If you have trouble keeping the pounds off, you might conclude that gluten is the culprit in your diet. However, contrary to popular opinion, recent studies published in the Journal of the Academy of nutrition and dietetics revealed that ditching gluten is not the best way to lose weight. There are conflicting answers to the question: does gluten cause belly fat?
Some experts point out that if people follow a zero-gluten diet, they satisfy their cravings with gluten-free junk foods but high in sugar. On the other hand, some experts believe that eating gluten makes people heavy. When you have gluten sensitivity, your hormones can get out of balance, resulting in inflammation and swelling. Your body is triggered to hold on to the fat, and even if you follow a diet, if there is gluten in your food, you will not be losing the weight. Find clarity on this issue in the following article.
The Gluten-Free Diet– Does gluten cause belly fat?
There is some truth to a pro-gluten diet. Junk food is simply junk food in the end, whether it is gluten-free or otherwise. Munching on gluten-free treats such as cookies and meals, which consist of gluten-free pizza, will not improve your calorie burning.
However, it is crucial not to be so dismissive. A gluten-free diet does not immediately mean having to consume processed food. There are tons of people who stay lean and healthy by eating gluten-free, whole foods. Some have been following a gluten-free diet for years and look awesome and never felt better.
Some experts miss the point that just because some celebrities are endorsing a gluten-free diet doesn’t mean it is not effective. Instead, it is crucial to look into the science.
For a gluten-free diet to work, it should be done correctly. This kind of diet is a good way to get optimum nutrition and look and feel great while burning fat fast. Getting rid of gluten in your diet can dramatically increase health benefits.
A Gluten-Free Diet Can Help You Lose Fat quickly- Does gluten cause belly fat?
Many experts agree that getting rid of gluten helps you burn fat faster. The data reveals the facts. When you get rid of the wheat, you get rid of the weight.
Does gluten cause belly fat? When you eliminate wheat in your diet in all its forms, the pounds will simply melt away, and you can lose as much as a pound per day.
Does gluten cause belly fat? Many clients have revealed that they have eliminated food sensitivities such as gluten, and they have lost as much as 7 pounds in the first week. They are also a jean size smaller. These people look great and have steady and sustained energy. They have amazing sex appeal, radiate vitality, and ultimately wondered why they ever consumed gluten in the first place.
Does gluten cause belly fat? But some critics debate that weight loss happens because getting rid of gluten simply minimizes calories. However, that is not the case since some people will replace gluten-containing calories with more nutrient-dense options such as fruits and other whole foods.
Does gluten cause belly fat? Something is at work besides calories. Some things to consider are hormonal imbalances, a damaged digestive system, and other gluten-related problems that result in weight gain. The following are ways gluten can make you feel fat, tired, and sick:
Leaky gut and its associated symptoms
Gluten is composed of a protein named zonulin. It damages the spaces in your digestive system. Particles not intended to pass through your gut walls will suddenly pass through, creating an immune reaction. A delayed reaction which can happen hours or days later will include fatigue, bloating, and other symptoms which result in weight gain.
Inflammation
Gluten can result in inflammation in tissues. Inflammation is your body’s defense on what they see as a foreign invasion. The protein zonulin damages tight spaces, which creates inflammation. Chronic inflammation is never your friend.
Aside from being a factor to nearly every disease imaginable, including diabetes and cancer, it creates several other problems, including heightened levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also causes increased retention of fluid, digestive problems, and feeling tired or sluggish, so you are likelier to just lie down on the couch than burn calories at the gym.
Insulin resistance
A majority of gluten-containing foods have high levels of glycemic load and raise your blood sugar levels. Your insulin levels may become unbalanced and spike your blood sugar. When you eat gluten foods constantly, your cells will become overloaded with insulin and eventually stop acting on the message to store glucose.
Insulin resistance is often the result when the doors to your fat cells are shut, making fat loss an impossible goal. Leptins, which are sugar binding proteins in gluten, can also bind to insulin receptors and provoke insulin resistance.
Pieces of bread that contain gluten will also contain high levels of fructose corn syrup. It is not simply the glucose in HFCS that results in insulin resistance. Several studies have linked fructose to insulin resistance
Leptin resistant
A small study on animals has revealed that lectins, which are sugar-binding proteins, have caused insulin resistance. They additionally create leptin resistance. It is the hormone that messages your brain that you are full, so you will be less likely to have second servings. However, when you become resistant to leptin, your brain misses the signal and doesn’t apply the brakes on your food intake, which puts you at risk of overeating and weight gain.
Cravings
Does gluten cause belly fat? Have you ever found yourself eating buttered toast one after the other? It is ironic that the foods you have the most reaction to are the ones you are craving the most. Your body reacts to these kinds of foods by creating addictive drugs called OPIOID endorphins. Like a drug, you reach euphoria feelings when you consume these foods, so you end up craving them often.
Blocks absorption of nutrients
Some experts are concerned that without gluten foods, people will miss out on crucial nutrients. However, it is a mystery what nutrients they refer to. You can harness all the vital vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients your body needs from healthy sources such as clean protein vegetables, fruits such as berries, and starchy fiber-rich carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes and lentils.
Gluten can even inhibit the absorption of nutrients. For one thing, gluten stops your gut from fully absorbing nutrients and halts the production of vitamin B-12. Gluten has undigestible phytates, which are considered an anti-nutrient since they bind and make unavailable crucial minerals that balance blood sugar levels.
Interferes with thyroid performance
Once immune antibodies get rid of gluten, they also trigger antibodies to work against your thyroid. Because of this, you are more vulnerable to autoimmune disease when you consume gluten constantly.
People with thyroid disease are known to be more prone to gluten intolerance compared to the general population. Because of this, those who struggle with their weight should opt for a gluten-free diet along with an examination and treatments of their thyroid.
The Super Drug
Does gluten cause belly fat? Wheat contains both super starch and super gluten, making it extremely fattening and extremely inflammatory. Additionally, it contains a potent drug that can make you crazy, hungry, and addicted.
When these components are processed in your digestive tract, the wheat proteins are transformed into shorter proteins called exorphins. These are similar to the effect you get from getting high in sports and exercise. It binds to the opioid receptors in your brain, making you feel euphoric and addicted.
The presence of polypeptides in wheat are absorbed into the bloodstream and can pass through the blood-brain barrier. These are called gluteomorphins.
Does gluten cause belly fat? Since these super drugs cause multiple problems, including schizophrenia and autism, they also cause compulsive eating behavior, which includes cravings and binging. You will likely binge on sweets such as cookies and cake.
Does gluten cause belly fat? What is even more alarming is that you can stop these food cravings and addictive eating compulsions and eventually reduce calorie intake by ingesting a naloxone drug. It is the same drug used in emergencies to block heroin and morphine overdose. Compulsive eaters can reduce their consumption by at least 30% when given this drug. The bottom line is wheat stimulates the appetite and is highly addictive.
Eating gluten and other serious diseases– Does gluten cause belly fat?
The risk of developing health problems occurs when the gluten provokes inflammation that can spread like a conflagration throughout the body’s system. For one, it destroys the gut lining. Once this happens, all the partially digested food items sitting on your intestine passes through the gut barrier, and you are more vulnerable to immune system issues.
If you lay down the lining of your gut completely, it will be equal to a tennis court surface. Your immune system will start battling it out with these foreign particles leading to inflammation that can cause heart disease, dementia, diabetes, and many other serious and critical diseases.
A protein made in the gut called zonulin is increased once there is exposure to gluten. This protein destroys the tight areas or cement-like structure between the intestinal cells that work to protect your immune system from foreign particles in food, which may leak and pass through the intestinal barrier.
So, if you have a leaky gut, you will experience inflammation throughout your entire body, and you will experience a whole list of symptoms and diseases.
What’s the Solution? — Does gluten cause belly fat?
Try to discover if you are gluten intolerant. There are available tests for this, and remember that you have to find out if you’re sensitive to gluten and not simply if you have celiac disease.
If you have already established that you are sensitive to gluten, then realize that you have to be very cautious about getting rid of it in your diet. Applying good nutritional habits most of the time may not be good enough.
The damage caused by gluten in the gut will result in a condition known as leaky gut. This is very typical, and getting rid of gluten from your meals is usually not sufficient to restore the intestine’s balance. Treatments such as probiotics, herbs, and other supplements may need to be utilized to heal the gut’s lining and return it to its normal healthy condition.
Try to find out how your adrenaline glands work. Suffering fatigue or exhaustion is quite typical in our society. It is especially connected with the malabsorption of crucial nutrients and unstable blood sugar levels. These symptoms are a result of gluten sensitivity.
Additional information you should know about a gluten-free diet- Does gluten cause belly fat?
Following a gluten-free diet can be expensive, and you may even be consuming lower fiber folate and other vitamins.
You also need to know if a gluten-free diet is working. If you have celiac disease, you will have a damaged intestine. You need to make sure that you recover; otherwise, you will be at increased risk for malignancies. It is not surprising that some people feel better with a gluten-free diet. These people are eating less and maybe eating healthier because they are reducing junk food intake.
Final thoughts
There are conflicting opinions about the question, does gluten cause belly fat? For a majority of experts, eliminating gluten is a good decision for your health. Weight gain and other serious health issues have been traced to gluten. However, simply following a gluten-free diet doesn’t promise good results. You should also factor in your food choices. Smart choices in nutrition and following a gluten-free diet is the ultimate path to a healthy body.
