Gluten-Free Frenzy
“Eighty-eight percent of child-targeted gluten-free food products had poor nutritional quality based on Pan American Health Organization criteria, compared with 97% of regular food product equivalents, Canadian researchers reported in Pediatrics. The gluten-free foods also had less protein, lower levels of sodium, saturated fat and total fat, as well as an increased percentage of calories from sugar than regular products.”- Reuters (7/23), Physician’s Briefing/HealthDay News (7/23)
Ahh yes, the gluten-free frenzy. To help tackle the misconceptions of this hot topic, let’s start with some definitions.
Gluten- a PROTEIN found in wheat, barley and rye responsible for the elasticity of the dough.
Celiac Disease- an autoimmune disorder in which the consumption of gluten results in damage to the small intestine.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity- a term used to describe individuals who are unable to tolerate gluten and who suffer from symptoms similar to those with celiac disease, but do not have the antibodies and damage to the small intestine observed in celiac patients.
Over the past several years, the media has portrayed “gluten-free” as one of the top diets for weight loss. This drives people to alter their diets in a number of ways in order to omit gluten. Well, there are a couple of pros/cons of these alterations that I would like to take a minute to highlight.
PRO: Adhering to a gluten-free diet encourages people to stick to more whole foods. This is AWESOME!!! However, it need not be thought of as unique to a gluten-free diet. This should be characteristic of ANY healthy diet.
CON: To continue consuming some of their favorite gluten-containing products, people often switch to gluten-free alternatives. Unless you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, this is likely NOT a good idea. Why? Gluten is a protein. When gluten is omitted from a typically gluten-containing product, it is often replaced with ingredients that raise the sugar content of the food. This works against us two-fold as a) the product now has a lower protein content b) it now has a higher sugar content, without the protein to help slow the digestion of this sugar.
PRO: Mindfulness is often increased when one is following a gluten-free diet. It’s always good to be paying more attention to the foods you are putting into your body!
CON: A lot of gluten-containing products offer an array of beneficial nutrients, such as fiber. If one is not careful in how they adhere to a gluten-free diet, they may run the risk of developing deficiencies of such nutrients.
SO, my point here is this:
If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, by all means- protect yourself by going gluten-free!
If you are attempting to go gluten-free because you think it is “healthier” or will result in weight loss, please take a minute to check your reasoning via the facts above. The primary element that makes a gluten-free diet beneficial in any facet is the emphasis it places on whole foods. Whole foods should be emphasized in any well-balanced diet, though, so release yourself from the restrictions imposed by being “gluten-free” and focus on a less radical version of healthy eating! 😊