The gluten free diet is having its day in the sun. No doubt you’ve heard all the hype (your favorite celebrity just credited it with helping them lose 10 lbs or you’ve watched TV doctors rage against it) and at some point you have probably wondered, “should I go gluten free?”
You can check out the infographic here.
Unless you have an allergy or serious health reason to go gluten free, I definitely do not recommend giving up gluten.
Wheat containing products, especially whole wheat products, like breads, pastas and flours pack a lot of B-vitamins and when you remove these products you can miss out on important nutrients.
Not to mention many gluten free products skip the wheat flour and instead are made with flours from simple carbs like white rice that turn to sugar rapidly in your system, far more quickly then whole grain products (and may contribute to acne. Yikes!).
Many of the gluten free products can be high in arsenic as well, especially ones made from rice. Read this article from PBS to learn more about the dangers of arsenic in gluten free foods.
If you do choose to go gluten free, be smart, look for whole grain gluten free products like quinoa pasta or gluten free oats to replace your gluten containing products.
If you feel like gluten bothers you or you may have an issue with gluten keep reading to find out what you should do.
For more on WHY you should test for celiac disease before going gluten free- especially if you suspect a problem- check out this site.
For more information on Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) check out this site: celiac.org and look here to learn more about the differences between a wheat allergy, celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance.
If you’d like to learn more about food sensitivities check out this page. Or you can check out our Denver dietitian page for help with nutrition counseling.