First, I’d like to apologize for the long gap between my posts! Not that it’s an excuse, but the last few weeks of the semester really kicked my butt. The good news is, I’m half way through grad school (if you don’t count the dietetic internship after school)! AND, I’m mostly taking the summer off from school (one class is no big deal, right?) to intern at Pepsico Global Nutrition just north of NYC. More to come from Purchase NY soon! Thanks for your patience and for sticking with me.

I recently wrote about a new study on gluten sensitivity and its clinical significance for the Friedman Sprout, which you can find here. As a side note, the Friedman Sprout is the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy’s student-run newspaper; check it out if you haven’t already. I find this to be such a relevant topic that I wanted to share some of what I found with you.

Gluten free products are popping up everywhere. You may have noticed, over the last few years, the gluten free area of the grocery store has expanded from a few shelves to an entire aisle . This is, of course, a positive shift for the 1% of the population with Celiac Disease (gluten allergy). The surge in products may also benefit another 6-10% of the US population with gluten sensitivity. Want to know more or think you might be gluten sensitive? You can read more about it in my Sprout article.

But the explosion of gluten-free products at grocery stores and restaurants didn’t happen solely because of the afflicted population. Somewhere along the way, gluten-free diet became known as having health and weight-loss benefits. Celebrities endorsed it (Oprah) and books like Gluten Free Abs starting popping up on book shelves; so inevitably, it became the new fad. It became associated with words like toxin and allergen. Again, this is true for those with Celiac and maybe gluten sensitivity– not the majority of the US population. This brings me to my question: is gluten-free better for you than gluten-filled products?

In one word, NO. Unless you fall into one of the two populations I described above. 

What is gluten? And what does it mean for a product to be gluten free?

Gluten is a composite of proteins found in most wheat derived products, as well as those made from rye and barley. When a food is made to be gluten free, it’s basically stripped of the gluten by “washing the product” of the starch, which allows the gluten to separate  from the rest of the flour. There are also several grain products that are naturally gluten free like rice and quinoa. Substituting grains like quinoa or brown rice for refined grains is a good thing — they are high in fiber, protein, and other nutrients and are generally not processed. But gluten isn’t the bad guy here.

Removing the gluten doesn’t make a product any more healthful than it’s gluten-filled counter part, nor does it remove any calories. Just because those cookies or cakes are gluten-free, it doesn’t make them low-calorie, nutrient-filled, or better for you.

It will, however, take a toll on your wallet (gluten-free often comes at a cost premium) and in many cases your taste buds. With the spike in the number of people buying gluten free products, manufacturers have more incentive to support development of better tasting gluten-free products. There has certainly been some improvement, but it’s been slow. I’ve tasted a few products, and while they are edible , there is still a long way to go in my opinion (it’s all relative – when you’re starting at a cardboard-like texture/taste, any little change makes a difference).

The surge of new gluten-free products is great for those with CD or gluten sensitivity; they can now have pizza, pasta, and many other bread products. There is even gluten free beer! But the research-backed benefits end there. The only scientifically documented benefit to gluten-free is for those with an allergy or sensitivity. So, if you were thinking of going gluten-free as a way to lose a few pounds or “feel healthier,” do your wallet and your taste buds a favor and think again. As I always say, eat a diet filled with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.

- your food and fitness friend