Some people say everyone. They say gluten is the devil increasing inflammation and causing all sorts of bad things.
A study just released says that increases in fat and sodium and a decrease in B-vitamins, fiber, and folate. The gluten free diet increased the inflammatory index for these female patients.
Twenty healthy female patients were enrolled. An assessment of their gastrointestinal symptoms, food frequency questionnaires, body composition, and resting energy expenditure were assessed before the study. Patients were then put on a 6 week gluten free diet, recorded what they ate, and given a daily muffin. For three weeks the daily muffin contained 20g of gluten and for the additional 3 weeks they were given a gluten free muffin. Scientists found no difference in body composition, energy expenditure, or gastrointestinal symptoms. The difference in nutritional quality was vast.
This is a small study. Nobody gets a gluten free diet right in 6 weeks. But the increase in fat and sodium and decrease in B vitamins is important.
As celiac patients, we don’t have a choice in eating gluten free. But we do have a choice in how we eat gluten free. Lots of celiac patients worry about the smallest quantity of gluten and are certain it will cause their death. We really should be looking at the quality of food that we ingest instead. Not replacing processed gluten filled favorites with their even less nutritious gluten free foods is probably the best way to start a gluten free diet.
That plate used to have eggs cooked with green onion and bacon on gluten free Hawaiian bread toast.