The New Healthy Eating Fad: Going Gluten-Free When It's Not Medically Necessary
Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, and Jenny McCarthy are all said to be on gluten-free diets, and the reason doesn't seem to be Celiac disease (the very serious condition that prevents many people from being able to tolerate gluten, a natural protein found in certain grains, such as wheat). They, and others, say that going gluten-free just makes them feel healthier. Is this something you'd try?
An article on Delish.com highlighted a trend that I've been hearing a lot about lately: going gluten-free for the heck of it (which we talked about a bit before, here). Proponents, points out the writer, say they feel 10 times better when they don't eat gluten.
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Maybe, but this is causing quite a stir among those who are truly unable to tolerate gluten. Celiac disease, a major disorder that affects as many as 1% of Americans, leaves sufferers with painful digestion, gas, bloating, fatigue, depression, even seizures and malnutrition. Cutting out gluten is not only a necessity for these folks, but doing so also comes at a great hardship (anyone who knows someone with Celiac disease can attest to this--gluten is in everything, and eating out can be a nightmare.)
So, some of the commenters who posted their thoughts after the Delish.com story felt that this "fad" was totally ridiculous.
What do you think? Would you cut out gluten if you weren't sensitive? Do you suspect you are sensitive to gluten?
P.S. More gluten-free talk: Gluten-free beer, and gluten-free banana muffins, plus, gluten-free maple cereal.
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