Is gluten really bad for you?

Is a gluten free diet (GFD) better for health and weight management?

Many celebrities and popular “fitness gurus” demonize gluten on social media. Gluten free product sales are gradually increasing in the UK and the United States . Many buyers are people who are trying to achieve a healthier lifestyle ^, . In 2018, in the UK, only 10% of the gluten free product consumers had a medical reason to avoid gluten and only 15% suspected they had a gluten-related health condition . Gluten free products are quite expensive and could taste different, so is it really worth it?

What is gluten and where do we find it?

Gluten refers to proteins found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale, a grain created by crossing wheat with rye . Actually, gluten is found only in wheat. The similar-to- gluten- proteins in rye and barley are called secalins and hordeins, respectively. The term “gluten” is generally used for all three proteins though. Gluten proteins are rich in the amino acids glutamine and proline. Due to the high proline content, enzymes in your stomach, pancreas and small intestine cannot easily digest these proteins completely .

Gluten is not present only in products that obviously come from wheat, rye and barley (like bread, malt, roux, pasta, biscuits, cereals and rye beer). It can also be an igredient in sauces, ready soups, dressings, food colouring and other processed foods . Oats contain avenin, which is similar to gluten. However, to due to possible cross- contamination in production sites, oats could be contaminated with gluten coming from other foods .

When is gluten a problem?

• Coeliac disease (CD): Among healthy people, the small intestine barrier prevents undigested gluten peptides from moving from the intestine. CD is an autoimmune disease where undigested gluten peptides translocate to the lamina propria of the small bowel and they trigger an immune system response . The result is damage of the small intestine villi and subsequent nutrient malabsorption . Currently, CD patients need to follow a GFD for life .
• Wheat allergy: The immune system reacts to wheat (for information about wheat allergy symptoms and diagnosis click here ). IgE or non-IgE antibodies could be a part of this response .
• Gluten intolerance (or non- celiac gluten sensitivity): Intestinal or non- intestinal symptoms after eating gluten, when the person is not a CD patient or allergic to wheat. Since similar symptoms occur among individuals with irritable bowel syndrome, differentiating between the two conditions could be hard. It is possible that mechanisms of non-IgE mediated allergies could be involved in wheat intolerance, since non- IgE immunological mechanisms have been noticed among gluten intolerant patients. Gluten components that could be responsible for these reactions include amylase/trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) in gluten rye and barley and wheat germs agglutinins (WGAs) .

If you belong to any of the above categories or if you suspect you do, then please consult with your GP and registered dietitian. They are qualified to provide you with the education you need about gluten or about avoiding gluten (if indicated).

If you are a healthy individual and you believe that avoiding gluten will help you lose weight or improve your health, keep reading!

Gluten free diets and weight loss

There is currently no consistent evidence that following a GFD helps with losing weight. Among studies were a GFD was significantly associated with lower body weight, other factors could have an important role. For example, the National Health Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed that participants who followed a GFD reported a significant weight loss comparing to non-GFD followers and they also had significant waist circumference. However, GFD followers were significantly more likely to have a higher income and higher education level . These characteristics are overall more often associated with better nutritional knowledge and the ability to afford healthier food, which could result to more significant weight loss.

Something important to keep in mind: foods which contain gluten can usually be quite energy dense. So, for those of you who have noticed weight loss following a GFD, are you sure it is not just because you have reduced your diet’s energy content?

Also, gluten free products can be higher in fat and energy comparing to their counterparts . But, even if they were not, they are still very expensive. So, it is a posibility that people who cannot afford them and would like to follow a GFD to lose weight, they will end up eating gluten free meals higher in energy.

Gluten free diets and other health implications

Gluten free products often contain lower amounts of iron, potassium and and gluten free diets could be associated with a elevated risk of nutritional deficiencies . It has also been shown that GFDs could have a sigificantly lower fibre content, because those who avoid gluten tend to avoid whole grains. Reducing fibre intake could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease . GFDs could also modify gut floral, but there are still several limitations among human studies, including the small sample size and the important role of individual factors that affect gut microbiota [^{zotpressInText item=”{6684313:XAP78JBN}” format=”%num%”]} .

To sum up:

• You need to avoid gluten if there is an established medical reason to do so! If you have noticed any gluten-related symptoms or have any other concerns about gluten, please contact a health care professional.
• Gluten is not objectively bad for healthy indivudals and there is no reason to make your life more diffucult and purchase expensive gluten free products.
• There is no reason to believe you will lose weight by giving up on gluten. Successful and long term weight loss happens when you reduce your energy intake by adjusting your diet to YOUR lifestyle and achieve sustainable lifestyle changes. Following diet fads for a few weeks will only physically and mentally exhaust you.

References

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Article Name

Is gluten bad for you?

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Facts and myths about gluten and gluten free diets! Is a gluten free diet better for health and weight management?

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Maria Tikka