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Most of us probably know someone who avoids gluten–and you may have wondered if it’s something worth doing yourself. In certain circles, it feels like going gluten-free is seen as a healthy move. But is it? Here are a few things to know.
“Gluten” isn’t the same thing as “carbs”
I’ve heard the terms “gluten” and “carbs” used almost interchangeably. In reality, not all carbs even contain gluten. Gluten is a specific protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Grains like wheat are rich in carbohydrates (aka carbs), but so are foods like dairy, fruit, and some veggies. Dairy, fruit, and veggies are naturally gluten-free. But there are also some grain foods that don’t contain any gluten, such as oats, rice, and quinoa.
Gluten isn’t harmful for everyone
For someone with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, eating gluten damages their intestines. That causes symptoms like diarrhea, lessens the body’s ability to absorb important nutrients, and puts them at risk for serious health issues if untreated. There’s another group of people who have symptoms like bloating, brain fog, and fatigue after eating gluten. That’s called “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”. It’s not an autoimmune condition like celiac and doesn’t cause intestinal damage, but you may feel better eating gluten-free.
The Celiac Disease Foundation says that about 1 in 10 people worldwide have celiac disease and that the rate for gluten sensitivity is similar. But if you don’t have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, gluten doesn’t cause symptoms or harm to the body and doesn’t need to be avoided.
Gluten-free products aren’t automatically healthier
There are tons of gluten-free products on the market–which is great for people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. But just because there’s a “gluten-free” claim on the label doesn’t mean it’s better for you. To compensate for the absence of gluten, some companies add more fat, sugar, or low-fiber starches like potato flour. So these products might end up being higher in calories and lower in nutrients. They also tend to be more expensive.
Bottom line: Think you might have celiac? Ask your doctor about getting tested, which involves a blood test and possibly an intestinal biopsy. (Just don’t cut out gluten before the test, or you might get a false-negative result.) If you don’t have celiac but suspect gluten might give you problems, eliminate it for a week or two and track your symptoms. Otherwise, enjoy gluten-containing foods and don’t stress about it.
By Sally Kuzemchak, MS, RD
