Do you have belly fat that cannot seem to go away despite your efforts to have a slimmer midsection?
There could be several reasons; one of them is consuming foods that contain gluten. Â
What is gluten belly fat?
Gluten is a protein that is usually found in cereals like wheat, rye and barley. Foods such as bread, pasta and pizza contain gluten.
Usually, gluten helps to hold these foods together, but it does not provide essential nutrients.
Therefore, you can develop a gluten belly by consuming foods that contain wheat.Â
Studies show that foods containing wheat can make it hard for you to lose weight. Usually, bread and other foods containing wheat can cause bloating, lead to weight gain and even make you feel sluggish.Â
You will also realize that foods containing gluten have high sugar levels, increasing the fats around your tummy.
An experiment carried out to determine the effect of wheat on weight gain revealed that people who reduced the consumption of wheat lost significant weight around their belly.Â
There is so much popularity and information about gluten and gluten-free diets. You might be wondering whether a gluten-free diet can help you lose stubborn belly fat.
If you have gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, you might want to avoid gluten. This is because such diets can cause bloating, cramping, diarrhoea or constipation. Â
In worst-case scenarios, you can have digestive system issues that make it hard to lose weight.Â
Gluten intolerance can also make it hard for your body to absorb other essential nutrients from your food.Â
How To Get Rid Of The Gluten Belly Fat
The best way to get rid of gluten belly fat is by reducing the consumption of wheat products and embracing a healthy lifestyle.
If you have gluten intolerance or sensitivity, it would be wise to do away with foods containing gluten, as they will do more harm than good to your body.Â
You will remove foods like pasta, bread, certain types of oats, pizza and doughnuts from your diet. Also, avoid very salty and sugary foods.
You can replace such foods with foods that are rich in vegetables and proteins. Vegetables contain lots of nutrients and fiber, which are very useful in burning fats around your belly.Â
Proteins are also necessary because they make you full for a more extended period, such that you won’t need to snack regularly. Eating proteins will help you build muscle and have a leaner midsection if you are doing weight training.
Go for grass-fed meat and eggs, flax seeds, whole fat cheese, berries, apples, oranges and chickpeas.
You should also incorporate a fitness routine to increase your body's metabolism so that you can burn more belly fat.Â
Gluten belly vs. alcohol belly
 Furthermore, gluten consumption leads to entire tables of symptoms where the water starts to alleviate these systems, including diarrhea, constipation, brain fog, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.Gluten belly is the term for what people feel or experience after consuming foods rich in gluten. The sensation mainly consists of feeling tired, bloated, or sick. Gluten is a protein found in various foods, mainly in wheat, barley, triticale, or rye.Â
The alcoholic belly is the term given to the experience people have after consuming too much alcohol or beer, as they find that their bellies appear almost similar to a keg after the consumption.
Regarding beer, they are mainly the brewed liquid calories you are consuming at a bar consisting of about 180-500 calories every pint, depending on at which level you start to tipple.
Along with this, beer mainly consists of hops which comprise phytoestrogens, plant compounds having similar effects to the estrogen or female sex hormones.
Although it is never proven, it is highly speculated that the phytoestrogens in beer change how the body stores belly fat.
Beer and similar alcohol consist of carbs however other alcohols have low like every other nutrient. The calorie amount of beer depends entirely on the strength of the amount of alcohol, and it consists of about more amount of caloric content.
Beer may start increasing the calorie amounts you are consuming as it helps prevent your body from the fat-burning processes. The phytoestrogen effects on the fat in your belly are quite not known.
Several studies are showing that consumption of alcohol gets connected with the increased amount of circumference in the waist and body weight. It is a clear indication that drinking beer or alcohol may not specifically place weight on the belly. Overall, it makes you appear fatter.
Gluten Checker
What can I eat for breakfast, gluten-free?
These are a few breakfast ideas to try out:
1. Baked Oatmeal
It is cozier and comforting with this natural gluten-free baked oatmeal; fill up with apples and allspice and spread cinnamon. It is ideal for unique occasions; you can refrigerate them and eat them throughout the week.
It mainly takes about an hour from start to finish; however, the flavor is well-worth and is the prime time hands-off.
The leftovers can make up the weekly list of healthy breakfast recipes.
2. Gluten-Free Pancakes
These are mainly pancakes made out of oatmeal, while they mainly consist of bananas, no oats, and maple syrup made for natural sweetness.
The preparation is easier as you can prepare it with a blender. These are one of the best ideas for breakfast, which is gluten-free for the lazier mornings whenever time allows it.
3. Veggie Mini Frittatas
Mini Frittatas are easy-to-make gluten-free breakfasts comprising of the muffin made of eggs as they are easier to prepare the meal and grab you while you head out the door.
Start to refrigerate or freeze them as you continue eating them for the entire week and are extremely tasty. You can fill them with colorful veggies, including crunchy pecans, for added nutrients and protein.
Here's a list of gluten-free breakfast choices on Amazon, you can check them from here:
What snacks can I eat gluten-free?
The following are the gluten-free snacks you can eat:
1. Popcorn with peanuts, fruit, and chocolate
Popcorn, in reality, is completely gluten-free from the better source of fiber and whole grain to aid you in feeling fullness.
You can slightly drizzle air-popped popcorn for a snack using the toss-in fiber-rich dried fruits such as cherries or dried cranberries with melted dark chocolate.
Add a few peanuts for the rich source of the healthiest fat and plant-based proteins.
Peanuts and chocolate are completely free from any gluten. But, a few might contain additives, as you must ensure to pick the products certified as gluten-free.
2. Cheese sticks wrapped with Turkey
It is a snack rich in protein to help curb your hunger. Wrap them in a thinner slice of turkey breast, which is gluten-free, around the stick of cheese.
It is noted that people facing intolerance to dairy products and lactose are commonly found in individuals facing celiac diseases; however, it is often enhancing while your intestine starts healing on the gluten-free diet.
Cheddar or other hard cheeses might be well tolerated, while a single ounce contains less than a gram of lactose and has about 13 grams of lactose than a single cup of milk.
3. Instant oatmeal with cinnamon, walnuts, and apples
The oats are naturally free from gluten; however, it gets contaminated with wheat along with the other grains during growth, transportation, harvest, and manufacturing. Consequently, you should always start purchasing gluten-free oats.
You can combine this instant oatmeal with walnuts, cinnamon, and apples combine for a warm and filling snack.
Here's a list of gluten-free breakfast choices on Amazon, you can check them from here:
What foods do you avoid on a gluten-free diet?
The following are the list of food that you should avoid if you are concerned about your health:
Grains that contain glutens:
- Wheat
- Rye
- Barley
- Bulgur
- Cross-contaminated oats
- Seitan
Pure wheat and its varied kinds include and may extend to:
- Wheat germ
- Couscous
- Cracked wheat
- Wheat starch
- Farro
- Semolina
- Wheat bran
- Spelled
Beverages you should avoid:
- Most of the beer that gets marked as gluten-free
- Malt of beverages
A few other unexpected products:
- A few chicken, vegetable broths, and beef
- Malt vinegar
- Barley malt
- Veggie burgers
- Frozen meals
- Condiments
- Soba noodles
- Some salad dressings
How do I get gluten out of my system fast?
The following are a few ways you can get gluten out of your body:
1. Try to rest as much as possible
For an individual who cannot start tolerating gluten, there are physiological effects to the consumption that appears extremely stressful and filled with worries. For kids facing CD, for instance, consumption of gluten leads to stomach cramping or pain, constipation, chronic diarrhea, irritability, vomiting, and several other serious conditions.
It is surely not recommended for a person who experiences the bad side effects of gluten ingestion for carrying on with something usual. The primary treatment included here is resting, while other recommendations come along if you get back to your normal being in just a couple of days.
2. Consuming probiotics
Probiotics are the healthy bacteria in your gut and are considered the important ones to flush the body out of any gluten. Consumption of gluten can hurt the gut, including the GI or the gastrointestinal tract, along with the other portions of the digestive system.
Probiotics continue to keep them with some bad side effects at bay till your gut starts recovering.
3. Drink a lot of water
Consumption of water can aid in flushing any type of toxin or unnatural fluids having accumulated in this system.
Conclusion
A gluten belly comes as a result of consuming lots of wheat products. If you have gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, you can eliminate gluten foods and go for gluten-free foods.
While at it, ensure to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle to burn belly fat entirely over time. Â