Should you go Gluten-Free?

 

The answer isn’t so simple. I’ve done a lot of research on the subject, and honestly there are varying opinions on the subject. 

 

First of all, what foods contain gluten? Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and any foods made with these grains.

 

Avoiding wheat can be especially hard because this means you should avoid all wheat-based flours and ingredients. 

 

 

 

 

Gluten-free products were originally developed for people who have a gluten intolerance. An intolerance to gluten can range in severity–from to sinus problems to Celiac disease. When someone has Celiac disease gluten MUST be avoided. When someone has a mild intolerance, sometimes it’s hard to figure out the gluten is the culprit. Try giving up gluten for a few weeks to see if you feel better–or talk to your doctor. 

 

Keep in mind: gluten-free products are NOT calorie free OR necessarily healthier. A gluten-free cookie is still a cookie. Typically gluten-free products have MORE calories since gluten-free foods have more fat, oil, butter, or eggs to compensate for a lack of gluten (a sticky component). If you want to go gluten-free, try to eat foods that are naturally gluten-free, like fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, lean meats, etc. You can also have gluten-free grains like quinoa, millet or buckwheat–since complex carbohydrates ARE good for you and have nutrients your body needs. 

 

Now, there is whole group of people who say that even if you don’t have an intolerance at all to gluten, it should still be avoided. The basis of this is that gluten, most notably wheat, is now GMO (genetically modified—eeeek!) and highly processed. If you want to read more about this, I recommend checking out the book Wheat Belly. 

 

Instead of giving up all gluten (if you do not have an intolerance), I recommend at least buying organic wheat products to avoid GMOs. 

 

 

Sources: blog.doctoroz.com, diabetes.org