Eating Gluten-Free: Is It Necessary?

2016-07-29

Better performance, improved digestion, gluten sensitivity… There are many reasons people choose to remove this molecule formed during the kneading of flour. But are all of these reasons well-founded?

Features Liver Health

Why Eat Gluten-Free?

The days when wheat was seen as a symbol of health are long gone. Criticized by a growing part of the population, this cereal is suspected of contributing to various symptoms, and its consumption has already begun to decline.

Gluten sensitivity

We still know relatively little about this form of sensitivity linked to gluten. Initially dismissed, it is now recognized by the scientific community. When affected individuals consume foods containing gluten, several symptoms may appear, including: abdominal discomfort, bloating, intestinal disturbances, headaches, fatigue, muscle and joint discomfort, numbness, skin challenges, and more.

The symptoms disappear when gluten intake stops and return as soon as it is reintroduced. Apart from these symptoms, no additional complications have been documented so far, though further studies are needed. Diagnosis is tricky: avoiding and then reintroducing gluten-containing foods is recommended when gluten sensitivity is suspected. According to scientific publications, prevalence is estimated to be between 5% and 13% of the population.

How to Successfully Eat Gluten-Free?

Remove rye, oats, wheat, barley, and triticale, as well as spelt and kamut, from your diet.
Avoid prepared and processed foods. Gluten is used in most processed products such as sauces, condiments, cakes, sweets, and deli meats. Choose whole, unprocessed foods (fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, nuts) and prepare them yourself.
Limit dedicated gluten-free products. Although "gluten-free" items are intended for your diet, they are still processed foods and may contain various additives. A study even showed that the glycemic index of these products is sometimes quite high. Some of them may also contain traces of gluten. Finally, gluten-free bread and pasta are often expensive and less flavorful (since gluten is responsible for the texture and taste of traditional products).
Do not give up starches and fiber. Replace traditional gluten-containing starches with alternatives such as whole rice, buckwheat, corn, quinoa, legumes, or potatoes. Add rice or corn bran, ground flaxseed, or chia seeds to your dishes to compensate for the potential loss of fiber.

A gluten-free diet is unlikely to cause deficiencies, as gluten is not an essential substance for health.

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