Who doesn’t have an opinion about gluten? This protein is present in many cereals such as wheat, barley, rye and their hybrids. According to many influencers, eliminating it from the diet could help us lose weight, eat healthier or even improve our sports performance.
It is not surprising that, with messages like this, the gluten-free food industry has grown significantly in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue. However, the belief that these products are healthier is not always correct. In fact, if you do not suffer from a gluten-related disorder, consuming gluten-free foods has no influence on your health or could even be harmful if not done with the correct advice.
Gluten-related disorders
Adverse reactions to gluten include celiac disease (CD), non-celiac gluten sensitivity, dermatitis herpetiformis, gluten ataxia, and allergy to gluten-containing cereals.
It is crucial to understand that CD is not a food intolerance or an allergy. It is a chronic and systemic pathology that affects not only the digestive system, but also the neurological, endocrine, bone and skin systems, among others. It affects genetically predisposed individuals and has a prevalence of around 1%. The only treatment at the moment is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet.
One of the biggest problems with celiac disease is its complex diagnosis, resulting in a high number of undiagnosed cases. If someone starts a gluten-free diet because they have read misinformation and then decides to consult a doctor, they could get a false negative diagnosis. That is why it is crucial not to self-diagnose or start treatment without medical supervision, as a late diagnosis can lead to additional complications.
Gluten-free fashion and its risks
Many influencers not only eliminate gluten from their diet, but also recommend the restaurants they visit. But how do they know if those places are really safe if they do not present symptoms when consuming gluten? This can pose a risk to people with celiac disease, who depend on a strict diet to have a good quality of life.
This is why the tireless work of patient associations such as the Federation of Celiac Associations of Spain is noteworthy. It develops a collective catering programme to verify good practices in restaurants and ensure that they comply with regulations.
Gluten-free diet: is it really healthier?
A well-planned gluten-free diet does not have to be deficient in nutrients if it is based on unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, dairy products, meats and fish, etc., taking into account the tastes and health status of the patient. However, abusing manufactured gluten-free products can alter cholesterol or triglyceride levels in the blood, increase weight excessively and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, as well as metabolic syndrome. This is because these products may contain more low-quality fats and simple sugars and less fiber than their gluten-containing versions.
The strategy of formulating sweeter and more palatable products is used to compensate for the loss of the characteristic texture, since gluten has a high technological power and provides positive attributes such as sponginess, elasticity and consistency to breads and baked doughs.
The impact of beliefs and misinformation
A study conducted in 23 countries with more than 20,000 participants revealed that health beliefs greatly influence our eating habits, especially in women.
Specifically, a recent report from the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics indicated that 8% of the Spanish population follows a gluten-free diet, and of these, 72% do so without justified cause. This means that approximately 2,700,000 people in Spain eliminate gluten from their diet without clinical need. Hence the need to identify (and not believe) hoaxes.
By the way, the word “bulo” may come from the Caló language, specifically from the word “bul”, which means “garbage”. We all know the term, but surely not its etymology. Obsolete, erroneous and inaccurate information helps the population form opinions on various subjects, and gluten is no exception.
Adopting diets without clinical need is not only unnecessary and potentially harmful, but also represents an extra economic cost and difficulties for social integration. Therefore, before eliminating gluten from our lives, it is better to make sure we have the correct information, avoiding “garbage” (hoaxes) and consulting a health professional.
This article has been published in ‘The conversation‘.
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