"I suggest avoiding gluten," is the advice given by Mark Sisson, author of "The Primal Blueprint," on his popular health and nutrition blog, Mark's Daily Apple. Sisson believes that gluten intolerance is more common than we realize; his theory is that gluten and grains have been introduced relatively recently into the human diet, so it's a smart idea to drop them altogether.

Such a belief in the benefits of gluten avoidance is not rare.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of "The View" and author of the "The G-Free Die," purports that a gluten-free diet can increase energy, lower cholesterol, help you lose weight and restore health. A growing number of people are placing gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale, on their "no" list, in much the same fashion as they once banned fat and carbohydrates.

"It's definitely a hot trend for people to go off gluten. It's like the latest Atkins diet," says Shelley Case, R.D., gluten-free nutrition expert and author of "Gluten-Free Diet, A Comprehensive Resource Guide." Case reports that the gluten-free products market increased from $560 million in annual sales in 2004 to $1.56 billion in 2008, and is expected to climb to $26 billion in 2012. That explains why more gluten-free products are filling supermarket shelves. And there wouldn't be a surge in products without the demand.

GLUTEN-FREE MUSTS

Going completely gluten-free is a dire necessity for people diagnosed with celiac disease (CD), a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting both children and adults. When people with CD eat gluten-containing foods, it creates a toxic reaction from the immune system that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be absorbed properly. Even small amounts of gluten can affect people with CD.

Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no gastrointestinal symptoms present. CD affects one out of 100 people, making it "the most under-diagnosed disease in America," Case says. A Mayo Clinic study published in July 2009 in the journal Gastroenterology revealed that CD is at least four times more common now than it was 50 years ago. Though researchers don't understand why rates of CD are climbing, some postulate that it might be related to our increasing reliance on high intakes of gluten and wheat.

Other gluten-free followers are those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (an intolerance to gluten that manifests with symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea) and people with a wheat allergy that must avoid gluten-containing wheat products.

GLUTEN OVERDRIVE

Case notes that there's little scientific support to back the claims that humans in general should eliminate gluten, but she concedes that we're eating gluten at unprecedented levels.

"We are eating a lot of gluten in processed foods and things like bagels, muffins and snack foods. We're carbaholics. We don't eat the same way our grandparents did--they ate smaller amounts of gluten, and primarily in the form of bread," says Case. Cutting back on high amounts of gluten in wheat products--especially in refined, processed foods--is pretty sound advice for an optimal diet, in general.

While the benefits from cutting back on a gluten overload seem obvious, the notion that gluten-free equals healthy is a mistake.

"People think gluten-free is healthier, and it's not so," says Case. "Many people gain weight because gluten-free products mostly contain starches, sugars and fats, and the majority of gluten-free foods are not enriched with vitamins and minerals as wheat products are. People tend to feel deprived when they're on a gluten-free diet, so they often eat more gluten-free baked products, like cookies."

On the other hand, a gluten-free diet can be a model of health with just a little effort. By forging a diet around lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables and ancient gluten-free whole grains like quinoa, it can be done.

Consider going gluten-free? If you are thinking about trying a gluten-free diet to relieve any symptoms, first review the symptoms of CD and see if they apply to you, Case suggests. If they do, talk to your doctor about a blood test or small intestine biopsy for an accurate diagnosis.

If results indicate you don't have CD, you might consider a gluten-free diet trial anyway to see if you get any relief. If you do have CD, meet with a registered dietitian to help you plan a healthy gluten-free diet.

Available at Amazon.com:

The G-Free Die

The Primal Blueprint

The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat

The Paleo Diet for Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance

 

 

(c) 2010 Environmental Nutrition Newsletter