Gluten-Free Fad: Beneficial or Detrimental?

By: Tori Cernetich

In recent years, restricting gluten has become increasingly popular as a health fad. Many people are turning to a diet free of gluten in an attempt to promote weight loss, boost energy, and live healthier lives. Scroll through most health and wellness influencers on Instagram and you’re sure to find a plethora of delicious gluten-free recipes. Even food companies and restaurants are taking advantage of this new health trend by marketing foods as gluten-free at a very high price.

Why avoid gluten?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which eating gluten induces inflammation and destruction of the gut. This results in malabsorption of nutrients and can lead to deficiencies as well as other health issues. There are two steps to find out if someone has celiac disease: a blood test looking for antibodies produced in response to gluten, or an intestinal biopsy to confirm damage and inflammation of the gut caused by gluten. For individuals living with celiac disease, avoiding gluten is critical.

There are also people who have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). People with NCGS experience the same symptoms as those with celiac disease in response to gluten (abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, etc.); however, they do not test positive for celiac disease.

The only treatment for celiac disease and the only relief of symptoms for NCGS is the complete elimination of gluten from the diet. This includes any foods containing wheat, rye, or barley - so no pizza, pancakes, pasta, donuts, cookies, or beer!

Luckily, only about 1% of Americans are diagnosed with celiac disease and an estimated 6% are affected by NCGS. This means a large proportion of the population does not have to follow this restricting and often gratuitous diet. So, why are so many people avoiding gluten?

What do studies say?

The first double-blind randomized controlled trial was published recently and examined the effects that gluten has on individuals living without celiac disease or NCGS. Researchers found that healthy individuals who consumed gluten did not experience any increase in symptoms such as abdominal pain, reflux, diarrhea, constipation, or fatigue. Based on the results of this study, researchers concluded that the consumption of gluten-containing foods do not generate symptoms in individuals living without celiac disease or NCGS.

What are the consequences?

Following a gluten-free diet may be negative for health. 

• Nutrient deficiencies. Gluten-free food products are rarely enriched with the necessary vitamins and minerals that gluten-containing foods have. This poses a risk for deficiencies of several nutrients, such as folate, iron, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamine. 
• Fiber. High-fiber diets are associated with lower body weight, better digestion, regulation of blood sugar, and reduced risk of heart disease. Many gluten-containing foods are high in fiber, so eliminating these products also eliminates fiber’s benefits.
• Nutritional Quality. Many gluten free products are highly processed and higher in saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and calories compared to their gluten-containing equivalent. A diet high in these products can lead to weight gain.

What’s the bottom line?


For the 1% of Americans with celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet is critical to avoid damage to the gut. For the estimated 6% with NCGS, following a gluten-free diet alleviates unwanted symptoms. For everyone else in the population, it is an unnecessary and potentially unhealthy way of eating. If you believe you have celiac disease or NCGS, you should consult your physician. Until then, don’t skip out on the pizza and beer!




References: 

https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(19)40896-2/fulltext

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-foods

https://shelleycase.com/in-the-news/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/213569207306311568/

Allergy Queen

By Kelsey Wright

The emotional connection we have to food

is something to which we all relate.

Food restrictions can easily ruin your mood

and are often difficult to embrace.

Food is often how we relate to others

since we eat when we see family and friends.

Food is how love is shown by our mothers.

If you don’t eat her meals, it could be an offense.

There are many reasons why we change our diet

like for diabetes, Celiac, and weight loss.

Sometimes we just like to cause a riot

when we walk in looking fit and like a boss.

For diets, the beginning is always the worst

because you start off without a formulated plan.

You stare at diet cookbooks with lips pursed

and realize you’re no longer a free man.

Many times, you don’t have to be extreme.

You can eat some foods from time-to-time.

You can still have a little bacon or ice cream

or some of your favorite key lime.

But if you’re even more restricted

and can’t eat those foods no matter what,

it can make you quite conflicted

and can easily put you in a rut.

Today, this is my strategy:

to talk especially to those of you

who have gained food allergies,

mostly if they’re giving you the “allergy blues”.

I’m here to tell you it will improve.

It will seem hard initially,

but you’ll settle into a groove

and become an allergen expert officially.

Here’s a story to which I personally relate

to help give you some hope

that you can and will acclimate

and begin on an upward slope.

Adult-onset food allergies

can truly cause a grown woman to cry.

Especially when she misses cheese

and ice cream… and also pie.

I know a girl who has gone through this

who’s allergic to 12 different foods.

She can’t have pizza, strawberries, or swiss.

Most things at the store, her diet excludes.

She started out by reading every food label,

walking down every grocery aisle,

and finding things to eat if she was able

to help change her lifestyle.

Next, she learned to be creative

and make recipes that were completely new.

Her family became more accommodative

and cooked things that she can eat too.

At her wedding, she had a special cake

and now eats cashew milk ice cream all the time.

She’s learned she really loves to bake

and her favorite sauce is now avocado lime.

‘

Her love of cooking grew with her confidence

and the situation turned out to be ideal.

It’s when she developed patience

that the little sadness inside of her healed.

This is when she gained a mastery over her foe

and slayed the bothersome allergen “serpentine”.

She then sat down in her contentment throne

and dubbed herself the allergy queen.