A gluten-free diet has become a widespread trend today. From cereals, oats, and bread to chocolate chips cookies, the market is exploding with a plethora of gluten-free food alternatives. Even some restaurants today offer gluten-free food options.
But, is it really a necessity or just a fad? Well, in order to get the answer to this question, you need to understand whether going gluten-free is good or bad for your health. So, let’s get started!
What’s The Deal With Gluten Containing Food?
As mentioned above, gluten-free products are quite popular. Be it a general store, restaurant, or a social media site, like Facebook or Instagram, you can see advertisements and promotions of gluten-free foods.
Gluten is a term used for a large family of proteins found in different types of grains, like wheat, barley, rye, etc. It acts like glue, helping the food to maintain its shape and elasticity. This is due to gluten that the bread rises when you bake it.
Gluten Sensitivity Or Gluten Intolerance
You might have heard about people developing symptoms like bloating, constipation, joint pain, or headaches when they consume gluten-containing products. This condition is commonly known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Some other signs of gluten intolerance or sensitivity are:
Flatulence
Skin problems
Asthma
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Infertility
Abdominal Pain
Osteoporosis
Mood Imbalance
Weight Loss, etc.
Celiac Disease
It is a genetic autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten-containing food damages the small intestine. If a person diagnosed with Celiac Disease consumes gluten, the small villi in the small intestine get damaged and can’t absorb nutrients.
If left untreated, the long-term complications can be quite disastrous, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), miscarriage, iron deficiency, lactose intolerance, or neurological conditions, like migraines, epilepsy, and even intestinal cancer!
Does Gluten-Free Diet Help?
Yes! A gluten-free diet is a must for anyone suffering from Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance. What gluten-free diet means is, the protein gluten has been excluded from the food to be consumed.
But, gluten-free means more than giving up on pizza, pasta, bread, or beer. It also lurks in many other products, like soy sauce, foods with natural flavorings, frozen vegetables in the sauces, etc.
Even the oats that are marketed as gluten-free may still not be suitable for celiac disease. For this reason, it makes sense to look for organic, gluten free oats tested for the gluten thresholds.
Organic gluten free oats are uncontaminated, thus considered as a good breakfast option for the coeliacs. However, it is necessary to consult a GP (general practitioner) before consuming any products that are known to contain gluten.
Some Gluten-Containing Foods Are Necessary For Your Health
If you think you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it’s best to see a doctor before you go gluten-free. The reason is, some gluten-containing foods are a component of a balanced diet.
For example, whole wheat products contain vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, folate, B vitamins, etc. And, removing these products from your diet may result in an unintentional nutritional deficit.
However, high gluten-containing foods, like white bread, baked foodstuff, crackers, or highly processed non-whole wheat, need to be avoided.
So, Is A Gluten-Free Diet Good Or Bad?
A gluten-free diet is good for managing Celiac Disease and reducing the symptoms of gluten sensitivity. Even if you are a healthy person with no signs of gluten intolerance, embracing gluten-free can be good for your health.
However, it’s all about knowing how strict you need to be. Or, what consequences you face if you let your diet slide a little. The best thing you can do is to consult a dietician or GP to know how much gluten-free is too much for you. This way, you will be able to make an educated decision.
