Gluten free drawbacks are many even though it has become very popular lately. It seems like everyone is trying to go gluten free these days as they believe that it helps them lose weight or gain muscle mass.
There are many benefits to going gluten free, but there are also pitfalls.
In this article, we explain how going gluten free affects you and why you should consider avoiding gluten free diets.
Table of Contents
1. Lack of energy
When you eat gluten, your body produces certain hormones called insulin like growth factor (IGF-1) and glucagon. These hormones play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. When you stop eating gluten, your body stops producing these hormones. This leads to low blood sugar levels (Hypoglycemia). In order to compensate for this, your body starts producing adrenaline. Adrenaline causes high blood pressure and heart rate. As a result, you may feel tired all the time.
2. Weight Loss
Many people think that when you go gluten free, you will automatically gain weight. However, this isn’t true. The reason behind this misconception is that gluten contains carbohydrates. Carbohydrates cause the release of insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin increases the level of fat storage in the body. Therefore, when you stop eating gluten, you will start losing weight.
3. Nutritional Deficiencies
If you’re not careful, it’s possible to develop vitamin B12 deficiency in a gluten free diet. This happens because people who are sensitive to gluten often consume too little vitamin B12.
4. Harder Maintaining
Since there are fewer gluten free foods available, it’s harder to stay away from them. So you may find yourself craving gluten based foods.
5. Higher Cost
Many gluten free foods cost more money than their regular counterparts. This is especially true if you buy organic versions of gluten free foods.
6. Limited Variety
A gluten free diet limits your choices. You may find yourself missing out on certain foods and tt can be difficult to find gluten free foods. Even though there are plenty of gluten free foods available, they’re often expensive.
7. Depression
Depression is another problem that comes along with being gluten free. Studies show that people who suffer from depression are more likely to be gluten intolerant.
8. Hair Loss
Hair loss is also one of the problems that come along with being gluten free, but it’s less common compared to other issues.
9. Joint Pain
Joint pain is another issue that affects people who follow a gluten free diet.
In conclusion, if you have celiac disease, gluten-free diets may seem like a godsend. But there are many downsides to going gluten-free, including the fact that it can be expensive and hard to find quality foods. And even though it’s often easier than cooking from scratch, it can also be harder to eat well when you’re constantly looking for new recipes and ingredients. So if you’re thinking about trying a gluten-free diet, here are some things to consider before you go off that route.