Gluten-free, is it for me?

What is with all the hype on gluten-free diets? Is going gluten-free really healthy? Well over the past few years there has been more and more talk about how a gluten-free diet can help increase energy and concentration, weight loss, and other health claims. But it seems like most people are not getting all of the facts to this diet and how it really might be hindering your health instead of helping, unless you have Celiac Disease or have a gluten intolerance.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes through cross-contamination, oats that provide elasticity in bread products. Gluten flour is often mixed into flours that have less protein content in order to make better quality bread. It is found in most breads, cereals, pastas and processed foods. Some individuals (7% of Americans) have conditions where they are not able to tolerate gluten, therefore must have a gluten-free diet and avoid it. Gluten intolerance is different from an allergy and can be diagnosed by a doctor. Those who are gluten intolerant cannot eat gluten-containing products because the protein damages the lining of their small intestines. Celiac Disease is a lifelong inherited autoimmune condition. When people with Celiac Disease eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present.

Everyone else – 93 percent of us – can consume gluten without concern! And really we should! When you eliminate gluten from your diet you eliminate wheat products, and this takes away a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Many gluten-free products are low in nutrients, including iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc.

Bread, rice, cereal and pasta products are considered complex carbohydrates and are the foods we get our main source of fuel or energy from. When you eat a diet low in carbohydrates or gluten, you are not getting the adequate “fuel” you need and can start to feel sluggish and tired. One reason for this is because you eliminate essential B vitamins when you do not eat carbohydrates. B vitamins help increase energy production; along with maintain a healthy nervous system and lowering cholesterol levels.

One of the claims made with gluten-free diets is you will lose weight and feel better. Eliminating gluten is not a “magical weight loss” solution. This generally occurs because when you cut out products with gluten, you have to cut out desserts and junk food (chips), which will help lead to weight loss. Because of this, individuals associate the gluten-free diet as a healthy meal plan to help reach their weight goals. Cutting out these types of food should be in a healthy meal plan, however good (healthier) sources of gluten should also be included in that plan. Another thing to be aware of is that some products that are gluten-free can be high in fat, thus increasing the calorie value as well.

A healthy source of gluten would be whole grain food products that contain flour milled from the whole grain kernel (the bran, germ and endosperm.) The health benefits of whole grain products include boosting your immunity, lowering blood pressure, and preventing heart disease and some forms of cancer. They are also naturally low in fat and a great source of fiber. The current dietary guidelines call for at least half of your grain consumption come from whole grains. (Make sure they are 100% whole wheat in order to receive all the nutritional benefits)

Hopefully after reading this article and getting all your facts, you won’t choose to get caught up in the gluten-free diet “fad” if you don’t need to! Make healthy food choices every day, and find a place where the good sources of gluten can fit in and you will continue to meet your weight/health goals by developing a meal plan you are able to live with for the rest of your life!

FACT OR FICTION:

In a healthy eating plan, all foods I eat should be low in fat. FICTION

Your goal should be to eat fewer foods that are high in solid fats. That doesn’t mean every single food you eat must be low in fat. Select lean cuts of meats or poultry and fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. Look for foods that are low in saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol. Switch from solid fat to oils when preparing food.

Fad diets work. FACT

With a significant “but.” You can lose pounds quickly on a fad diet. But over the long term, you are unlikely to maintain that loss. Fad dieters often return to their old eating habits and regain the weight. Meanwhile, many fad diets require you to give up foods or entire food groups that most people need for good health. The best way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to develop an eating plan you can follow for life, combined with regular physical activity.