Is Gluten Bad for You?

Let’s talk about gluten and gluten free diet today. There is a lot of misunderstanding around this issue. You and I became witnesses of a new myth that was born right before our eyes. And the myth is GLUTEN IS BAD for you. So let’s explore it and think if it’s true or false.

First of all, what is gluten after all? Gluten is a complex of two proteins, gliadin and glutein. found in seeds of most grasses and most of the grains like wheat, spelt, barley and even rye. The gluten makes the dough stretch and rise. It gives the bread spongy texture and thickens sauces.

Some people have an autoimmune inflammatory disease of small intestine, commonly known as celiac disease. That means their bodies treat gluten as an invader and starts a immune response or allergic reaction. It affects approximately 1 in every 250 people. There is no doubt that these folks have to stay away from gluten completely. Let’s call them gluten intolerant, eating gluten is potentially dangerous for them.

Some other people, let’s call them gluten-sensitive. It’s not the same as celiac disease, because the body of gluten sensitive person doesn’t develop antibodies. But eating gluten develops all kinds of problems from headaches to bloating and cramps. It’s like with any other food allergy. For example my brother-in-law can not eat egg whites and my sister is sensitive to honey and oranges.

Doctors have been using a gluten free diet to treat those individuals for over 40 years already. So it’s nothing new.

There is no scientific evidence that gluten can be problematic for average gluten tolerant person. Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale Prevention Research Center says, “The potential adverse health effects of gluten in those sensitive to it have reverberated in cyberspace, creating the impression that gluten is a bona fide toxin, harmful to all. This is false; gluten is not ‘bad’ for those tolerant of it, any more than peanuts are ‘bad’ for people free of peanut allergy.”

Therefore, gluten-free diet is justified for some people, but unnecessary for most. “The effort is well-justified for those who are truly gluten-sensitive, but potentially much ado about nothing for others just caught up in the trend. In addition, the exclusion of whole grain wheat, rye, barley and potentially oats from the diet might reduce overall diet quality and fiber intake. Again, a price worth paying when gluten avoidance is clearly necessary, but cost without benefit for others,” Dr. Katz says.

If you think you might have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it’s best to see your practitioner before starting a gluten-free diet. Because it will be difficult to establish if you have a special condition or not after you go on a gluten-free diet.

And in the end I’d like you to think about the words of Alessio Fasano, director of the University of Maryland’s Center for Celiac Research. “The bottom line for gluten-sensitivity,” Fasano says, “is there are very little facts and a lot of fantasy.”