Is a gluten-free diet best for everyone? In Part 1 of my two part series, I discussed what gluten is and gluten related health conditions. Today we’ll consider whether a gluten-free diet is best for all individuals and how to adopt a healthful gluten-free diet if it is necessary or simply something you desire.
What about the rest of us?
If you don’t have gluten-related disease or allergy, is consuming gluten unhealthful?
Gluten has been blamed for many health ailments including obesity, digestive disorders, heart disease, and even cancer. I cannot tackle all of these items individually, however it is clear that in most cases one food alone cannot explain or directly responsible for a disease or disorder. Despite the popularity of gluten-free diets, a study has not been published showing that removing gluten from ones diet alone helps to reduce body weight [1].
Gluten alone is not the issue. A low nutrient diet is what promotes disease and health disorders. As I mentioned in my previous post, consuming a gluten-free diet by substituting most packaged gluten-free products for their gluten-containing counterparts is not more healthful. Just as you can consume a vegan diet filled with junk food (Skittles, Fritos, Potato Chips, and Oreos Chocolate Cones are all vegan) you can also switch to a gluten-free diet thinking you’re doing yourself long-term good.
If you were to follow a gluten-free diet by replacing more processed foods containing gluten with vegetables, beans, fruit, intact whole grains, and nuts and seeds, which are all high in nutrients, low in calories , and are naturally gluten-free you would lose weight in a healthful and nourished manner. However, this is not simply because you cut out gluten, but rather because you replaced refined and processed products (breads, pasta, cookies) with whole plant foods that are rich in nutrients.
According to the USDA, approximately 17% of calories in the average American’s diet come from wheat flour, which is a large amount from a single food. [2] To put it in perspective, this would be similar to eating 4 apples a day for someone consuming a 2,000 calorie diet. Regardless of whether gluten is healthful or simply another trend, its evident that the majority of American’s are eating far too much of a single food, therefore lacking in important nutrient diversity.
Gluten containing whole grains include: farro, freekah, bulgar, spelt, kamut, barley, rye, triticale. These function in our body very differently than processed gluten products, such as breads, pasta, and cookies. Gluten-free whole grains include: buckwheat, brown & wild Rice, quinoa, millet, amaranth, teff, rolled oats, and steel-cut oats. For individuals where avoiding gluten is necessary, it’s important to note that oats are a special case. They do not contain gluten, but are often cross-contaminated with gluten in the harvest and processing. This is why you may see oats in the store labeled “gluten-free”. A sub-set of people with Celiac disease may react to a protein in oats that is similar to gluten.
Even if we are consuming whole grains, this doesn’t mean we should have a large part of our diet be comprised of it. For instance, I essentially eat a gluten-free diet, but not because I have a digestive disorder or am adamant about avoiding gluten, but simply because I focus on my diet consisting of foods that fuel my body and are shown to prevent disease. These are foods that are nutrient-dense and naturally gluten-free.
I want go gluten-free, where do I begin?
If you’re looking to adopt a gluten-free diet, make it one that is based on whole plant foods. You’re body will be fueled with nutrients to prevent and reverse disease, keep your immune system functioning well, and allow your body to maintain a healthful weight for life.
Eating a whole food, unprocessed, gluten-free diet is not boring, but rather full of exciting, nourishing foods. Purchase a great cookbook to get started! One of my all time favorite cookbooks is YumUniverse by Heather Crosby. Deliciously Ella by Ella Woodward is another fabulous pick.
[1] Fuhrman, Joel, M.D. Go Gluten-free to Lose Weight? https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/gluten-free.aspx
[2] USDA Fact Book. Profiling Food Consumption in America, Chapter 2. http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf