Sport and a Gluten-Free Diet: Can You Keep the Edge?

So you’re not feeling so good and you’ve been told to try a Gluten-Free Diet or that you have the more severe issue of having Coeliac Disease.

This is a daunting experience for anyone, but you’re into your sports and need carbohydrates to fuel and recover from all your training and events. Most carbohydrates come from gluten containing grains so how do you do this and not lose your competitive edge?

Don’t panic, there are plenty of ways of getting the carbs you need. Typical healthy carb substitutes for a gluten-free diet include all varieties of rice, corn/maize, potato, flaxseeds, quinoa, tapioca, amaranth, tofu, nuts and beans.

And for energy it’s hard to go past the humble and healthy Banana. But you’ll still be able to use many of the gels and sports drinks etc that are on the market.

You’ll also need to ensure you are getting enough fibre within your diet, as most wheat based grains also contain a large amount of fibre. It is recommended that at least 30 g of fibre be consumed daily. So try things like fruit, vegetables, legumes, lentils, rice bran, psyllium husks, soy flour, brown rice, nuts and seeds.

It can be argued, that many athletes who are on a gluten-free diet have actually improved their performance. The reason being, that most athletes choose high glycemic, refined/process carbs as quick recovery food which usually containing gluten but they may not make them feel the best. They may not be sleeping well, suffer fatigue, bloating or headaches.

When you eliminate these foods the benefits outweigh the risks, elevating performance results from a diet with low glycemic index, high fibre and an adequate intake of lean protein. Basically if your body is feeling good and it’s still getting all the nutrients it needs to perform there should be no adverse effects at all.

Luckily at Syndian Natural Food Products they make it easy to get great Gluten-Free food that is really healthy and has all the nutrients you need to assist with your diet choices or requirements.

They even have the new “Lighter Being” range which are packed full of nutrients but are really low in calories! How good is that!

Check out their complete range here. Their products are available in Coles, Independent supermarkets, organic / wholefood outlets, grocers and health food shops.

Happy Gluten Free eating!

References:

http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/The-Gluten-Free-Athlete.htm

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/special_diets2/gluten-free_diets