Is Gluten Free All It’s Cracked Up To Be?

435px-Gluten_Sources[1]There’s lots of debate regarding gluten free products and as more consumers try them and more data comes in a bigger picture is coming clear.

There have been food fads since who knows when.  It’s been cottage industry as long as people have been looking for ways to stay healthy, lose weight, stay young, get strong, or whatever goal they’re looking for.  That being said, marketers and disreputable and irresponsible professionals in the sciences often come up with a little information and run roughshod with it.  Armed with the media always hungry for some news to put out and grab ratings, these new food fads take root and grow like weeds.

Gluten free products and promotion has hit the country by storm.  People claiming all sorts of benefits have come forward, restaurants, produce with “gluten free” emblazoned all over the labels, television talk shows, blogs, websites, the works.  It seems that everyone and their brother has a gluten free version of their products.  Problem is, is it good?

First of all, anyone saying gluten free foods taste good are lying through their teeth.  They taste horrible.  For purposes of definition, a gluten free food is one that is bereft of the protein gluten.  You will find it in grains like wheat, barely and so on.  It’s normally used to treat people with celiac disease, one that causes inflammation from the gluten protein.  It’s not like every food on the market has gluten.  Eggs, meats, fish, fruits and veggies and of course dairy products don’t contain gluten so you’ll see them repackaged as being gluten free when we already know that.chi

So gluten free diets might be prescribed by doctors and even a chiropractor to solve inflammation problems and that’s a good thing.  The problem is people who don’t need to be on a gluten free diet not realizing it can have alternate reactions such as gaining of weight.  Staying away from brown rice and beans and fruits and fresh meats can have detrimental effects.  It’s always best to consult a doctor and dietician who know the real deal and not take chances from information of questionable repute.

So remember, gluten free diets are for certain maladies and isn’t to be followed by whims or flights of fancy.  It’s about nutrition done the right way and not some fad chase.

Gluten free means just that, the food doesn’t have the gluten protein.

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