Alas, poor Gluten! I knew it, Horatio…

I was curious about whether gluten-free bread is healthier than regular bread. A brief dive into research and the Internet yielded the usual “it depends”. I suspected it was not in my case, which is why I was interested. My impression is that for my personal weight-loss goals, overall healthy eating habits, and importantly, I do not have a medical need to be gluten-free, is that I do not need to be gluten-free. To maintain a healthy diet, I also do not like to perceive or experience deprivation. I would rather eat less of something delicious than more of something that is not. The bottom line is that a healthy diet includes lower amounts of refined grains and added sugar and higher amounts of whole grains.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein. It is in wheat, barley and rye grains.

What does gluten do?

In breads, gluten makes dough stretchy, chewy, and uniform.

Does gluten-free eating reduce inflammation? Are gluten-free products healthier (contain fewer artificial ingredients or are more natural)?

One article quoted Anne R. Lee, a registered dietitian and an assistant professor of nutritional medicine at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center who said, “Typically, the gluten-free products are higher in fat, higher in sugar, higher in salt and lower in fiber and your B vitamins and iron,”. Currently, there is no evidence showing that a gluten-free diet is effective for general health benefits or weight loss. This is consistent with my experience comparing ingredient labels. In addition, I tend to make my own baked goods. I was deciding whether to substitute gluten-free flours for my preferred flours. Note, this is not a conversation of white versus whole grain. Let uncommon sense prevail in that topic.

Bread has lots of carbs. Aren’t carbohydrates bad for your health?

Carbohydrates, the primary nutrient in bread, provide the body with fuel. Again, when discussing bread, grains with less processing are better for your health. Healthy carb sources are fruits, vegetables, and beans. Again, there is a spectrum of nutritional value with all foods (number and percentage of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants).

Why are highly processed foods less healthy?

Although easy to digest, processed carbs have little nutritional value and lack fiber. They can cause your blood sugar to spike. This can lead to type 2 diabetes. You will crave food more quickly than when you eat complex carbohydrates. Seeking food more frequently can contribute to weight gain. Vitamins and minerals can be added back to processed foods bit not fiber. Fundamental cardiovascular and digestive health relies on fiber.

More about gluten-free diet benefits or not

No research specifically about the contribution of a gluten-free diet on weight loss or general health benefits. Where researchers studied the effect of a gluten-free diet on people with celiac disease, the data show that they may promote certain nutrient deficiencies, increase some chronic diseases, and may cause weight gain.

inadequate intakes of fiber, iron, and calcium
low not only in those nutrients but also B vitamins including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate
experienced an increased risk of heart disease compared with those who had higher gluten intake
many studies have found that people with higher intakes of whole grains including whole wheat (2-3 servings daily) compared with groups eating low amounts (less than 2 servings daily) had significantly lower risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and deaths from all causes
gluten may act as a prebiotic, feeding the “good” bacteria in our bodies

Notes

Weight gain or increased BMI in people with celiac disease after starting a gluten-free diet may be partly due to improved absorption of nutrients, a reduction in stomach discomfort, and increased appetite after starting the diet
Weight gain or increased BMI in people with celiac disease after starting a gluten-free diet may be that an increased intake of gluten-free processed food options containing high amounts of calories, fat and sugar
Research has shown that if one aspect of a food is advertised as healthy or people believe it to be healthy there is a tendency to eat more of it and therefore, promote weight gain; for example, gluten-free” is a term associated with healthy eating