Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Four Myths about Gluten


1. Gluten is bad for everyone.

"Gluten is a mixture of two proteins found in foods like cereal grains and wheat products," says Tellez. "Most people probably don't even know when they are eating gluten since adverse reactions generally only affect people who have celiac disease or those with a gluten sensitivity." A doctor can test you.

2. Gluten causes allergies.

Some celebrities have claimed that gluten free diets have improved autism symptoms or autoimmune disorders, but research doesn't support these claims at all.

3. Gluten makes you fat.

Gluten itself cannot make you fat. Overeating, an unbalanced diet and lack of exercise are still the leading causes of weight gain. Gluten is naturally found in wheat grains, including barley and rye, even beer and soy sauce. Wheat gluten is also added to imitation meats sometimes to improve the texture of the product. Many products that contain gluten, are actually low-calorie and high fiber and can actually increase satiety levels, keeping you full longer.

In fact, some gluten-free pastas and breads may actually have more calories and lower fiber, vitamins and minerals than gluten-containing products. Gluten-free diets really only benefit you if you have a true gluten intolerance or celiac disease.


4. Not eating gluten makes you healthier.

Not eating gluten can actually be bad for you since gluten is present in many of today's staple foods, cutting it out altogether could mean you miss important nutrients by omitting important healthy foods

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