A few days ago someone asked me about the benefits of going on a gluten free diet. Since I get this question a lot, I thought it may be helpful if I post my responses.
1. What are the Pros and Cons of eating gluten free? Most people do not need to go gluten-free to have a healthy diet. The only time you should avoid gluten is if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or are non-celiac gluten sensitive (which means you have certain GI issues after consuming gluten but do not have Celiac disease).
Having said that, most people eat the same grains, mainly wheat products such as breads, pasta and crackers, daily and could benefit nutritionally from including a greater variety of grains. These may include gluten-free grains such as quinoa, buckwheat or amaranth, just to name a few.
2. Can you lose weight eating gluten free?
You do not automatically lose weight by avoiding gluten in your diet. In fact, many people who avoid gluten start buying more processed gluten-free foods (such as cookies, bars, muffins etc), which contain more sugar, salt and fat and therefore calories and the result is weight gain.
You can reduce your caloric intake by eating more whole fresh foods like fish, veggies, beans and legumes.
So, for a healthier diet overall, try to include a variety of whole fresh foods from all food groups, including whole grains.