Everything you need to know about going gluten-free

Photo credit: Ivan J Long (via Pexels)

In layman’s terms, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Bread, cereals, and pasta typically contain high gluten levels, while many other foods may have small traces, including sauces, gravies, and alcohol. Gluten has proteins that act like a “glue” to help hold food together in the cooking process, which is why making gluten-free bread and cakes at home can be a challenge (gluten helps dough rise, for example). However, a greater awareness of coeliac disease and its related conditions in recent times means that there more and more gluten-free foods and resources are available than ever before¹.

Photo credit: Polina Zimmerman (via Pexels)

You’ve probably heard that individuals with coeliac disease should avoid gluten-containing products. But why? Dr Luke Powles explains, “When people with coeliac disease consume gluten, the immune system mistakes the gluten as a threat to the body and treats it like a virus or harmful bacteria. As such, it mounts an immune response, causing painful inflammation of the small intestines.” Some cases of coeliac disease can be mild, while others are more severe. Symptoms, too, can range widely. These include diarrhoea, abdominal pains, bloating, tiredness, and weight loss, along with reduced absorption of nutrients.

Photo credit: Anton Uniqueton (via Pexels)

More and more people are cutting out gluten from their diet without any evidence of having coeliac disease or other medical conditions affected by gluten. If it’s not a dietary requirement relating to your well-being, is it worthwhile to go gluten-free in the first place? As Dr Luke Powles points out, “There has been an increase in gluten awareness, with some celebrities and athletes claiming gluten-free diets improve their health, help them lose weight, and increase their energy levels.” These claims may sound great and all, but there is actually no strong scientific evidence to back them up—meaning that some people may be embracing a gluten-free lifestyle when there’s little to no benefit for them in the short or long run.

Photo credit: Daria Shevtsova (via Pexels)

As always, embarking on a new diet should be done carefully and with professional help. If you are considering cutting gluten out of your diet, Dr Powles recommends checking with your GP to identify whether it can produce benefits for your well-being. After that, seek the advice of a dietician, who can help plan out a well-balanced diet, supplemented with research facts and tips from reputable online sources like the Bupa Coeliac Guide. One thing Dr Powles advises is to “be wary about cutting out too many things at once. Some people cut out both gluten and lactose at the same time and quite often end up constipated.” In other words, always take a sensible approach to adapting your diet—if you’re in any doubt, always talk to an expert.