Is Gluten Making Us Fat?
MEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE/MARCH 2011 By: Matthew Solan
Turkey and tomato on wheat. Whole-grain pasta. Healthy right? Maybe. But more and more people believe these foods are part of a potentially dangerous trap. They claim that sluggishness and weight gain can be blamed on an insidious substance hiding in wheat and many other common grains: gluten. Supermarket shelves are filled with gluten-free breads, soups, and cake mixes-even gluten free ketchup and soy sauces. According to market research firm Mintel, 10% of new goods launched in 2010 featured a “gluten-free” claim, up from only 2 percent 5 years earlier. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, as well as in many common food additives. It’s what gives dough elasticity and baked goods their satisfying chewiness. Gluten is found in many of the familiar weight gain culprits: pizza, beer, burgers, and pancakes. “Gluten itself probably isn’t the reason people gain weight,” says Lara Field, M.S., R.D. “Eating too many refined carbohydrates is what expands the waistline.” Commit to staying gluten-free and your food choices can become a snapshot of healthy eating-fruits, vegetables, brown rice, seeds and nuts, along with meat, fish, eggs, and milk products.
Avoiding gluten also means you’re likely to adopt other whole grains and flours that lack gluten, such as buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet, teff, sorghum, and wild rice (which is not related to white rice). A gluten-free diet can work, but dealing with a diet’s restrictions can be daunting. Ironically, the boom in gluten-free products isn’t necessarily helpful to those looking to lose weight. “You can buy gluten-free versions of practically every type of wheat-based food-pizza, pasta, cookies, you name it,” says Tricia Thompson, M.S., R.D. But here’s the catch: Healthy sounding gluten-free items often contain just as many calories as the originals. Avoiding gluten takes constant monitoring-the same attention to detail you need to excel in your workouts. Mindful eating is key. After all, “you don’t need to go gluten-free to avoid refined processed carbs,” says Thompson.
