Is Eating Gluten Free Just A Health Fad?

The number of people who now say they are gluten free is definitely on the rise. But are people sticking to a gluten free diet simply because it has become the latest health fad, or do they simply feel better without gluten in their diet?

Unless you are diagnosed with one of the gluten related conditions which include celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy it is not necessary to consume a gluten free diet and it may even be harmful to you.

Wheat or gluten in the diet is often blamed as the cause of a variety of unpleasant symptoms. Common complaints include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating and excessive wind, as well as lethargy, poor concentration and general aches and pains. Feeling better when wheat or gluten is removed from the diet does not necessarily mean the person has celiac disease or any of the related conditions. A doctor needs to be consulted to investigate all potential causes for these symptoms.

If you feel better when you do not eat gluten you may suffer from one of the gluten related diseases. It is estimated that up to 80% of people with celiac disease are not diagnosed yet. It is advisable that you see your doctor to ascertain if you have one of the diseases discussed. REFER TO THE CELIAC CHECKLIST.  It is critical for your long term health to be properly diagnosed.

Do not go on a gluten free diet until you have consulted a doctor because it may affect the results.

A recent survey from the NPD Group, a market research firm which tracks eating trends reported that 11% of U.S. households follow a gluten free diet, but only 25% of those living in a gluten free home indicate that celiac disease or gluten sensitivity is the reason for the gluten free diet.

There also seems to be a common misconception that a gluten free diet is healthier or that it promotes weight loss. In fact the reverse may be true. Gluten free products may in fact be higher in calories than their non-gluten counterparts, especially baked goods. There is also the risk of developing nutrient deficiency if you omit gluten from your diet. If you go on a gluten free diet it is essential you do so knowing all the nutritional facts associated with it.

It is true that people are abandoning bread and gluten in droves. But wheat has been one of the most important crops for centuries, and wheat has been a staple part of our diet for thousands of years. So why is it now seen as such a toxic substance and so threatening to our health?

Is it because wheat available today has been genetically engineered and developed properties unlike its ancient predecessor? As a population are we simply eating too much gluten in the form of additional additives which bakers add to bread to get the chewy texture we so love? Is it the increased use of refined flours? Or is it the move away from fermentation of bread to the commercial mechanical mixing of dough which alters the gluten structure? Or is it because it is just a passing fad?

Or is it even the gluten which is causing these symptoms in individuals who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity?

An Australian researcher into gluten sensitivity, Peter Gibson, of Melbourne's Monash University said that their study has shown that, in people with gut symptoms who have had some relief with the gluten free diet, it is not the gluten that is the culprit, but it is more likely to be FODMAPs'

The study conducted by Gibson suggested that short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Disaccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols) might be the factor leading to the symptoms such as bloating and gut distress and not the gluten as commonly thought. According to Gibson, people mistakenly believe they are gluten sensitive, because they felt better for avoiding wheat, but in actual fact that is because wheat has a high percentage of FODMAPs and it is avoiding the FODMAPs which is making them feel better.

Why gluten has been blamed is that people do often improve with a gluten free diet because wheat, rye and barley, the three cereals that contain gluten, all have high amounts of FODMAPs in them. Unfortunately, wheat has been recognised as containing gluten and, with the media hype and film stars etc. pushing gluten-free, it is quite understandable that people think it is the gluten that was the villain. Wheat contains more than just gluten.

iF YOU DO NEED A GLUTEN FREE DIET CHECK OUT THESE TOP 10 TIPS TO FIND OUT HOW TO DO IT SUCCESSFULLY.