These days you can go to almost every store and/or restaurant and there will be a gluten-free option on the menu. If you don’t have a gluten allergy, you may still be drawn to this option because you think that it’s a healthier alternative. In fact, going gluten-free has become a bit of a fad in recent years, but what does it really mean, and should you be eating it?
Unsurprisingly, a product that is gluten-free means that it does not contain gluten. Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, rye, and barley (and varieties of these grains), and cannot be eaten by people suffering from gluten sensitivity (you can be born with it or develop it), or Celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten triggers an immune response in the small intestine, which over time can damage the lining and result in severe health complications.
That said, gluten can be found in other, more surprising products, like soy sauce, salad dressings, soups, and sometimes even candy. But what happens if you don’t have a gluten intolerance and you’re still opting to eat gluten-free? Gluten-free should not be confused with a carb-free diet, and the gluten-free label has little to do with the nutritional value of the product.
Eliminating it from your diet could actually have some effect on your health because by avoiding wheats, rye and barley you could end up lacking nutrients such as fiber, iron, niacin, riboflavin, and zinc, without even realizing it.
And according to Huffington Post, whole-grains are filled with antioxidants and actually have a number of health benefits, including helping to protect the body against diseases and the aging process caused by oxidation. Which means if you're not eating gluten "just because" then you should pay close attention to the number of nutrients you are putting into your body, nutrients which you would normally be ingesting through whole-grains.
No comments:
Post a Comment