Grain-Free Diet: Benefits, Food Lists, and Meal Plan

Grain-free eating means avoiding all grains including those that are gluten-free (such as rice, corn, and oats) and contain gluten (such as wheat, barley, and rye). Technically, non-grain products made from quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat are permitted in small amounts on a grain-free diet.

• A grain-free diet is not necessarily a low-carb option, unlike the ketogenic diet, which limits carbohydrates. It is recommended to consume complex carbs from foods, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkin, in moderation.
• The grain-free diet does not forbid the consumption of meat, fish, eggs, legumes or beans, seeds, nuts, sweets, or dairy products. However, most of its proponents advise paying attention to your body's biofeedback and avoiding any additional food categories that harm your health.

In many aspects, a grain-free diet resembles other popular gluten-free and/or digestive-supportive diets, including the gut and psychology syndrome, alkaline, wheat belly, or Paleo diet.

A balanced diet rich in whole foods is good for your health. Although there is limited research, the proponents of a grain-free diet claim that it has several health benefits.

1. Reduced inflammation:
   • Many chronic disorders are linked to inflammation, which may be caused by some grains' constituents.
   • Some recent studies on humans and animals report a connection between eating wheat and chronic inflammation. So, eliminating wheat from your diet may help your body experience less inflammation.
   • Additionally, cutting out grains from your diet might help you consume more fruits and vegetables to make up for the loss of grains. Antioxidants and other healthy substances that are known to lower inflammation are present in fruits and vegetables.
2. Could aid in ending your food addiction:
   • Many people suffer from food addiction, especially in Western nations, such as the United States, where it is very common to consume inexpensive, unhealthy meals.
   • People with clinical food addiction overeat despite the negative effects, such as weight gain, strained relationships, or health problems. Some may experience a less serious version of addiction, which involves routinely consuming things that are unhealthy.
     • According to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, items with a low glycemic index (GI), including many grain-free foods, do not trigger the same kinds of addictive reactions as foods with a high GI. 
     • High-carbohydrate foods are frequently high on the glycemic index. By removing many of the high-carbohydrate meals from a grain-free diet, you can train your brain to be less reliant on cravings for non-nutritious foods and instead use wisdom to select healthier options.
3. Heart health:
   • Even though research supporting the general view is lacking, cutting out grains could be beneficial for your heart.
   • According to research at Eastern Michigan University's School of Health Sciences, a grain-free diet significantly reduced cholesterol levels, especially low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels in those with increased cholesterol.
     • Additional research indicates that refined starches, including those in processed grain meals, may promote metabolic syndrome, a collection of disorders that increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
4. Might enhance mental health:
   • Grains can impact mental health. According to studies on the relationship between celiac disease and gluten, removing it can assist with a range of brain and mental issues, including epilepsy or seizures, anxiety, depression, and attention deficit, and autistic spectrum disorders.
   • Researchers have seen improvements in many mental conditions by removing gluten from the diet, even in those who do not have celiac disease. Although the exact causes of this are unknown, gluten appears to be a significant contributor to the development and management of schizophrenia.
5. Weight management:
   • It is uncommon but feasible and heavily relies on the diet consumed before eliminating all grains. The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods increases when grains are eliminated, which can reduce the availability of nutrient-poor diet options and promote weight loss. This is especially true if you are on a diet rich in processed food.
   • Though you might initially lose weight, this diet is not sustainable. Every time you resume eating grains, you will gain weight.
6. Diabetes management:
   • A grain-free diet may help manage the blood sugar levels of some patients with diabetes. However, it is not necessary to eliminate all grains.
   • Eating whole grains may lower the risk of diabetes and promote blood sugar management, especially by eliminating refined grains.

A grain-free diet has several variations.

Foods to exclude

• Corn flour
• Millet
• Oats
• Corn
• Cornmeal
• Rice
• Teff
• Montina flour
• Sorghum
• Beer and other wheat-derived alcohol
• Bread
• Wheat
• Rye
• Barley
• Bran
• Bulgar
• Couscous
• Farina
• Kamut
• Orzo
• Semolina
• Graham flour
• Spelt

Foods to consume in moderation

• Amaranth
• Potatoes
• Legumes (beans, peas, and lentils)
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa
• Sweeteners and sugars (stick to stevia, monk fruit, raw honey, or coconut palm sugar)

Breakfast

• Chia seed pudding with berries, coconut yogurt, and almond butter on top.
• Smoothie made with almond butter, coconut milk, vanilla protein powder, and frozen, mixed berries.

Lunch

• Lentil and vegetable soup with almond flour crackers and a side salad.

Dinner

• Baked potatoes, grilled asparagus, and roasted chicken.
• Turkey meatballs and vegetables are served with a green salad, marinara sauce, and pasta made of almond or chickpea flour.