Many
Americans are considering cutting back on the amount of gluten in their
diets or avoiding it altogether. However, nutritionists say that if
this is not done carefully, the diet can be unhealthy.
In a recent poll, 30 percent of adults said they wanted to "cut down or be free of gluten
,"
according to The NDP Group, the market-research company that conducted
the poll. That's the highest percentage of people to report having this
goal since the poll began asking the question in 2009, NDP says.
Gluten
is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, rye and barley.
It's found in most breads, cereals, pastas and many processed foods.
People who have a condition called celiac disease develop an immune
reaction to gluten that damages the intestine, and so they need to avoid
the protein. About 1 percent of the population has celiac disease.
For most other people, a gluten-free diet won't provide a benefit, said Katherine Tallmadge, a dietitian and the author of "Diet Simple." What's more, people who unnecessarily shun gluten may do so at the expense of their health, Tallmadge said.
." What's more, people who unnecessarily shun gluten may do so at the expense of their health, Tallmadge said.
That's
because whole grains, which contain gluten, are a good source of fiber,
vitamins and minerals, Tallmadge said. Gluten-free products are often
made with refined grains, and are low in nutrients.
If
you embrace such a diet, you'll end up "eating a lot of foods that are
stripped of nutrients," Tallmadge said. Studies show gluten-free diets
can be deficient in fiber, iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, calcium,
vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc, she said.
"You
can eat a healthy diet without gluten, but you have to be very
knowledgeable, and most people aren't," Tallmadge said. People who go
gluten-free may feel better because, to avoid the protein, they end up
cutting out desserts and junk foods, thus losing weight. "They
mistakenly attribute that to their gluten-free decision," Tallmadge
said.
Heather
Mangieri, a nutrition consultant and spokesperson for the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics, agreed. "There's nothing magical about
eliminating gluten that results in weight loss," Mangieri said. "Any of
us that eliminates or removes cookies and candies from our diets, and
replaces them with fruits and vegetables is going to feel better."
Before
you switch to a gluten-free diet, you should be evaluated by your
family physician, and a specialist who can determine if you have celiac
disease. (To be diagnosed with the disease, people should see a
gastroenterologist.)
If you want to go gluten-free, "do it the right way," Mangieri said.
If
you eliminate wheat from the diet, make sure to replace it with a
healthy, naturally gluten-free grain, such as quinoa or buckwheat,
Mangieri said. You should also balance the diet with lots of fruits and
vegetables, Mangieri said. Lean meat and low-fat dairy products such as
yogurt are also good for a gluten-free diet, Tallmadge said.
