A low-carb gluten-free diet: Here’s what you should know

November 11. 2022

These days, more and more people who don’t suffer from a gluten-related disease are turning to a gluten-free diet to lose weight. The truth is, while it’s not proven that a gluten-free diet can lead to weight loss, many types of food containing gluten are processed or refined. Those foods promote weight gain; cutting them off can indirectly help you to lose weight. Gluten-free diets have become increasingly popular lately; people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity have to follow them strictly. A gluten-related disease can cause painful symptoms such as abdominal pain, constipation, bloating, diarrhea, headache, and fatigue. Those who have celiac disease can’t eat food that contains gluten. Gluten is a protein; it can be found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. Avoiding this protein can keep symptoms at bay and improve the quality of life of people with celiac disease. If losing weight and maintaining a healthy diet is what you’re looking for, then combining a low-carb diet with a gluten-free diet is a great idea. Low-carb diets help you to lose weight fast. You can find hundreds of low-carb diets out there; we bet you have at least heard about now of them. One of the most known ones is the ketogenic diet. Merging the ketogenic diet with a gluten-free diet can create the perfect low-carb, gluten-free diet plan to reach your weight loss goal.

The science behind a low-carb gluten-free diet

A low-carb diet, such as the ketogenic diet, is a great way to lose weight. There are many supplements you can use to boost your diet and lose a few pounds quickly. While trying to lose a significant amount of weight, most people opt for using tools such as Lipo C injections or other weight loss supplements. Another way to kickstart your weight loss journey is with a low-carb, gluten-free diet. To avoid gluten means avoiding a lot of foods that are high in carbs, too, like bread, pasta, and cakes. Combining two diets may seem like a lot of trouble, but it’s actually the opposite with these two diets. Any low-carb diet already leaves off the table many gluten-containing products due to the high amount of calories they contain. All you’ll have to do is carefully check the labels of the food you buy to make sure they’re gluten-free.

Dos and don’ts: food choices

If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you probably are used to avoiding gluten. If you’re trying this diet only to lose weight, things may look a little confusing at the beginning. Whan can I eat? And what foods are off-limits? But don’t worry; our experts at our weight loss clinic in Chicago will show you how simple it can be to follow a low-carb, gluten-free diet.

The biggest NO is foods that contain gluten. You must avoid all food containing wheat, rye, and barley. The most common processed foods that contain gluten are:

• Pasta
• Bread
• Cereals
• Cake
• Candies
• Cookies
• Fluor tortillas
• Beer

Some products not derivated from gluten can still contain the protein if they were contaminated during production. You should always read the labels to check if that’s the case. Most food companies are obliged to inform if gluten cross-contamination is possible. If you don’t have celiac disease, you don’t actually need to avoid these products. The amount of gluten they can have is minimal; since you don’t have a disease, you won’t develop any symptoms. Still, it’s best if you get used to reading labels. Not only should you be aware not to consume gluten-containing products but also to be more mindful of what you’re nurturing your body with.

Regarding what you can eat on a low-carb, gluten-free diet, here is a list of the items you can include on your shopping list:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Eggs
• Unprocessed beans, seeds, and legumes
• Unprocessed nuts
• Non-processed meat, fish, and poultry
• Low-fat dairy

As you can see, you’ll have to avoid gluten and high-carbs foods. We know it seems like a very restrictive diet. But gluten diets have become extremely popular, and there are many alternatives to prepare your meals. Some foods that contain gluten ingredients are processed to remove the gluten. And almost all restaurants have a gluten-free menu. With all that in mind, it will be easy for you to thrive on this diet.

Simple and tasty low-carb gluten-free recipes

Now that you know your food choices, you can start planning your meals for the week. Having a gluten-free meal plan on hand can save you time, and you’ll never run out of ideas for your meal preps. Here we share with you some easy recipes you can use as inspiration to start a low-carb, gluten-free diet:

Breakfast

Coconut flour pancakes

There’s nothing like fluffy pancakes in the morning. For this tasty breakfast, mix 1/2 cup of coconut flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 cup of server sweetener, and 1/4 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, whisk six eggs, and add 1/4 of melted butter and 1tsp vanilla extract. Add the egg mix to the flour. Add up to 3/4 cup of water – it will depend on how much water the coconut flour absorbs; it changes depending on the brand. Whisk it all together until smooth. Let it rest for a few minutes before cooking the pancakes on an oiled pan. With this recipe, you’ll get 12 medium pancakes. Each serving (2 pancakes) has about 180 kcal.

Lunch

Italian stuffed zucchini

Who doesn’t love Italian food? Sadly, most Italian recipes are very high in carbs and not gluten-free. This recipe is incredibly delicious and fits perfectly on this diet. Halve two medium zucchini lengthwise and remove the flesh. On an oiled skillet, cook two grated garlic cloves for about a minute. Add 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes, oregano, and basil to the skillet. Cook until the cherry tomatoes are softened, about 3 minutes. Put the mix into a bowl and add 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and 1 1/2 cups of parmesan cheese. Divide the mixture evenly into the helved zucchinis. Take them to a pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes.

Dinner

Air fryer salmon

Salmon is low in carbs and high in healthy fats. Fish has a lot of nutritional benefits, such as omega-3 fatty acids. This dish is so easy to make; you’ll first need to mix all seasoning ingredients in a large bowl. Those ingredients include paprika, chili powder, garlic powder (1/2 tsp of each), 2 tbsp avocado oil, salt, and black pepper to the taste, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Carefully spread the seasoning over two salmon filets; you can use a cooking brush to make it more convenient. Take the filets into the air fryer for about 10 minutes. You can also cook this dish in the oven (400°F/200°C for 10 minutes.) this dish has about 330 kcal.

Snacks

If you find yourself looking for food in between meals, you can always opt for a healthy snack. If you are smart enough, you turn a snack into a weight loss booster. With an avocado smoothie for weight loss, for instance. That way, you’ll satisfy your in-between-meals cravings while helping yourself lose some weight effortlessly.

Another good idea for a snack is a protein bar. Make sure to buy low-carb, gluten-free bars, but an even better option is to make them yourself. For easy homemade protein bars, put four scoops of protein powder, 1/2 tsp stevia powder, 1/4 cup of sugar substitute or sweetener, and 1/2 cup almond butter into a food processor. Put 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted) in a small bowl and add 1/2 tsp sea salt and 3 tsp vanilla extract. Put the mix into the food processor and blend all the ingredients until combined. Add chocolate chips or your favorite seeds to the mix. Spread the mixture into a pan covered with parchment paper and take it to the fridge for at least an hour. Take the pan out and cut the mix into bars. With this recipe, you’ll get about 15 protein bars. How many protein bars a day you can have depends on your specific diet and your weight loss goal.

Final thoughts

Following a low-carb, gluten-free diet can be easier than you think. If your goal is to lose weight fast, merging these two diets is the way to go. Still, you should consult with a dietitian or a healthcare professional before making any significant changes in your diet. If you’re thinking about giving these two diets a go, you should schedule your appointment with us today. We’ll help you combine the diets in the most optimal way for your specific need. That way, you’ll get all the benefits of a low-carb and gluten-free diet.

Author

Nurse Walton

Born and raised in Chicago, IL, Chanay received her Practical Nurse licensure and went to work in clinical specialties such as Home Health, Assisted Living, Long-Term Care and Dialysis Centers. Through this work, she realized the importance of diet, nutrition and weight loss among her patients. This led her to open A Better Weigh, Inc. Medical Weight Loss Center in 2009.