Should You Be Gluten-Free?
The internet is a revolving door of nutrition trends where it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Which health influencers, if any, can you trust? The gluten-free diet has gained popularity in this complicated landscape, but is it just another baseless trend? Going gluten-free is healthy for certain individuals but not for everyone.
What Is Gluten?
Gluten is a stretchy protein naturally found in many common grains that helps hold food together. Without it, dough used in pizza crust, sandwich bread or bagels would easily rip apart. Gluten is often added to processed foods to enhance texture. It can be found in everything from soy sauce to ice cream. For most people, gluten is not harmful and is part of a healthy diet.
Benefits of Gluten
Gluten has several scientifically proven health benefits. For one, gluten is a great source of protein. Wheat gluten, or seitan, is popular among vegetarians and vegans. Seitan is high in protein and low in fat and carbs, making it a great meat substitute. Also, research has shown that whole grains, which contain gluten, can severely reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. Lastly, gluten may act as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria necessary for a healthy gut. A prebiotic carbohydrate in gluten has been shown to stimulate bifidobacteria in the colon. A healthy level of this bacteria reduces the risk of gastrointestinal diseases. Eating gluten has definitive health benefits whereas avoiding gluten can increase the risk of several health concerns.
Who Should Avoid Gluten?
If gluten is healthy, then why are so many people going gluten-free? There are three main reasons someone might need to adopt a gluten-free diet. Celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and wheat allergy are all conditions that cause an adverse reaction to gluten. Beyond these diagnoses, there is no real reason to avoid gluten.
People With Celiac Disease
About 1% of the U.S. population has the autoimmune disorder celiac disease. With celiac disease, the body attacks the small intestine as a response to gluten. This autoimmune response causes belly pain, nausea, bloating, diarrhea and damage to the intestines. People with celiac disease have to avoid gluten for the rest of their lives and must follow a strict gluten-free diet or else their symptoms will persist.
People With Gluten Sensitivity
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a real issue impacting 18 million Americans. It can cause similar short-term symptoms to celiac disease without the increased antibodies or intestinal damage. Diagnosis can be tricky because there is no specific test for gluten intolerance. Symptoms can be relieved through a gluten-free diet.
People With Wheat Allergy
Whereas celiac disease is an intolerance specifically to gluten, wheat allergy is an allergy to one or more of the proteins found in wheat (albumin, gluten, gliadin, globulin). Wheat allergy is diagnosed through a positive immunoglobulin E blood test. When people with a wheat allergy consume wheat, they experience itchiness, hives, shortness of breath, headache, cramps or anaphylaxis. People with a wheat allergy may be able to consume gluten in other non-wheat grains like barley or rye.
Should You Go Gluten-Free?
If you suffer from celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or wheat allergy, then a gluten-free diet is an important choice. However, for most people, gluten poses no harm whatsoever. In fact, gluten has several important health benefits. Without it, you may even run an increased risk of heart disease and other complications. So, while a gluten-free diet is essential for some, it can actually be unhealthy for others. Ultimately, you should talk to your doctor to decide what nutrition plan is right for you.
References: A Gluten-Free Diet Isn't Healthy For Everyone. Here's Why. | Seitan: A Plant-Based Meat Alternative You Should Try | Gluten-Free Diet: Is It Right for Me?
