Gluten Free Diets: A Health Nut Fad, or Practical Science?

The gluten-free diet has become a cultural phenomenon for those seeking to lose weight and boost their digestive health. But while some believe that the gluten-free lifestyle is the new norm in healthy eating, going gluten-free is not a healthful choice for everyone.

Gluten is a protein complex found in wheat, rye, barley, and other wheat hybrids. This means that gluten is present in many common foods, especially starches like breads, pastas, rice, cookies, crackers, and even some salad dressings and sauces.

The gluten-free diet was originally developed for those who suffer from celiac disease, a condition in which gluten causes the small intestines to become inflamed. Celiac disease causes digestive discomfort, weight loss, prohibits the absorption of nutrients into the body, and leads to many other serious and possibly fatal health conditions. A diet free from gluten is the only treatment for people who suffer from celiac disease.

In recent years, doctors have also begun diagnosing some patients as “wheat sensitive” or “gluten intolerant,” meaning that though they do not suffer from celiac disease, their bodies do not process the protein well, resulting in headaches, fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms.

There is no medical diagnostic test for wheat sensitivity. The only way to diagnose patients is to place them on a gluten-free diet, and observe the health benefits. Diagnoses of both conditions have gone up dramatically in recent years, creating a new culture of gluten-free food and marketing—and popular fad diets linked to the new science.

Because a gluten-free diet cuts out many common starches and carbohydrates (traditionally thought of as “fatty foods”), many dieters believe that cutting gluten out of their diet will lead to weight loss. Oprah Winfrey, Gwyneth Paltrow, and other popular celebrities have reportedly given up gluten to “detox.”

Food makers have latched on to the new trend with surprising speed: a study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that between 2004 and 2011, the market for gluten free food products grew 28%.

All of this begs the question: does a gluten-free lifestyle lead to better health?

For the general population, the answer is no.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics study found that “despite the health claims for gluten-free eating, there is no published experimental evidence to support such claims for the general population.”

The myth of a gluten-free diet leading to weight loss is easily explained by the types of food that contain the protein. Cutting out sugary carbohydrates found in muffins, doughnuts, white bread, and other highly processed carbs will lead to weight loss. Gluten-free dieters also tend to have more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in their diets, which creates a more balanced nutritional plan.

Cutting out gluten can be harmful to a person without gluten intolerance. The human body needs the vitamins found in wheat-bearing foods, and carbohydrates provide our main source of energy. As with any dieting program, a consultation with a nutritionist or dietician is the only safe first step to finding a plan that works for you.

Claire Thompson, acting junior, follows a healthy food regimen, but is not gluten-free.

“From what I’ve read as far as healthy eating and weight loss, gluten-free isn’t really pertinent unless you have an intolerance,” Thompson said. “I think the general population is starting to realize it’s a fad, and it can be detrimental to people’s health. People who go gluten-free without a meal plan can miss out on some essential nutrients. It can be dangerous.”

Tiffany Hopper, acting junior, already maintained a gluten-free diet before being diagnosed with a gluten allergy last year.

She believes that a gluten free lifestyle can be beneficial—if undertaken properly.

“Many people’s bodies don’t process gluten well, and I think that’s why more people are being diagnosed,” Hopper said. “I honestly think that it’s something that could make a lot of people feel better. If you’re cutting out gluten and doing it the right way, with advice from professionals, you are going to be fine and will get the right amount of nutrients. But if you try to cut out all foods with wheat and carbs, you’re basically just going on a crash diet.”

Fad diets come and go, but the debate on gluten-free diets rages on. As with all lifestyle changes, it’s best to check with a medical professional before pursuing a new meal plan.