Will Going Gluten-Free Help You Lose Weight?

By Jenny Everett, SELF magazine

Gluten-free seems to be the diet du jour. We're getting SPAM about it; more and more packaged foods at the grocery store are stamped with the words gluten-free; and Elizabeth Hasslebeck's "G-Free Diet" book is in bookstore windows.

Related: 15 New Healthy Fall Recipes

But what is gluten, anyway? Well, it's the substance present in cereal grains, especially wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.

To find out if going gluten-free is something the average woman should consider doing or if it's being totally overblown, we called Marjorie Nolan, RD, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

"Lots of gluten-free products are marketed as health food, but many of them have a lot of calories," says Nolan. "When you take gluten out of food, it actually makes it more dense. So it's self-defeating if you're trying to lose weight. There's really no need to go gluten-free unless you're are diagnosed with a gluten intolerance or sensitivity."

Related: Cook Healthy in Under Five Minutes

So, why is going gluten-free such a trend right now? Turns out, more people are being diagnosed with gluten intolerance because of the spike in awareness -- and the tests themselves have improved.
"And it's just being marketed really well," says Nolan. "But you might test positive for a very mild gluten sensitivity and have no symptoms -- such as bloating, gas or constipation -- at all. Is it worth changing your entire lifestyle for that? Probably not."

However, Nolan does suggest stealing a few healthy gluten-free staples for your diet, namely, lentils, sweet potatoes and quinoa. "And generally less processed cereals and breads, and more whole foods."

Related: Learn The Facts About What You're Eating!


"The important thing to remember is that there are a lot of changes you need to make if you want to lose weight and keep it off," says Nolan. "People want a magic bullet and that's just not going to happen."

Have you considered going gluten-free?

More From SELF:


Photo Credit: Condé Nast Digital Studio