Gluten-Free:The Way To Be?

Grocery shopping has never been more confusing. Dozens of labels are competing for your attention: ‘non-fat’, ‘vegan’, ‘low-cal’, and ‘gluten-free’ are attached to your yogurts, milks, cereals and even fruits and vegetables. While these claims are meant to get consumers to buy the next great thing, are they the wisest and healthiest choices we can make? Is vegan cookie dough better than its ‘regular’ counterpart?

And what about gluten? There has been a noticeable increase in the sale of gluten-free products in supermarkets in the past year. While it’s hard to keep track of the latest fad diet, a gluten-free way of life has been endorsed by several celebrities, countless books have been written about the subject, and general awareness of gluten seems to be increasing. But does avoiding gluten provide any benefit to those of us who aren’t harmed by it?

Gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley and rye, should be avoided by those with celiac disease. An autoimmune condition diagnosed through blood tests and tissue samples from the gastrointestinal tract, celiac disease can cause a wide range of symptoms and damage to the small intestine.

A gluten-free diet is not necessarily a diet of deprivation, as it should include all fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy, and starches such as rice, potatoes and corn. However, many products labeled ‘gluten-free’ are just processed foods masked by a label that somehow implies ‘healthy.’

If weight loss is your goal, this diet does not guarantee it. A gluten-free cookie may not have wheat flour, but it is still loaded with refined sugar and empty calories. At the end of the day, it is ultimately ‘calories in versus calories’ out that either causes weight loss or weight gain. In order to enhance the flavor of bland gluten-free flours, manufacturers often add unnecessary sugar and fat. Gluten-free products also tend to be very low in fiber, since they are not made with fiber-rich grains. 

The bottom line: while diagnoses for celiac disease are on the rise as more people learn about the effects of gluten, it should not be used as a fad diet for those without the condition.

Janna Manjelievskaia lives in Philadelphia with her cat, Miso. She is currently in graduate school at Temple University. In her non-existent spare time, she watches Mad Men, Dexter and Sex and the City. Born in Russia, she likes to talk loudly on the phone to her mother. Visit her blog at http://myphiladelphiablog.blogspot.com.