Fad diets come and go (think The 12-Day Grapefuit Juice Diet), but one that has celebrities buzzing is the gluten free diet. But, just because celebrities are doing it doesn’t mean you should. Here’s the lowdown about gluten and why you should (or shouldn’t) follow this diet.
What is gluten?
Marilyn Gordon, Ed.D., NSU’s registered dietitian, said gluten is one of the protein fractions in wheat, barley and rye.
“Gluten is used in a lot of foods and it can be very hidden,” she said. “The food industry uses components of wheat, barley and rye so you have to be careful and read the label.”
Who is allergic to gluten?
Gordon said an individual who is allergic to gluten has Celiac disease, or is gluten intolerant, which means they are genetically predisposed to be intolerant to gluten. When they ingest gluten, it causes havoc in their intestinal tract.
“It leads to malnutrition in the short term and small bowel cancers in the long term. It’s a very serious condition,” she said.
Gordon has practiced dietetics for 25 years and for the first 20 she had about five patients diagnosed with Celiac disease. She said in the last few years this diagnosis has been on the rise, and fortunately, it’s become much easier to manage.
In previous years, food substitutes weren’t available, so people just avoided eating bread, pasta, crackers, cereal, etc. Gordon said now there are more options available. Bread can be made out of acceptable grains like millet, corn and quinoa, and pasta can be made from amaranth.
Symptoms of Celiac disease?
Not everyone has symptoms if they’re allergic to gluten. Gordon said a person needs to examine their family history to see if anyone is gluten intolerant.
“Usually, you see symptoms in childhood. A child might develop diarrhea, have an upset stomach and not gain weight appropriately,” she said.
If someone has this disease and they’re eating wheat, it disrupts the small intestine and that’s where we absorb most of our nutrition Gordon said. Once your small intestine is upset, you don’t absorb vitamins and minerals.
“Over time, it leads to anemia and not growing properly. In adults, the symptoms may be bloating, upset stomach and not feeling well,” she said.
Gordon also recommends going to a gastroenterologist. A doctor may diagnosis you with anemia, but you could really be allergic to gluten and not absorbing any nutrition.
“It is easy to type in your symptoms and say ‘I’ve got that,’” Gordon said. “It’s not the best way. You need a health professional to perform lab tests to get a strong diagnosis so you can move forward in a safe way.”
What if you just want to try the diet?
Don’t. Gordon said a gluten-free diet is just another fad celebrities have made popular.
“[On a gluten-free diet], there’s a whole host of nutrients that are eliminated from your diet. How will you get those nutrients? We eat a lot of different things every single day to reap all the benefits that come from food. When someone decides they’re not going to eat a major food group, they need to identify what nutrients they won’t get,” she said.
Also, gluten-free foods are not well fortified. There is no vitamin, folic acid, riboflavin, or iron in them. Gordon said they have added ingredients to make them more palatable, which drives the calories up.
For those who are gluten intolerant, they really need this diet. Gordon said it’s the only remedy and its forever.
“It’s a medical treatment. For those who need it, it’s a Godsend. For those who don’t need it, I don’t understand the motivation. Why would you want to avoid those foods?” she said.
