Gluten-Free Diet Craze

The gluten-free diet removes all forms of wheat, barley and rye from the diet. The gluten-free diet has gained a reputation as being a cure-all diet for a range of ailments, from arthritis to fibromyalgia. In addition to choosing the diet to treat illness, many people turn to a gluten-free lifestyle for other reasons.

Celiac Disease

Increased awareness of celiac disease may play a part in elevating the gluten-free diet to fad status. As many as one in 100 people may have the disease, according to the American College of Gastroenterology. A lifelong gluten-free diet is the only treatment. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small intestine. Gluten causes a reaction within the body that destroys villi, fingerlike projections in the small intestine. Villi are responsible for catching nutrients as they pass through the intestine. Damaged villi are not able to trap nutrients. People suffering from celiac disease may develop malnourishment and low bone density, which can lead to fractures. Untreated celiac disease may further lead to intestinal and esophageal cancer.

Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten sensitivity is different from celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity occurs when your body rejects gluten without it damaging the intestines. You may experience a range of symptoms after eating gluten, such as diarrhea, constipation, abdominal cramps, fatigue and headaches. If you feel you may suffer from gluten sensitivity, refrain from going gluten-free until you've talked with your doctor. Because symptoms of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are often identical, you may need testing to rule out celiac disease. Going gluten-free before testing may skew your test results.

Weight Loss

Celebrity use of the diet for weight loss, either for treatment of celiac disease or not, has helped bring gluten-free living into the spotlight. The gluten-free diet removes many gluten carbohydrate choices, like bread and pasta, from your diet. Reducing the amount of carbohydrates you consume may lead to weight loss. Limiting your intake of gluten means cutting out many starchy, refined carbohydrates, which can help you slim down. But some gluten-free products made to replace wheat-based products may be high in fat and calories. Gluten-free products may contain more fat and sugar to help improve taste and can contain twice as many calories as non-gluten-free foods.

Consuming too many prepared gluten-free foods may actually lead to weight gain over time. The University of New Hampshire recommends focusing on consuming fewer carbohydrates overall and incorporating good food choices like fruit, vegetables and lean protein into your diet for weight loss, rather than going strictly gluten-free.

Diet Concerns

Many products made with wheat, barley and rye have been enriched with additional vitamins and minerals. Whole grains like wheat are rich in fiber. Gluten-free products may not be enriched or contain whole grains and may severely lack vitamins and minerals you need for good health. The typical gluten-free diet lacks B-vitamins, fiber, calcium, vitamin D and folate.

If you've been diagnosed with celiac disease, your physician will likely require that you consult with a dietary professional to learn what foods pack the most nutritional punch. People who begin a gluten-free diet without professional guidance may risk nutritional deficiencies. Vitamin and mineral supplementation may be required.