Image: Andrew Wong | Unsplash
While almost one-third of Canadians purchase gluten-free products, a new study suggests that these products should be avoided by those without celiac disease as they are less nutritious and more expensive than their standard counterparts - and do not cause the harm many believe they do.
Sep 23, 2019 - EightSix Staff
A recently-published U.K. study has found that unless you have celiac disease, adopting the trendy gluten-free diet may actually be worse for you than eating regular foods. While often much more expensive, gluten-free foods typically contain almost double the fat, more sodium, and less fibre than their normal counterparts. This runs counter to popular belief, reinforced by celebrity and influencer endorsements, that these foods are better for you. The study, published in the September issue of the journal Gastroenterology, found that subjects who had never been diagnosed with a gluten-related condition found no negative gastrointestinal symptoms or fatigue after being fed a daily gluten diet. State the researchers, “Our results support the view that gluten does not appear to cause symptoms in individuals who do not have a physiological susceptibility to it (i.e., most of the population)." For those of us who do not suffer from celiac disease, perhaps it's time to buck the trend?
