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If you've been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance and have made the switch to gluten-free foods, you may be one of many people who has noticed an unsettling coincidence: you may have actually gained weight since changing your diet.
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This isn't at all uncommon, says Yvette Saulnier Taylor, a culinary nutrition specialist and certified weight management coach who owns Queen of the Pantry. Saulnier Taylor chalks up sudden weight gain to one gluten-free diet mistake that many tend to make: believing gluten-free processed foods are healthier than similar foods with gluten.
"People trying to eat a gluten free diet must understand: most of these packaged products are processed and the gluten has been replaced with a number of starches to mimic the structure and mouthfeel that it gives to foods like cakes, breads, cookies, breakfast foods, and pastas," Saulnier Taylor says. "Buying packaged foods that are labeled 'gluten free' essentially means you are eating a diet full of starch instead of whole foods that are naturally gluten free."
Instead of stocking up on gluten-free packaged foods, Saulnier Taylor says she advises clients to find healthy alternatives for those specific types of foods.
"When grocery shopping, I suggest having a pre-planned menu of quick, healthy recipes full of fresh, satiating ingredients like organic vegetables and lean meats," Saulnier Taylor says. "It’s always better to go with a veggie and protein combination — you’ll stay full and you won’t have to rely on processed gluten-free packaged foods."
