s a great video I found that uses a similar recipe to the one I posted above:

Gluten Free Pizza Recipe

The Best Gluten Free Pizza Crust Isn’t Made from Flour

I don’t know about you folks, but finding a gluten free pizza recipe was a feat of strength. I love pizza, for starters. Now that I’ve switched to a gluten free lifestyle, I’ve been desperately searching for great recipes to replace some of my favorite gluten-based foods. And it’s not just me–a lot of readers have asked me what my favorite gluten free recipe for pizza is.

I’ve tried a ton of different gluten free pizza crust recipes, and quite frankly most have tasted like garbage. They’re either too soggy, too plain or just too gross tasting for my liking. So I decided to take a different route–why not try vegetables? Not only does making the crust out of veggies make your pizza recipe gluten free, but it also makes the meal healthier. I’ve seen a couple variations of a veggie-based gluten free pizza crust, but the one I’ve posted today is by far my favorite. Does this mean you can eat gluten free pizza every day? Not quite, but it can make Friday nights more enjoyable

Gluten Free Pizza

Ingredients:

For the crust:

2 c zucchini, finely grated
3/4 c almond flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 T coconut oil
pinch of salt

For the sauce:

1 large (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 T olive oil
2 T minced garlic
1 T dried basil
1 t dried oregano
¼ tsp salt

Toppings:

Your choice! We recommend a soft cheese like mozzarella, one vegetable and one meat or protein.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add nonstick or parchment to a flat baking sheet and set aside.
Add zucchini and salt to cheesecloth or strainer, toss and drain into the sink or a large bowl as much as possible. You can do this stage in batches if it’s easier for you. Once drained, set aside.
Mix all ingredients but almond flour in a large bowl. Slowly add the almond flour until perfect consistency is achieve–I recommend not too wet or too dry.
Place the zucchini “dough” onto the prepared baking sheet, pressing it into a circle that is 1/3-1/4 of an inch thick.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Take the crust out and carefully flip. Bake for another 5 minutes.
While waiting for the pizza crust to bake, place all the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree. Remove about 1 cup of the sauce and place in a shallow saucepan (the rest you can easily freeze or store in the fridge for later use).
Heat pizza sauce at a simmer, stirring frequently.
Remove crust and preheat oven for 500 degrees.
Add your pizza sauce onto your crust, leaving at least a 1/2 inch of crust uncovered.
Add your toppings of choice (I recommend adding the cheese last so everything gets all ooey gooey) and pop back in the oven for 5-8 minutes, or until cheese has thoroughly melted.
Wait 5 minutes to let the crust set before digging in!

If you’re searching for a more dough-based gluten free pizza crust, here’s a popular video I found on YouTube that takes you step-by-step through the recipe:

Gluten Free Pancakes

Gluten Free Pancakes for Breakfast

Ever since I started a gluten free diet, I’ve been on a quest for the perfect gluten free pancakes recipe that was both tasty and fluffy. Whether you have a gluten intolerance, Celiac’s disease, or for whatever other reason you are on a gluten free diet, sometimes you just crave carbs. This is especially true for me and breakfast foods. But just because you’re on a gluten free diet, doesn’t mean you have to completely remove the gluten-filled foods you love. You may have to do a little bit of research to find substitutes for some of your fav foods, but the payoff is totally worth it.

Breakfast is a mealtime notorious for delicious gluten-rich foods–muffins, bagels, cereal, donuts, toast and, my personal favorite, pancakes. I love pancakes, period. But ever since I had to make the switch to a gluten free diet, I had to seriously alter some of my eating habits. One thing I refused to let go of was weekend morning pancakes.

And after a whole lot of trial and error, I’ve finally found the best gluten free pancakes recipe. It was hard to find a recipe that had both the same taste and fluffy consistency as regular pancakes, but my persistence paid off. These gluten free pancakes are perfect for anyone looking to start a gluten free diet or are looking for the perfect weekend breakfast.

Gluten Free Pancakes

Gluten Free Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 c Rice flour
3 T Tapioca flour
1/3 c Potato starch
4 T Dry buttermilk powder
1 packet of sugar substitute for a hint of sweetness (I recommend Stevia or Xylotol)
1 1/2 t Baking powder
1/2 t Baking soda
1/2 t Salt
2 Grade A eggs
3 T Canola oil
2 c Water

Instructions:

Thoroughly mix flours, potato starch, buttermilk powder, baking powder, baking soda, sweetener and salt in a large bowl.
Add eggs and canola oil and stir. Slowly add the water in until desired batter consistency is reached. Remember, you want the batter to be just right; not too thin, not too thick.
Preheat a skillet or non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
Pour batter in 1/4 cup measurements onto skillet and let cook until bubbles form on top, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook for 1 minute more. Serve warm with fresh fruit, maple syrup or other gluten free diet-friendly topping.

Here’s a great video that I found that does a great variation on my gluten free pancakes that still looks light and fluffy:

Can Gluten Free Hurt Your Muscles?

For the short version of this article, the simple answer is: no, not completely. Gluten-free diets are a great way to live life because of all the negatives you avoid, however there are some benefits to gluten that are often overlooked. Gluten is high in protein, iron and provides other nutrients, but as science has proven, gluten is not for everyone.

Gluten is High in Protein

It’s true, a 4 ounce serving of seitan contains roughly 50% of your recommend daily intake of protein (26 grams). Also, despite it’s very high protein count, gluten is also very low in fat. But what is the importance of protein in your diet? The more protein that your body has, the easier it is for your muscles to metabolize calories.

High protein diets often yield high rewards (when done in proper moderation) because they are paired with a workout regime. This causes the muscles to break down and rebuild faster, which causes the muscles to require more energy and catabolize the calories that we take in. Higher protein counts increases the efficiency of this and stops the cells from relying on lean muscles for energy and emphasize more on the calories being taken in.

With gluten being a high protein source of food, it’s often overlooked when people are told to “avoid gluten.” This is completely understandable, but unless this protein is taken in from another source, it can be causing more harm than good to your muscles.

Gluten is High in Iron

This one can be a bit confusing. The amount of iron from gluten varies depending on how you consume gluten. Standard wheat gluten servings, which are about 1 cup, provide you with about 9% of your daily iron intake where a serving of seitan will provide you with up to 20% of your daily intake of iron.

I’ve found that many people tend to overlook their iron levels and not consider the important of iron in their diet. A friend of mine used to compete rather competitively in track and field and had a low iron level. On very hot days, it wasn’t uncommon for him to faint due to the low levels of iron in his body. If you’re on a strict diet and can’t take in too many calories, this can often be a hard level to keep up. With the example of seitan, as given with protein, you can cover off 2 essential nutrients for your body with 1 serving.

Other Nutrient Benefits of Gluten

Gluten provides your body with a number of other nutrients without having to add cholesterol to your diet. With a lot of food choices available now, it’s hard to for many people to keep their cholesterol low. Furthermore, gluten is essentially sodium free with a miniscule 9 milligram serving in a single serving of wheat flour. Gluten flour also contains a small amount of calcium.

Who Should Eat Gluten?

Gluten is often a protein choice for people who don’t eat meat and is also suitable for people who are allergic to soy, dairy and aren’t able to get their protein from these sources. Gluten has carbs so it can also provide you with energy, however this is a very low quantity of carbs so it can be taken while on low carb diets (if this appeals to you).

What Does This All Mean?

There are some people that don’t have a choice. Gluten allergies and intolerances aren’t something you can just decide to “not have” anymore. For these people, it’s an unfortunate reality that they need to live with. For those who have cut out gluten for diet purposes, there are other factors to consider.

Before making a mass purge of gluten, ensure that you’re considering all the repercussions of your actions. If you are cutting out gluten completely, I emphasize above all else that you find an alternative source for protein. This is the major factor in many weaknesses for people who drop gluten.

Top New Gluten Free Diet Recipes

Hi All,

Today I wanted to introduce some amazing new Gluten Free recipes that I have been playing with that are absolutely awesome, and tasty.

1. Tuna Salad on Ezekiel Bread – Grilled

Serves 4 People

Take 2 cans of sodium reduced flake tuna in water. Put in a large bowl once all the water is drained: Then Add 4 table spoons of gluten free mayo, then Add 2 tablespoons mustard. From there Add 2 Tablespoons of hot Sirracha Hot Chili Sauce, and finally add 2 tablespoons of green relish. From there mix all the ingredients together until all the ingredients are nicely folded together.

Next take some soya cheese and grate a 1.2 cup into the mix, and remix by hand slowly. Once done, take 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread (flour-less bread), and cover each slice with a little coconut oil (very good for your heart). Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the tuna mix to teh uncoated side and cook in a hot pan on both sides. The result is a sandwich that is healthy, high in protein, with no glutens and amazing taste!

2. Gluten Free Velvet Orange Cake (Flour-less)

Preparation Time Needed: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1.5 Hours

Ingredients for a serving of 10 – 12 people

Melted butter, to grease pan
2 oranges (any kind you prefer)
3 eggs (I suggest free run)
1 Cup powdered sugar
3 Cups Slivered or Ground Almonds
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

Cake Glaze:

Orange Syrup and 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Cooking Method
Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush a round 9″ round spring pan with warmed butter to lightly grease. You can also line the base of the pan with some wax paper
Place the oranges in a sauce pan (whole) and cook them in water bringing them to a boil for about 12 – 15 mins. Then stop the cooking process by hitting the oranges with cold water, from there the skin will fall away and you can get rid of any seeds at that time too.
Using a food processor, you can drop in the oranges and blend till a smooth liquid
Add in your eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk. Now mix in the orange, and also add your almond slivers and a little gluten free baking powder and mix in slowly by hand. Next pour it in your greased pan

Bake the concotion for 1 hour (approx). When it comes out let it cool for 30 mins, and when you spring from you pan you can add the glaze.

To make the glaze use orange liquid (found at decent grocers like Whole Foods) and 3/4 cup of powdered sugar. Whisk til nice and smooth, and drizzle over the cake.

Give it another 15 mins of cool time and serve and enjoy!

Remember there are lots of great gluten free diet recipes out there, and just because you have decided to eat Gluten Free, that does not mean that you have decided to eat “taste free”. There are always great eating alternatives out there for you, and once you start eating this way, and realize how much better your body feels as a result, you will wonder why you didn’t start years before!

Here is a great video I found on Gluten Free Diet Recipes:

Gluten Free Diet Information and Recpies

Gluten Free Diet Info | Gluten Free Recipes

Gluten Free Weight Loss Solutions