10 Reasons You Should KEEP Eating Gluten (for Weight Loss)

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with all these fad diets that claim to help you shed unwanted pounds. From liquid diets to teatoxing to cabbage soup diets to baby food, lemon water, and raw food diets — there is no shortage of diets to try. And going gluten-free for weight loss seems to be one of the most popular methods these days. Those with Celiac Disease, intolerance to gluten or wheat, cut out gluten-enriched products for the sake of their health, but should you be cutting it out for the sake of the number on that scale? It might not be as healthy as you think.

1. French Women Don’t Get Fat Eating Bread: They’re chowing down on pastries at the local cafes and riding bikes around Paris with baguettes in their baskets (OK, that’s probably too cliché, even for me!) but the French live for eating foods with gluten so how come they don’t get fat? Well, in part, the way Americans live and eat is quite different from the French. They also walk everywhere as opposed to Americans who always drive. Plus, French women cook delicious meals. Obesity is an epidemic in America and isn’t as widespread in other countries.

2. Danger of Gluten-Free for Non-Intolerant People: In the Journal of Pediatrics, Dr. Norelle Reilly, Columbia University Medical Centre, warns that many gluten-free alternatives are loaded with fat, calories, sugar and actually lack nutrients. So you may think you’re reaching for something healthy because it has no gluten, but it might be less healthy than that slice of bread you so desperately try to avoid.

3. The Amazing French Toast Breakfast Recipe on page 29 of Eat More, Burn More.

4. Oprah Lost 26 Pounds Eating Bread Every Day: One of the most powerful women in America opened up about her Weight Watchers weight loss saying that she made sure to acknowledge she wasn’t dieting — it’s all a lifestyle change. She also said she still lost weight while eating her favorite foods, which included bread! It’s all about moderation and still treating yourself.

5. Jennifer Aniston Eats Bread for Breakfast: Our favorite girl-next-door eats bread for the most important meal of the day. And she’s in her late 40s and looks better than most 20-year-olds! According to HollywoodLife.com, this past May, Aniston posted photos of her breakfast to Instagram, which consisted of a piece of whole-grain toast topped with an egg, avocado, and sliced tomato. But don’t be scared that there are some carbs! This breakfast is high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats.

6. This Delicious Wrap from page 41 of Eat More, Burn More. 

7. Famous Harvard Researcher Frank Hu Shows Whole Grains Offer Health Benefits: Go for whole grains rather than refined grains because whole grains offer numerous health benefits. Just to name a few, Hu says these grains contain fiber and bran, which help the body maintain steady blood sugar. Fiber also helps lower cholesterol, regulates the digestive tract, and may even prevent small blood clots!

8. Many People Don’t Even Know What Gluten Is: They’re gluten-free but many people don’t even know what gluten is. ASAP Science says, “Simply put, gluten is a combination of two proteins found primarily in wheat and related grains, like barley and rye. That’s it. It’s just protein.” So, it’s neither good nor bad for you. It doesn’t affect anything, apparently!

9. Research Shows Eating Bread Helps You Stick to Your Weight-Loss Plan Better: When you know you can still enjoy your favorite foods, such as bread, you’re more likely to stick to a weight-loss plan, research says. In the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2005, it was found that what people ate had nothing to do with their weight loss or gain; the determining factor was whether or not they stuck to the diet. Bottom line? You can lose weight and eat what you enjoy as long as you maintain balance!

10. Life is Too Short to Miss Out On The Delicious Lean & Green Baked Ziti Recipe from page 169 of Eat More, Burn More.

To learn more about cooking delicious, healthy meals and how to stick to a nutrition plan that allows you to enjoy your favorite foods, like bread, head over to www.eatmoreburnmore.com!