Going gluten and dairy-free is a major dietary change that can have significant effects on your body. For many people, eliminating these common food triggers can provide relief from digestive issues, inflammation, and other health problems. But how exactly does cutting out gluten and dairy impact your body? Here’s an overview of the key changes you can expect when you take the plunge into a gluten-free, dairy-free lifestyle.
1. Potential improvement in digestive symptoms
Two of the most common food intolerances are gluten and dairy. Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Dairy contains the milk sugar lactose. For people with sensitivities to these compounds, eating gluten or dairy can trigger digestive issues like:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
These digestive problems may start soon after eating a gluten or dairy-containing food. Or the symptoms could take hours or even days to fully develop.
Going gluten and dairy-free eliminates these triggers from your diet. This allows your digestive system to heal and recover. Many people find that digestive symptoms quickly start to improve once they cut out gluten and dairy. Within a few weeks, bloating and discomfort often disappear completely.
2. Reduction of inflammation
For some people, gluten and dairy trigger chronic inflammation in the body. This is especially true for those with conditions like celiac disease or lactose intolerance. When you have an adverse reaction to these foods, your immune system mistakenly identifies gluten or dairy as a threat. This causes high levels of inflammation as a defense mechanism.
This inflammation often centers around the digestive system. But it can also extend beyond the gut to affect other regions of the body. Joints, muscles, and organs like the brain can all suffer damage from this inflammation over time.
Going gluten and dairy-free helps calm this immune response and lowers inflammation. Many people report rapid improvements in inflammatory issues like joint pain and brain fog after cutting out these trigger foods.
3. Potential weight loss
Gluten and dairy are common causes of bloating and water retention. For some people, eliminating these foods allows that swelling to dissipate. Losing that extra bloat can mean shedding a few pounds quickly when starting a gluten and dairy-free diet.
Going gluten and dairy-free also tends to lower calorie intake. Bread, pasta, cookies, and pizza are among the top sources of calories in the standard American diet. And full-fat dairy products also carry significant calories. Removing these high-calorie gluten and dairy foods often leads to a spontaneous decrease in calorie consumption.
In addition, some research indicates that gluten and dairy may promote fat storage in the body. Cutting them out could help shift the body from fat storage to fat burning mode. Together, these factors may promote more significant weight loss over time on a gluten and dairy-free diet.
4. Potential energy improvements
Digestive issues like gas, bloating, pain and constipation can all sap your energy levels. When the digestive system isn’t working optimally, it’s difficult for the body to convert food into fuel. Eliminating common triggers like gluten and dairy allows the digestive system to function more efficiently again.
In addition, inflammation triggers widespread fatigue in the body. By reducing inflammation, a gluten and dairy-free diet enables cells to function at their best. This includes brain cells, which may support improved concentration and mental energy.
Many people who eliminate gluten and dairy report having more sustainable energy levels throughout the day. They also often sleep better, which further boosts energy.
5. Potential reduction in cholesterol levels
Dairy is a significant source of saturated fat and cholesterol in many people’s diets. Some studies indicate that cutting out dairy may help lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels.
One study had overweight men cut dairy out of their diets for 6 weeks. They lost an average of 6.5 pounds and saw a significant drop in LDL cholesterol. Other research has found similar cholesterol-lowering results in people who eliminate dairy.
Gluten also may play a role in cholesterol levels. Some emerging research indicates that gluten could inhibit the absorption of “good” HDL cholesterol. By going gluten-free, HDL cholesterol may be able to increase.
Together, eliminating these common food triggers could be an effective way to optimize cholesterol levels for better heart health.
6. Potential changes in bowel habits
Gluten and dairy are two of the most likely culprits behind constipation issues. They can cause gut inflammation that slows down the passage of stool through the intestines. Cutting them out often provides rapid constipation relief.
However, some people do also experience diarrhea after going gluten and dairy-free. This is often a temporary issue, resulting from the abrupt change in diet. It may take a few weeks for the digestive system to adapt and bowel habits to normalize again.
Longer term, eliminating common triggers like gluten and dairy tends to improve regularity for most people. But it may take time for the ideal balance to be found.
7. Potential changes in autoimmune disease activity
Autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis involve the immune system mistakenly attacking the body’s own tissues. This leads to high inflammation and organ damage.
Research shows that gluten could play a role in stimulating or exacerbating autoimmune attacks in susceptible individuals. Many autoimmune patients find that going gluten-free helps dampen down this abnormal immune system activity.
There are also theories that dairy could stimulate inflammatory immune responses. Eliminating both gluten and dairy may provide significant autoimmune relief by calming the overactive immune system.
8. Increased need to supplement
Gluten foods like bread, pasta, and oats are common sources of several important nutrients, including:
- B vitamins
- Iron
- Fiber
Milk and other dairy products also supply key micronutrients like:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Potassium
To prevent potential deficiencies, it’s important to ensure you replace these nutrients from other gluten and dairy-free sources. Enjoy plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, eggs, meat and fish. Taking a high-quality vitamin/mineral supplement can also help fill any nutritional gaps.
9. Possible improvement in chronic health conditions
Eliminating two of the most allergenic foods – gluten and dairy – can produce significant health changes. Some research indicates that going gluten and dairy-free may help improve conditions like:
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Migraines
- Chronic fatigue
- Autism
- Eczema
- Arthritis
- ADD/ADHD
The powerful anti-inflammatory effects from removing these triggers can benefit nearly every body system. Some people experience complete resolution of long-standing health issues by taking gluten and dairy out of their diets.
10. Potential risks if diet lacks variety
Like any restrictive diet, there are some potential downsides if a gluten and dairy-free diet lacks variety and adequate nutrition:
- May not meet all nutrient needs (especially calcium, vitamin D, B vitamins)
- Could trigger disordered eating patterns or orthorexia
- May make social eating more difficult
- Can be more expensive than a standard diet
The keys to avoiding these risks are planning balanced meals, taking supplements if needed, and allowing flexibility in your diet so it’s sustainable. With some extra care, a gluten and dairy-free diet can meet all your nutritional and social needs.
Gluten-Free Grains and Starches
Here are some nutritious gluten-free grains and starches to enjoy on a gluten and dairy-free diet:
- Quinoa
- Brown rice
- Buckwheat
- Millet
- Sorghum
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Tapioca
- Arrowroot
- Cassava
- Beans/legumes
- Nuts/seeds
Dairy-Free Calcium Sources
These foods can help provide calcium on a dairy-free diet:
- Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, collards
- Fortified non-dairy milk like almond, oat, soy
- Fortified foods like juice, cereals, muffins
- Tofu
- Canned fish with bones like salmon and sardines
- Almonds
- Edamame
- Blackstrap molasses
Getting enough vitamin D and magnesium also supports strong bones on a dairy-free diet. Exposure to sunlight, seafood, eggs and supplements can provide vitamin D. Magnesium is found in green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds.
Conclusion
Transitioning to a gluten and dairy-free diet is a big change, but most people report feeling significantly better within a few weeks. Pay attention to how your body responds as you eliminate these common triggers. Keeping a food journal can help you identify improvements in energy, digestion, pain levels, and other symptoms.
Be sure to enjoy a wide variety of nutritious gluten-free grains, fruits, vegetables, proteins and healthy fats. Supplement if needed to prevent any nutritional deficiencies. With some care and planning, most people find going gluten and dairy-free drastically improves their health and quality of life.
