Gluten-Free Sports Nutrition

What would a gluten-free diet for runners look like?

Does it affect athletic performance?
Is it advisable to eat gluten-free even if you are not celiac? Is it definitively good or bad? And what about following a gluten-free sports nutrition plan?

Nowadays, more and more people are being diagnosed as celiac, and there are also more gluten-free foods available on the market. However, there is still progress to be made regarding celiac disease, but it is gradually improving. On the other hand, many runners choose to eliminate gluten from their diet, even if their body tolerates it perfectly. This is a personal decision whose advantages and disadvantages we will explore. Many runners choose to eliminate #gluten from their diet, even if their body tolerates it perfectly. Regarding athletic performance, the most well-known case of how a change in eating habits has improved performance is that of Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.

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What is gluten, and how does it affect the body?

Gluten, present in many different types of cereals, is a glycoprotein. Among other functions, it acts as a binding agent. It is the "cement" that holds together various ingredients in baking and pastry making, responsible for the elastic consistency of doughs. Gluten is a gelling and emulsifying agent that binds water molecules and, therefore, functions effectively as a structuring element. Precisely these properties make it so valued by bakers, pastry chefs, and manufacturers of these types of products.

What foods contain gluten?

These cereals contain gluten: wheat, rye, barley, einkorn, spelt, triticale, farro, kamut, green spelt, bulgur, and oats. Therefore, precautions must be taken with all foods prepared with these ingredients. These include baked goods (breads and pastries...), pasta, muesli, or cereal flakes, among others.

Sports nutrition with gluten-free foods

Naturally gluten-free cereals include: corn, rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, and quinoa. Foods that are allies of celiacs, providing energy and contributing to enriching their nutrition, are potatoes and nuts. However, if it is necessary to use flours made from these gluten-free ingredients, one must watch out for the risk of contamination and preferably opt for flours marked as "gluten-free." Natural foods that are ideal and necessary in a #gluten-free diet #SportsNutrition Other natural foods that are ideal and necessary in a gluten-free diet: fruits and vegetables, nuts, whole milk and dairy products, cream, fresh or aged cheese (like Parmesan), meats, fish, eggs, oils, and butter.

Recommendations for a gluten-free diet

Following a gluten-free diet does not mean having to give up foods like bread, breakfast cereals, pasta, cakes and pastries, or savory snacks. What is essential, however, is to pay attention to the ingredients that make up these foods, and, above all, to avoid contamination.

How does gluten affect athletic performance?

It has not yet been scientifically proven that eliminating gluten from the diet improves athletic performance. However, it can be stated that certain athletes with various digestive problems, without being diagnosed as gluten intolerant, have decided to follow a gluten-free diet.

By eliminating this component from their diet, their problems have disappeared, and their sensations regarding sports recovery have improved. But it is not scientifically proven that gluten influences athletic performance; we only have testimonials from elite athletes.

Nutrition specialists' opinion on gluten and sports

Experts recommend avoiding trends and popular fads without medical supervision. Such practices can lead to nutritional imbalances if the replacement of eliminated foods is not properly considered. Following a gluten-free diet because "someone else does it" is absurd. If digestive problems truly exist, medical tests should be conducted, professionals consulted, and pathologies ruled out.

Consequences of eating gluten-free for athletes

One of the main results observed when eliminating this component from the diet is the ease with which weight can be lost. This explains the popularity of gluten-free foods. However, this nutritional decision also implies the elimination of foods with significant carbohydrate contributions, such as pasta, a fundamental element in many athletes' diets.

Many energy sources are also gluten sources. Therefore, eating gluten-free complicates the diet of semi-professional or elite athletes, as they need to have six meals a day with a significant carbohydrate intake. Consequently, in the case of gluten-free sports nutrition, the possibilities are greatly reduced, and many runners end up disliking this type of diet.

You won't lose more weight by not eating gluten; rice carbohydrates are just as fattening. Therefore, a varied, balanced, and healthy diet, adapted to the specific needs of each athlete, is recommended.

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