Gluten Free Fad

3 CommentsNutrition

Are you someone who checks the packaging of an item to see if there is gluten in what you’re eating?  If so, why are you checking?  Let’s say you’re not one of these people that checks. . .  Do you know people who do?

Lately, a lot of people have been preaching about gluten free foods, but most people don’t understand why this is rather silly.  Gluten is not your enemy–  When it comes down to it, the only thing that should be your enemy is sugar unless you are actually allergic to gluten or have Celiac Disease.  I digress. . .

To put it very simply, gluten is a protein composite derived from grain and grain products.  It’s found in foods containing those ingredients, and is also used as a supplemental source of protein in some foods.  The only people that need to watch their gluten intake are those who suffer from Celiac Disease, a digestive tract autoimmune disease;  The only treatment for Celiac Disease is a lifelong gluten free diet–  And if you suffer from Celiac Disease, go ahead and skip this post.

So, how common is Celiac Disease?  It affects between 0.5% and 1% of the American population, and experts say that there are similar rates worldwide.  For us in the U.S., that means there are 3 million people nationwide that suffer from this.

So, if this disease is so rare, why do people think that gluten is their enemy?  I can’t figure it out when the movement started, honestly, but people do it as a way to be “healthier” and to “lose weight.”  This movement has gained fuel from celebrity endorsement and food packaging, which helps people believe they should choose gluten free foods.

So if celebrities say it helps them, and food packages tout “Gluten Free,” then it has to be healthier, right?  Wrong.  The fact remains that any food that normally has gluten, but has had it replaced with something is less healthy.  The reason for that?  Typically speaking, these foods have fewer calories, but that gluten was replaced by sugar, which raises your blood sugar.  As we’ve discussed countless times here, raising your blood sugar leads to an insulin response from your body, which leads to fat storage.  So even if all you care about is calories, the weight you lose will be muscle–  You won’t appear any more “toned.”

EDIT:  A reader pointed out that it is entirely possible for sausage and fruit gummies to contain gluten, so we’ve removed this section.

Do what is healthy for you and your body–  Don’t fall into a fad that will actually harm your results.

3 Comments

  1. Whitney

    Please see my FB post about this. Celiac disease is far more serious than you make it out to be here–the reason it would say GF on fruit snacks is because many thickeners contain wheat. Many flavoring agents (you pictured sausage) contain wheat. They even inject meats with broth to enhance their flavor. You guessed it. Chicken broth contains wheat too–flavoring AND thickening. This kind of labeling means the difference between life and death for many people, and so many close to me. Please don’t tease.

  2. G & A's Health Guide

    ‎Whitney we completely understand the severity of celiac disease, and were in no way trying to make light of it. In fact, we were attempting to do the opposite. We mention that the post is not meant for those with the disease, as for them it is a life or death situation. We are actually just sick of seeing people claiming to have this disease (even though they’ve eaten gluten their whole lives with no consequence), when in fact they don’t at all and they are just using it as a diet fad. It is very sad for the issue to be taken lightly. I am so sorry you thought we were making light of celiac disease, we never intended it to be taken that way. I was not aware that those products could contain gluten and want to thank you for pointing that out to us, we are removing the pictures as I write this. I don’t fully understand the disease, and never intended for it to come across that I did… this post is to point out that is is actually something very serious, and that if you couldn’t eat gluten you would know, it should not be used as a trend to lose weight. Out here it is so commercialized it is sad. They have everyone thinking they are allergic to gluten, and from the standpoint of trying to lose fat it can actually be a detriment. Again, we don’t want to post things that are false, so we are more than happy to remove the pictures. I agree that it is a great stride forward that things are now labeled gluten free for those who need it.

  3. Sizzle Food

    I agree with your post. I have a sibling and several friends that actually have celiac and are on gluten free diets. It is very serious however cutting gluten isn’t a solution for non-celiac suffering people. As a diabetic educator, I get frustrated when people suggest a gluten free diet thinking it will help them lose weight or be healthier for them. There are some great benefits from gluten and in reality many of the products are higher in calories and carbs than their gluten filled equivalents.

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