All Posts tagged Benefits of gluten-free

Gluten-free has become the big buzzword in dieting right now. You’ve probably heard or read about how much weight you’ll lose if you go on a gluten-free diet. But before you go on a gluten-free diet yourself, here are some things to consider:

• Gluten-free diets can be seriously deficient in important nutrients, such as fiber, iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc. Why? Because many gluten-free products are made with refined, unenriched grains and starches, which are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals.
• Because wheat is ubiquitous in the American diet, completely eliminating gluten requires giving up most breads, crackers, breakfast cereals, conventional pastas, pastry goods, and a wide range of processed foods that contain small amounts of gluten.
• Most gluten-free alternatives, such as pasta and bread, cost significantly more than their conventional counterparts. Some cost twice as much!
• Gluten-free diets were designed to combat celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder that virtually destroys the intestinal tract. If you self-diagnose, or decide to go gluten-free to lose weight, you could put yourself in danger—because you would never be able to get an accurate diagnosis of your symptoms if you are indeed allergic to or intolerant of gluten.

Why do people lose weight on gluten-free diets?

When people eliminate gluten and lose weight, they assume it’s because of the lack of gluten they’re eating. But most likely, they lose the weight because they’ve cut out the excess calories found in many flour-based snack foods. You’d get the same results from eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising more—and you could still eat bread, pasta or birthday cakes in healthy moderation!

What if I really shouldn’t eat gluten?

Are you experiencing any combination of the following symptoms? By themselves, they don’t necessarily indicate a problem with gluten, but in combination, they might:

• Gastrointestinal issues, like intense bloating, diarrhea and constipation
• Low iron
• Itchy skin rashes on your arms, torso, face, buttocks, elbows and hairline
• Migraine headaches that start within an hour or two of ingesting gluten
• Joint pain

If so, your first step should be to have a complete check-up with your physician.

You may then have to consult with medical specialists, such as an allergist for wheat allergy and a gastroenterologist for celiac or another gastrointestinal disease, to narrow down your diagnosis and treatment. If you have a wheat allergy, you have to avoid wheat, but you don’t have to avoid gluten from other grains. If you have celiac disease, you must avoid gluten altogether.

The bottom line: If you think you may have a problem with gluten, get tested. If you don’t, going truly gluten-free has no health benefits.

Any questions?

Please call Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello, where we believe in educating our patients to live the healthiest possible lifestyles.  Our Ob-Gyn group has been serving the Western New York community for over 30 years.

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