Gluten-free diets, yes or no?

Discover what the latest scientific studies say about gluten and gluten-free foods.

People who are intolerant to peanuts should avoid eating it, but that does not mean that everyone else has to do it. The fact that people are intolerant to certain foods does not mean that these foods are harmful to the health of the population at large.

There is no scientific study that has concluded that the gluten-free diet has any significant advantages in the general population, quite the opposite.

Gluten is the combination of two groups of proteins: gliadin and glutenin, found inside foods like wheat, barley and rye - more precisely in the endosperm, the nutrient pool of the plant's embryo.

Several studies have concluded that foods with gluten protect against cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. They are rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. They have high concentrations of dietary fiber, are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals (1).

In one study it was concluded that a "Gluten Free" diet is bad for our "good bacteria" of the gastrointestinal system, making our immune system weaker (2).

Eating foods with gluten increases our body's ability to fight viral infections and diseases like cancer (3).

Many people claim that when they removed gluten from their food, they felt a significant reduction in bloating and also a weight loss. While this may be true for those who are intolerant or sensitive to gluten, there is no evidence that anyone who does not suffer from celiac disease or has sensitivity to gluten feels any benefit in cutting off gluten, quite the opposite.

Often the bloating decreases with the removal of gluten from the diet because this includes the removal of starches in the diet. Starchy foods contain plenty of fiber. Fiber attracts water for digestion and this causes bloating. So when you remove food with starch (especially farinaceous), the feeling of bloating diminishes.

Unless you suffer from celiac disease or are sensitive to gluten, cutting off food intake with gluten will only be harmful to your health. Even for reasons of body composition, there is no advantage in removing products with gluten.

There are a growing number of celebrities and fitness fans who claim to have lost weight by removing gluten from their diet. However, the fact is that there are no studies that prove the relationship between the absence of gluten and the weight loss.

In healthy people, the problem is not that the substance itself is fattening, but the fact that it is present in the biggest villains of weight loss, such as products based on white flour. So by "eliminating gluten" one ends up eliminating all these foods indirectly, which can rather promote weight loss most of the time. But beware, this is not always true: for example, it is not worth it exchanging a biscuit with wheat flour (with gluten) for one with rice flour (gluten-free) and consume it in large quantity.

In a study done at the University of Virginia (4), it was concluded that the campaigns and rumors to avoid food with gluten pass through major commercial interests (5).