Going gluten-free

Gluten-free foods now show up everywhere. Supermarket aisles abound with products proudly labeled “Gluten free,” and many restaurants now offer gluten-free options. There is a puzzling and worrisome new phenomenon: parents who are putting their children on gluten-free diets. It’s puzzling because in the vast majority of cases it isn’t necessary and it’s worrisome because, although parents are doing it because they think it’s healthy, a gluten-free diet can be very unhealthy for children.  Based on little or no evidence other than testimonials in the media, people have been switching to gluten-free diets to lose weight, boost energy, treat autism, or generally feel healthier. This doesn’t make much sense.

• Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some other grains. It’s in bread and other baked goods, cereals, pastas and in many other foods in small amounts. 
• For people with celiac disease, even those small amounts can make them sick. People with allergies to wheat can’t eat it either. But the number of people with celiac disease or wheat allergy is actually pretty small.
• People who are sensitive to gluten may feel better, but a larger portion will derive no significant benefit from the practice. They’ll simply waste their money, because these products are expensive.
• Avoiding gluten means more than giving up traditional breads, cereals, pasta, pizza, and beer. Gluten also lurks in many other products, including frozen vegetables in sauces, soy sauce, vitamin and mineral supplements, some medications, and even toothpaste. 
• If you’re determined to go gluten free, it’s important to know that it can set you up for some nutritional deficiencies. Fortified breads and cereals have become a major source of B vitamins. Taking a gluten-free multivitamin-multimineral supplement is a good idea for anyone trying to avoid gluten.
• Whole wheat is also a major source of dietary fiber, which the bowels need to work properly. The average American diet is deficient in fiber. Take away whole wheat and the problem gets worse. It’s possible to get the fiber you need from other grains but you’ll need to make the effort.
• Because gluten is in so many foods, being on a gluten-free diet can also make school lunches, play dates, and other aspects of a child’s daily life more complicated and expensive.
• If you think you might have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, it’s best to see a doctor before you go gluten free. Once a person has avoided gluten for a while, it becomes difficult to establish if he or she has celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or neither.

Keep your dietary choice to yourself. The more than 300,000-plus people in USA with celiac disease have to follow a gluten-free diet, because the taste of gluten triggers gastrointestinal discomfort. Going gluten-free is time consuming, expensive, and restrictive. It’s a gigantic burden for those who have to follow it. Before you cut gluten out of your child’s diet, talk to your doctor. Talk together to achieve what you are hoping to achieve by cutting out gluten. A child’s diet can have a big effect on not only her current health, but her future health; be sure you are making the very best choices.

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