Everything You Need To Know About Grain-Free Diets

What does a grain-free diet mean?

Grains have been a staple in nearly all traditional diets and cuisines across the globe for thousands of years, in fact, some of the earliest ‘recipes’ were ancient flatbreads made from a variety of grains. 

More recently dietary trends have resulted in people wanting to eat grain-free foods mostly for health reasons, but also partly due to allergies and intolerances. 

Is a grain-free diet good for you?

It’s believed that cutting grains out of your diet can:

• Aid digestion 
• Reduce inflammation
• Aid weight loss 
• And even promote good blood sugar levels. 

Some potential health risks do include:

• The risk of lowering your overall nutrient intake
• Not feeling full leading to overconsumption  

Grain-free food list

As well as simply cutting out whole grains, like rice, oats, millet, rye and barley, it also extends to removing items made from grain products too – bread, pasta and most types of breakfast cereals.

Whilst a grain-free diet is generally low-carb, this isn’t always the case. Carbohydrates can also be sourced from legumes, starchy vegetables, fruits and pseudocereals. According to Healthline, ‘pseudocereals, such as quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat [...] can be prepared and eaten similarly to grains, but they are not technically considered grains.’

Anyone on a grain-free diet should eat plenty of:

• Foods rich in plant-protein – Tofu, tempeh and legumes  
• Nuts and seeds
• Healthy fats – avocados, olive oil or coconut oil
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Flour made from non-grain ingredients – almonds flour, chia flour, flaxseed, chickpea etc. as well as products made from them

If you’re stumped on what to have for breakfast, then check out our recipe for a filling grain-free granola.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!