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If you want to scare a Los Angeles resident, don’t pop out of their shower in a Halloween mask — tell them you’re taking them to a bagel shop… with not a single gluten-free option.
We kid, we kid. Though stereotypical wellness trends are especially saturated in LA, the gluten-free craze has been sprouting every which way in recent years.
It seems that everyone and their mother is avoiding gluten like the plague. This might seem odd, especially because this intolerance hasn’t always existed.
So what’s the deal? Why is everyone suddenly allergic to gluten?
What is gluten?
First, let’s clarify what gluten actually is. Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley, oats and rye.
This protein helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds things like bread and pasta together. Gluten also affects the elasticity of dough, which influences the chewiness of baked goods.
When people think about gluten, they typically associate it with anything containing grains. However, not all grains contain gluten. For example, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth are all grains that are gluten-free. Additionally, some oats can be gluten-free but often they are contaminated with traces of gluten during processing.
Is gluten bad?
“Despite how it’s made out to be, gluten is not an evil,” Diana Gariglio-Clelland, a Registered Dietitian at Balance One Supplements says. Gluten is only bad for those who are intolerant to it.
According to Gariglio-Clelland, only those with Celiac Disease (which affects one in every 141 people in the U.S.) truly need to avoid gluten to manage their symptoms. Celiac disease is an immune disease in which gluten consumption can damage the small intestine.
Essentially, when someone with celiac disease eats a glutenous food, an intestine-damaging immune response will be triggered and their body will be prevented from absorbing vital nutrients.
According to Medical News Today, a person with celiac disease can become very sick if they consume gluten. The only treatment is a gluten-free diet.
But what about people without Celiac? Should they be avoiding gluten?
Since less than 1% of the U.S. population actually has Celiac disease, you still might be wondering where the influx of gluten “sensitive” people came from. (In other words, why won’t your granddaughter eat your homemade bread anymore?)
“It’s true that people can be sensitive to certain foods, such as lactose, certain fruits and gluten,” Gariglio-Clelland tells us. For example, the dietitian cites people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) as having certain food triggers which worsen their symptoms — and gluten is one of those potential offenders.
However, simply assuming gluten is causing the symptoms isn’t the most effective approach.
Still, it’s valid that people may feel better after they cut back on gluten. But, “this could be because they were eating a lot of refined, low-fiber, high-sugar products, which can cause digestion to be sluggish and cause blood sugar spikes and falls,” explains Gariglio-Clelland. “Was it the gluten that was the culprit, or the high glycemic load?”
Eating nutrient-dense gluten-containing foods, such as whole grain bread, is different than eating white bread, muffins, cookies, etc. made with gluten. “If someone is eating nutrient-dense gluten-containing foods and still feels ‘off’, then a trial of a gluten-free diet may be warranted,” Gariglio-Clelland says.
OK, but where did this craze originate?
Did people suddenly wake up one day and decide that gluten was evil? It seems that the more time elapses, the more people are cutting back on gluten.
While there’s no definite derivation of gluten-free mania, one dietitian believes that the gluten free craze came about when the population became aware that white sugar and carbohydrates were touted to cause weight gain.
“Since avoiding gluten gets rid of white flour, in my opinion, this is where this craze all started,” Jamie Feit, MS, RD says.
However, the truth is that gluten contains healthy whole grains that exist in an array of healthy foods. Tangentially, “some gluten-free processed products are loaded with extra calories to make up for the taste and consistency that is lost in food when gluten is omitted,” Feit says.
Plus, gluten-free products are often much more expensive than their glutinous counterparts. “[Going gluten-free] is certainly not a diet that I would recommend for improving health unless you have [Celiac Disease or gluten-triggered IBS],” says Feit.
But, I still want to go gluten-free!
If you still are set on eliminating gluten from your diet, by all means, live your life. Nowadays, there are a number of gluten-free options available to all.
However, if you were simply wondering why everyone you know is avoiding bread and pasta, now you know.
“The gluten-free craze is likely just that; a craze,” suggests Gariglio-Clelland.
If you want to improve your diet, try cutting back on processed and packaged foods, soda, and refined sugars. Instead, decorate your meals with nutritious brain foods. Within a balanced diet, sometimes, gluten might even make an appearance.
