Gluten-free or gluten-freeis? That’s the question… (which we answer!)
As registered dietitian nutritionists, we often get questions from clients about whether or not they should follow a gluten-free diet, and if so, how?
This article will help you decide if you should (or shouldn’t!) try a gluten-free diet. And if it’s the right route, we’ve provided a list of ingredients and foods to avoid as well as some gluten-free alternatives.
First of all.. What is gluten?
Gluten is the general name for the proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and a wheat/rye blend called triticale.
Gluten helps foods hold their shape by acting as a glue that holds foods together—even some unexpected ones we’ll look at below!
To illustrate this point, let’s use the classic example of bread.
Gluten provides the texture and structure of bread. It’s a binder that adds elasticity (think raw pizza dough).
In a gluten-free product, other thickening ingredients such as xanthan gum, guar gum are added in place of the gluten to maintain the structure. Without these replacements, the food would simply crumble. Let’s start with 3 cases in which the use of GF is completely justified:
3 reasons to go gluten-free
- If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease
In people with this autoimmune disease, even small amounts of gluten trigger the immune system to attack the small intestine, causing major damage. Over time, the small intestine will lose its ability to absorb vital nutrients, which can lead to severe nutritional deficiencies.
For example, if the digestive system cannot absorb iron, a person with celiac disease may develop iron deficiency anemia and experience fatigue.
Many people with celiac disease also experience unwanted side effects such as diarrhea, unwanted weight loss, bloating, constipation and gas.
Adopting a strict gluten-free diet is the cure for celiac disease.
2. You have a suspected gluten sensitivity
If you experience less severe but noticeable bloating, discomfort, gas and/or constipation after meals containing gluten, you may have a sensitivity.
The best way to learn? Remove the suspected culprit! It’s not going to hurt to eliminate gluten for 6 weeks and give it a try.
However, adopting a gluten-free diet should not replace a diagnosis.
3. You have dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a form of celiac disease, which causes the immune system to attack the skin rather than the small intestine.
It manifests as a chronic itchy rash, abnormal, even painful, due to gluten intolerance.
Once diagnosed, following a gluten-free diet can provide relief.
What about Hashiomotos or thyroid health?
It is difficult to say whether a gluten-free diet can be a curative treatment for thyroid conditions. Some small studies (like this) suggest but cannot prove a benefit of a gluten-free diet in women with autoimmune thyroid disease.
If you actually have a gluten sensitivity, it could cause some inflammation in the lining of the gut, reducing the absorption of a thyroid medication.
There are also some theories about how a gluten-free diet may also cause a lower inflammatory response and reduce inflammation of the thyroid gland.
What I tell clients: Cutting back on gluten can help reduce this inflammation, as can other dietary changes. Completely eliminating gluten for 6-8 weeks is worth a shot and won’t hurt you.
I’ve seen some clients who notice great success on a gluten-free protocol, but also have high adherence to a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet overall (ie, little to no sugar, tons of fiber, high in omega-3s).
When following an elimination diet, it’s important to work closely with a registered dietitian to prevent deficiencies and pinpoint trigger foods.
Reasons not to go gluten free
- Weight loss
A gluten-free alternative doesn’t automatically mean it’s healthier than the original.
This means that changing from just Ritz Crackers to a GF version won’t make a difference if other areas in your diet do not change.
Those other areas? Portions, ratio of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats), timing of nutrients, food quality, etc.
Book an initial consultation with one of our dietitians. We can review your diet or food diary to help you see where you need to make changes to achieve a weight loss goal, whether you eat gluten or not.
2. Be healthier
Again, gluten free to equal healthy (unless you have celiac disease).
A gluten-free brownie can be packed with just as much sugar and saturated fat as a traditional one, no matter how fancy and pretty the packaging is.
Look at a food’s overall nutrient panel and ingredients before deciding whether it belongs in a healthy, balanced diet.
3. Self-diagnosis
The blood test used to help diagnose celiac disease depends on finding an antibody to gluten in your blood. If you have been avoiding gluten, the antibodies may not show up in the blood test, which could give a false negative!
Why is this a problem? If you assume what celiac disease really is for a simple sensitivity, small “slips” could cause long-term damage to your gut, resulting in subsequent issues like autoimmune disorders, extreme fatigue, infertility, and even neurological problems.
People with celiac disease should also work closely with a doctor to monitor for signs of these problems. So find out first by getting a blood test – then make an informed decision
Ingredients containing gluten
On a food’s ingredient label, scan for the words wheat, barley and rye.
Less common ingredients to look for include: hard, malt vinegar/malt vinegar/malt syrup/malt extract, oat or oat bran, brewer’s yeast, celery (aka farro), graham flour, oat flour and hydrolyzed wheat flour.
Gluten is commonly found in products such as…
- Beer, beer, lager
- Breads
- Broth, soup, soup bases
- Cereals
- Cookies and crackers
- Some chocolates, some chocolate bars, licorice
- Flavored coffees and teas
- Imitation bacon, imitation seafood
- Medicines (discuss with your pharmacist)
- Pasta
- Processed FOODS
- Salad dressing
- Sausages, hot dogs, cold meats
- Sauces, marinades, sauces
- Condiments
- Soy sauce
If you’re particularly sensitive, be sure to choose grass-fed meat and pasture-raised chickens, as traditional farming practices feed their animals grain.
I know- that sounds scary, but the good news is that there is a gluten-free alternative to almost all of these foods (ie, gluten-free pizza crust or cauliflower, coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, corn tortillas instead of flour…)
And don’t forget the abundance of natural GF carbs! Potatoes, squash, rice and rice products, quinoa, corn and corn products, beans, lentils, chickpeas, fruits, vegetables, quinoa.. just to name a few!
My favorite gluten-free brands:
Banza chickpea pasta it’s an alternative that happens to be higher in protein and fiber than regular or traditional GF pasta! Win-win. Try it in the Vegan Thai Pasta Salad.
Kodiak Cakes offers a Gluten free high protein pancake/waffle mix and flapjack bowl.
KIND it has granola and bars with nuts and puffed grains (brown rice, quinoa, amaranth and millet), so it’s naturally gluten-free.
Other brands I see with a wide variety of products include Simple Mills, Enjoy Life foods, Hippeas, MadeGood, Sweet, Lorens and Udis.
Did you find this article helpful? Share it (or the audio version) with a gluten-curious friend or on social media. Be sure to tag us @nutrition.awareness on Instagram!
Kait Richardson is a registered dietitian nutritionist in Orlando, Florida. She is a partner in a private practice, Nutrition Awareness, where she helps frustrated yo-yo dieters achieve their health goals using 1:1 nutritional coaching. She is his co-host Nutrition Information Podcast.
