Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. If you have celiac disease, an immune disorder detected through a blood test and intestinal biopsy, you must avoid gluten to prevent inflammation of your small intestine. However, those with celiac disease are not the only ones following the diet. Marketers estimate that 15 to 25 percent of consumers want gluten-free foods --- though doctors estimate just 1 percent have celiac disease, according to the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America in an August 2008 article in USA Today. Let's explore some pros and cons of following a gluten-free diet.
Prevalence of Gluten Sensitivity
The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center states that 1 out of 133 people have celiac disease in the United States. However, celiac disease is one of the most under-diagnosed diseases; it may take up to four years to diagnose in some cases. Therefore, if everyone with the disease were diagnosed, 3 million Americans would be affected by it. Alessio Fasano, medical director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore, believes that some people may not have celiac disease but instead have gluten intolerance, causing symptoms such as bloating and rashes. So if your blood test and intestinal biopsy for celiac disease came back negative, you may still have gluten sensitivity and would benefit from a gluten-free diet.
Gluten-Free and Autism
Gluten-free and casein-free diets are gaining popularity for children who have autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. A team of scientists from the Meadows Center Autism Spectrum Disorders Institute analyzed 15 published, major scientific studies on using a gluten-free, casein-free diet as a treatment for ASD. The research team found a number of flaws in the studies that undo the support of using the diet as a method of treatment. The researchers recommend that the diet only be used with children whose doctors have recognized them as having allergies to gluten.
Feeling Better Without Celiac Disease
You may not have gluten sensitivity, but you may feel better after removing gluten from your diet. Experts think this may be because you could consume less fast food and processed foods that often contain gluten. Also, you may fill the void of gluten-free foods with more fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it may not be removing the gluten from your diet that makes you feel better but the addition of healthier foods.
Nutritional Pitfalls
If you have celiac disease, following a gluten-free diet isn't an option; it is necessary for good health. However, when you remove whole-wheat products that are fortified, you are also removing needed nutrients from your diet. The typical American gluten-free diet may be low in B vitamins, iron, calcium and dietary fiber. Also, a gluten-free diet can be high in fat, including trans and saturated fat, notes Education.com. If you are on a gluten-free diet, you may want to begin a multivitamin, a calcium supplement and increased fruits and vegetables for needed fiber.
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