Does a diet without gluten, a protein found in most grains, really help your waistline?
Celebrities endorse it for weight loss. Testimonials claim increased energy, improved digestions and clearer skin. People believe that gluten-free products are healthier, according to surveys. Almost a third of Americans are reducing or eliminating their gluten intake. Sales of gluten-free products have topped $12 billion, according to market research. But what do the facts tell us about a gluten-free diet for in terms of weight loss?
There is currently no research to support the claim that a gluten-free diet is good for weight loss. Unless you’ve been instructed by your doctor to avoid gluten for a medical reason like celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you don’t need to eliminate gluten for weight loss.
Those with celiac disease do need to cut out all gluten–It’s a serious condition. But by current estimates, only about 1% of Americans, or 1 in 133 people, have celiac disease, and about 6% suffer from a gluten sensitivity (meaning you test negative for celiac disease but still suffer from symptoms like diarrhea and migraines when you ingest gluten).
Research on this type of diet has found that it may actually cause nutritional deficiencies, increase the risk of some chronic diseases, and cause weight gain:
- People with celiac disease on a strict gluten-free diet were found to have inadequate intakes of fiber, iron, and calcium. This may be because of an over-reliance on processed gluten-free products.
- People on these diets had a higher incidence of heart disease as opposed to those who ate more whole grains. According to multiple studies, those with higher whole grain intakes had lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and deaths from all health-related causes.
- Some studies have shown either weight gain or an increased BMI in people with celiac disease after starting a gluten-free diet. Possible reasons for this include an improved absorption of nutrients, a reduction in stomach discomfort, and increased appetite after starting the diet, or an increased intake of gluten-free processed food options containing high amounts of calories, fat and sugar.
Those who have lost weight by avoiding foods that contain gluten–such as bread, crackers, cookies, cakes, and other baked goods–have perhaps done so because these foods are high-calorie, not high-gluten.
However, just because a food is labeled “gluten-free” doesn’t mean it is healthier. Beware of manufacturers using the gluten-free label on processed foods to suck you in to buying it. These foods tend to be higher in calories in lower in fiber than regular grain products because extra fat, starch, and sugar need to be added to make them appetizing. For instance, a gluten-free cereal will often have much less fiber and only slightly fewer calories.
In addition, research reveals that if one aspect of a food is advertised as healthy or people believe it to be healthy, people are more likely to eat more of it. This may promote weight gain.
The diet has been touted for relieving stomach problems and fatigue. If you’d still like to try it, just make sure your diet doesn’t rob you of nutrients you need for good health (not to mention good fuel for your work-outs). Make sure your gluten-free diet is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and healthy fats.
Many whole-grain products that contain gluten are also highly nutritious and full of fiber–which helps you lose weight. If you haven’t been diagnosed with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, then rather than going gluten-free to lose weight, you may want to consider cutting out white, refined grains and sugary processed foods–and stick to a moderate diet of whole grains such as whole wheat, barley, wheat berries, quinoa, oats, and brown rice–balanced with lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, legumes and healthy fats.
*My article was originally posted on rcsnfitness.com
Resources:
- Reilly NR. The gluten-free diet: recognizing fact, fiction, and fad. J Pediatr. 2016 Aug 1;175:206-10.
- Lebwohl B, Cao Y, Zong G, Hu FB, Green PHR, Neugut AI, Rimm EB, Sampson L, Dougherty L, Giovannucci E, Willett WC, Sun Q, Chan AT. Long term gluten consumption in adults without celiac disease and risk of coronary heart disease: prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2017 May 2;357:j1892.
- Liu S, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, Giovannucci E, Rimm E, Manson JE, Hennekens CH, Willett WC. Whole-grain consumption and risk of coronary heart disease: results from the Nurses’ Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Sep 1;70(3):412-9.
- Mellen PB, Walsh TF, Herrington DM. Whole grain intake and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis.2008 May 31;18(4):283-90.
- de Munter JS, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Franz M, van Dam RM. Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review. PLoS medicine. 2007 Aug 28;4(8):e261.
- Gaesser GA, Angadi SS. Gluten-free diet: Imprudent dietary advice for the general population?. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Sep;112(9):1330-3.
- Tortora R, Capone P, De Stefano G, Imperatore N, Gerbino N, Donetto S, Monaco V, Caporaso N, Rispo A. Metabolic syndrome in patients with celiac disease on a gluten‐free diet. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2015 Feb;41(4):352-9.
- Dickey W, Kearney N. Overweight in celiac disease: prevalence, clinical characteristics, and effect of a gluten-free diet. Am J Gastroenterol. 2006 Oct;101(10):2356-9.
- Valletta E, Fornaro M, Cipolli M, Conte S, Bissolo F, Danchielli C. Celiac disease and obesity: need for nutritional follow-up after diagnosis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;64(11):1371-2.
- Chandon P, Wansink B. Does food marketing need to make us fat? A review and solutions. Nutr Rev. 2012 Oct;70(10):571-93.
