Gluten-Free Reduces Nutrients

I am not a fan of gluten-free diets without medical necessity, as there is simply no research pointing to benefits from omitting gluten unless you have a condition such as celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity. Gluten-containing foods, such as whole wheat, barley, and rye are linked with multiple health benefits. And now research continues to confirm that diets voids of gluten may not be healthy.

Gluten-free diets may result in low consumption of whole grains and their beneficial nutrients for people who don’t have celiac disease, so they should not be encouraged, researchers say. People with celiac can reduce risk of heart disease by avoiding gluten, but the study of more than 110,000 men and women between 1986 and 2010 with a 26-year follow-up found no association between gluten intake and risk of coronary heart disease. But, the study showed that participants avoiding gluten may also be avoiding whole grains, known to have heart-healthy benefits.

(The BMJ, May 2017) Read the study here.

Image: Farro and White Bean Veggie Burgers from Plant-Powered for Life, Sharon Palmer, RDN