Lindsays Corner.
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November 25, 2013

Pros and Cons of Gluten

Pros and Cons of Gluten

By: Lindsay Messina

I would just like to start off by clearing that I am a non-believer of “free” diets. Gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, they just don’t work for me. I do, however, avoid gluten as much as I can, because it’s much better that way. I wanted to address the pros and cons of gluten as it has become a $6.1 billion industry! And the reason is just not problems like gluten sensitivity and celiac diseases, but the popularity of gluten-free diets. But do they really work? And are they any good for you? In my experience, it varies from person to person. I believe people are like science projects, and each individual reacts to certain foods differently. But now that I am about to hit 30, I need to keep my body energized at all times; and so it is time for some investigation.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein that is mostly found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten gives food their elasticity and makes products chewy. Gluten is mostly found in food items like pastas, breads, pizza, ice cream, pancakes, etc.

The Gluten-Free Diet

Gluten-free diets exclude all food items that contain any gluten. There have been a lot of debates regarding the health benefits and risks of gluten-free diets. Where some claim it could lead to gluten sensitivity and eventually gluten intolerance; many others claim that a proper diet plan poses no risks.  Following are the pros and cons of gluten-free diets to help you get a better understanding of whether they are worth your time or not.

Cons

Let’s get the cons out first. Unlike the general belief, gluten-free diets cannot ensure weight-loss in the long run, particularly not if you aren’t careful on what items you consume on your gluten-free diet.

  • Gluten adds texture to most foods, and so many manufacturers use corn or potato starch to add texture, which makes the food more caloric.
  • A complete gluten-free diet can make your body gluten intolerant which can damage your intestines.
  • Gluten-free products are relatively more expensive, which means paying two to three times more on gluten-free substitutes.

Pros

Gluten-free diet does however have several benefits. Most processed foods contain gluten, and so cutting down gluten means cutting down on high caloric processed foods. Gluten is quite hard to digest and can cause indigestion and gas, gluten-free diet is easy on the body, making it feel lighter and better.

So what’s the verdict? Should you go gluten-free? As I have mentioned before, in my opinion, completely restrictive diets are not always a good idea. I always emphasize on the need for incorporating all the necessary nutrients in your diet, and gluten is an essential element too. This does not, at all, mean that you should lade your body with pizza’s and sandwiches, all it means is simply cutting down on gluten rather than going cold turkey. A good idea is to assign a particular meal or day in a week allowing yourself a little gluten treat.

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