Gluten-Free—Health or Hype?

The only benefit to being gluten free is if you have celiac disease and must be gluten free for your health, or if it clears up otherwise unexplained symptoms.

If your bowel movements are consistent, and your energy is great, please do not get involved with the gluten-free hype! Why? Because a lot of the grains that have gluten such as wheat, spelt, kamut, rye, barley, and most oats (because most oats are cross contaminated with wheat) are high in fiber, and B vitamins. Non–gluten-containing grains tend to be lower in fiber. As well, there is now a huge gluten-free industry, but guess what? The majority of gluten-free products on the shelves use the white, processed variety of flours and often add a lot of sugar and fat to make them taste good. Luckily, there are some good products out there, but you need to look hard and be smart.  The take home message is this: “gluten free” is not synonymous with “healthy.” It is only better for you if you have celiac disease, or you feel sick when you eat gluten. If removing it from your diet makes you feel more energized, have smoother and more consistent bowel movements, clears up your skin, and leaves you feeling great, then choose a gluten-free diet.

Learn more about gluten, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory diseases in my soon-to-be released book on nutrition for the body, mind and spirit.