From those stirrup pants you rocked in middle school to swearing off carbs in college, we’ve all had our fair share of fads that maybe didn’t work out so well. But since the gluten-free craze hit the news, it seems like it’s here to stay. Here are the goods on gluten so you can decide for yourself if the gluten-free diet is the new LBD or just another trend.
First things first, gluten is a naturally occurring protein in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. But it’s also added to a lot of goodies, like salad dressings, soy sauce, and fried foods.
Gluten first got a bad rep because it has been associated with causing inflammation, stomach pain, gastrointestinal distress, and even osteoporosis in some people. People suffering these gluten-related ailments often have a condition known as celiac disease. And gluten is definitely a no-no if you fall into this category.
But then there’s another group of people who may not have celiac disease, but do seem to feel better and lose weight when they eat a gluten-free diet. A lot of this, however, has to do with the fact that when you eat gluten-free, you typically are eating fresh, unprocessed foods, which is a good practice in general.
If you eat a gluten-free diet that’s healthy and you feel better, more power to you. However, if you eat a diet that’s hell-bent on avoiding gluten but still includes things like gluten-free cookies and baked goods, you’ll be swapping one “bad” thing for another; companies often add fats and sugars as a replacement for gluten in goodies.
The moral of the story is that if you avoid gluten, eat healthy, and therefore feel better, then give gluten the boot. However, if you find yourself switching to gluten-free foods and not feeling better, you may want to add gluten back in because you could be missing out on important nutrients, such as B vitamins, iron, and fiber.
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