Thought Leadership in Action

Gluten-free diets are everywhere these days. Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow hype gluten-free diets as the way to lose weight and feel healthier. Even fast food chains now offer gluten-free options, with Chick-Fil-A recently announcing that it would offer a gluten-free bun made from amaranth and quinoa.

For people with autoimmune conditions like celiac disease, gluten causes very real gastrointestinal distress and flu-like symptoms. But only a fraction of those eating gluten-free have celiac disease. Celiac disease affects 1 percent of the population in America, according to According to the Celiac Disease Center, which is about 3 million people. But a large percentage of people eating gluten-free are doing it to feel healthier or lose weight.

So is eating gluten-free right for you?

What Is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in common grain products like wheat, rye and barley. It helps baked goods rise during baking and gives food that fluffy mouthfeel you get from a great piece of bread.

Gluten is found in many grocery-store staples, including breads, pasta, cereal, beer, cupcakes, and many others. Avoiding gluten completely can be difficult and costly, since gluten-free versions of these common foods are often much more expensive. In fact, the average gluten-free product is 242 percent more expensive than the regular product.

Celiac Disease and Other Sensitivities

People with gluten sensitivity, especially celiac disease, can have an extreme reaction after consuming gluten.

“The hardest thing for someone with celiac disease is you have to be strictly gluten-free. I mean literally not even a crumb of gluten, because for people who are sensitive, that one crumb could really make them be in the restroom for next three days and in bed,” says Marilyn Geller, CEO of the Celiac Disease Foundation.

Geller says that while it’s good that there is more attention on celiac disease, the growing popularity of eating gluten-free as a health fad has muddled the message for advocates.

“Because people think of it as the GI symptoms, the stomach issues, they think it's a digestive disease. But it truly is an autoimmune disease. It affects systems all over your body.” Geller says.

Others complain of undiagnosed gluten sensitivity with similar symptoms, which is known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). Common symptoms are diarrhea, constipation and excessive bloating or gas.

Another autoimmune disease, Crohn’s disease, has sometimes been linked to gluten, and some patients have experienced milder symptoms by switching to eating gluten-free. But research has not proven a link between the two.

Some encourage eating gluten-free as a weight loss method, to boost energy or to otherwise feel healthier. But there’s little medical evidence to support that.

“Too many people are choosing to eat gluten-free for various reasons that haven’t been supported by evidence-based science at all, like weight loss. I consider it a great disservice to those who suffer from celiac disease,” says Kim Galeaz, a registered dietician nutritionist and culinary consultant.

Tips for Eating Gluten-Free

For those without celiac disease or NCGS, gluten poses no risks. In fact, it’s an essential part of a healthy diet, Galeaz says. “Grains in general, especially whole grains, have been studied extensively and show multiple positive health benefits, from heart health to weight control, optimal gut health to healthy blood pressure,” she says.

If you are on a gluten-free diet due to celiac disease or NCGS, you do need to be careful about your food choices to stay healthy and avoid the harmful effects of gluten.

You may need to watch for nutritional deficiencies, such as the B vitamins. Double-check labels at the grocery store. “Even if it's labeled gluten-free, it's still wise to check the label because while there is a government regulation as to what gluten-free means, we are still finding that companies are putting the gluten-free label on their product, but there is wheat, rye or barley in the product,” Galeaz says.

Stick to safe grains like white rice, brown rice, quinoa, corn, hominy, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, teff and wild rice. You can also buy non-gluten flour for baking.

Finally, be aware that manufacturers often add more fat and sugar to gluten-free products to make up for a shortfall in taste, often making them less healthy than their gluten-containing counterpart.