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Real Life Diet Questions Answered

Angela Dowden
Nutritionist

Posted 19 Jan 12

Help for coeliac disease

Hi, Iive been on the Nutracheck diet for 2 years and lost almost 5 stone - which I found really easy to do. But recently in the last 3 months, I have been diagnosed with coeliac disease, which is so hard to deal with. Everything which I am allowed to eat is so high in calories - so i find that I am going over my 1400 cals a day - hence I have put 1.5 stone on again and I have never felt so depressed. Is there anything I can do? All the gluten free bread, rolls etc for breakfasts and lunches are really high in cals. But if I avoid the breads and rolls etc, I am so hungry and tired. In fact, since I have been diagnosed and my diet has changed, I have never felt full up like I did before. Evening meals I can deal with - meat and vegetables, but the rest is so hard? What can I do? Please help me!

Our expert says...

Hi,

 

Thanks for your query – that’s definitely a bit of a blow, but I hope I’m going to be able to help you feel a bit more confident and less depressed for the future.

 

Firstly, your diagnosis and subsequent removal of gluten from your diet is likely to have led to weight gain through absorbing nutrients and calories better. As you know, in coeliac disease, your small intestine becomes damaged, which can lead to the improper absorption of food. Though it’s a blow to have put on some weight, this should stabilise itself, and on the upside it's good for you to know you will now be getting more nutritients from your food and that your long-term health prospects should have improved as a result.

 

Gluten free breads can be higher calorie (or at least not include the airier “Danish” style options that you can get in the normal ranges). But this is improving all the time and I hear on the grapevine that Warburtons are extending their gluten free range so the range of products is increasing.

 

I also wonder if you’ve considered the full range of rice cake and rye crispbreads as an alternative to breads. These do tend to be low calorie and are now available in  a tasty variety of options. Research suggests that puffed foods like rice cakes are filling for their calorie content, because they take up space in your stomach.

 

For breakfast, porridge is a great filling option and ant lunch time, how about rice salad or pasta salad made with corn pasta. Jacket potatoes and reduced fat hummus with vegetable crudities are other options, and soups are super filing too.

 

Given that is not so easy to find suitable carbs to fill you up, also pay attention to how much protein you are having. Research suggests protein is very good for curbing hunger, so try to include tuna, chicken, prawns and other low cal protein sources at lunch and dinner.

 

I hope these suggestions help, and that you can stay motivated. It's always hard to deal with a newly diagnosed health condition, so give yourself a break and congratulate yoursef that you are stll 3 and half stone lighter than when you started!

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