Dealing Graciously with Gluten
When people ask me, "Do I need to be gluten free?", my internal response is, "I don't know, do you?" Do you feel significantly better when you're eliminating barley, wheat, and rye containing foods from your diet?
Granted, this also means you are likely replacing a lot of high calorie/carbohydrate-rich foods for higher fiber options like fruits, veg, other whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, which are all naturally gluten free. You may feel better and possibly lose weight, but is it the gluten itself? Maybe. There are many newly diagnosed food sensitivities and I am a firm believer that your body will let you know if something is not right, but unless you have a true medical concern, it is likely unnecessary to completely eliminate food groups. In fact, Harvard research shows no significant heart health benefits for gluten avoiders that don't have celiac disease (a medical condition where your body cannot tolerate the gluten protein)(1). Actually, since the benefits of whole grains as a source of vitamins, minerals and fiber have been well documented in long term health studies, they may be at an increased risk if they eliminate whole food groups. Not to mention, there is an INCREASED risk of obesity and health concerns in celiac patients that followed a gluten free diet but the research wasn't clear on whether it was related to better absorption of nutrients or the gluten free processed foods being higher in fat and sugar to improve texture and quality (2).
If you fell prey to fancy marketing, you're not alone. Surprisingly, non-celiac shoppers made up the largest sector of the gluten free products market in 2015, which has had a significant spike in sales in recent years (3).
Investment Rationale: Whole grains can be a significant source of fiber and essential vitamins and minerals in one's diet so to completely eliminate them, without significant benefit, could make getting 25-35g/day of fiber more challenging. Whole grains can be a cost effective way to help you stay feeling full longer (fiber) and help with energy levels (b vitamins), so shop smart and choose options with 100% whole _______ at the top of the ingredients list and as little added sugar as possible.
There are easy tests that can diagnose food allergies, but remain rather costly to the average consumer. A great way to know if you are sensitive is to write down everything you eat and drink for about a week, then subtract or add back various foods and keep track of your symptoms.
I recommend talking to a Registered Dietitian or your Doctor if you are concerned about food sensitivities.
Below are some of my favorite snack bars, that also happen to be gluten free!
Lebwohl B, Cao Y, Zong G, Hu FB, Green PHR, Neugut AI, Rimm EB, Sampson L, Dougherty L, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Sun Q, Chan AT.
Tortora, R., et al. Metabolic syndrome in patients with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 Feb;41(4):352-9.
Topper A. Non-celiacs Drive Gluten-Free Market Growth. Mintel Group Ltd. Web. http://www.mintel.com/blog/food-market-news/gluten-free-consumption-trends.
