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Gluten-Free Diet Won't Help You Lose Weight

Believe it or not, g-free foods aren't also calorie-free

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 24, 2010 1:53 PM CDT

(Newser) – Thinking of going gluten-free to lose weight (just like Gwyneth Paltrow told you)? Think again. Gluten-free foods help the rising numbers of people with celiac disease, wheat allergies, or gluten sensitivities, but those who are just looking to slim down are misguided. “Many packaged gluten-free products are even higher in carbs, sugar, fat, and calories than their regular counterparts,” one dietitian tells the Wall Street Journal. “Gluten-free does not mean nutritious.”

For example, just because a g-free brownie mix doesn’t contain gluten, that doesn’t mean it is also miraculously free of the normal fat and calories of any regular brownie mix. And gluten-free pasta actually has more carbs than regular pasta. In addition, foods without gluten “tend to be lower in fiber, vitamins, and iron,” meaning your Gwyneth-approved weight-loss plan could instead result in nutritional deficiencies.

Gluten-free frozen pizza is just one of hundreds of items seen at Gluten Free Trading Co. in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008.
Gluten-free frozen pizza is just one of hundreds of items seen at Gluten Free Trading Co. in Milwaukee, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008.   (AP Photo/M. L. Johnson)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 19 comments
Paprika
Aug 31, 2010 9:26 PM CDT
It's true - going gf when you're not allergic or intolerant can actually have adverse effects. A gf diet is not recommended by doctors unless you are allergic or intolerant because it can actually lead to allergies and intolerance once you return to a normal diet. Gluten free food can also be higher in calories, fats, and sugars because gf food is known to be "bland" and a lot of things are added to make them taste better. That said, if you are gf, you should look into the brand Tasty Bite. We're a preservative-free, all natural, ready-made brand with ethnic dishes and sauces made from the simplest ingredients. We're a great way to spice up your gf diet and keep things healthy. Check out our website: www.tastybite.com for more information and recipes. Happy eating! Maxine - TastyBite
Sandra
Aug 25, 2010 6:36 AM CDT
My daughter is celiac and because of that I eat gluten free, however, If you just substitute gluten free bread products for gluten containing bread products you will not lose weight. If you cut back on the amount of grain carbs you're eating you will lose weight. Not because of the gluten free diet but because unnecessary carb calories make up the average person's diet. You don't have to go gluten free to lose weight, just eat fewer grain carbs and incorporate more freshly prepared veggies, which have more vitamins and fiber than bread products anyway.
aspergers-guy
Aug 24, 2010 8:42 PM CDT
I lost 70 pounds after finding I had a problem with gluten (& dairy & eggs & fish & nuts & soy). The weight loss came after I made the change in my diet to gluten-free, I lost the weight over about 18 months. At first it was bad, like 5 pounds a month came off of me. It eventually got down to 2-3 pounds a month, after about 2 years I weighed about 145 (I'm 5'9", had weighed close to 215 before my abdomen almost exploded from eating some wheat germ in 2001). But now almost 10 years into the gluten-free diet, I have to agree it is no magic solution for losing weight. I weigh about 155 these days, must take vitamins & supplements with my meals, but I have recently found a supplement that allows me to (believe it or not) eat gluten & dairy products (I also found out this year that I have hypochlorhydria - my stomach produces hardly any stomach acid anymore & I cannot drink liquids when I eat meals or I will not be able to digest the solid foods I eat). I ate gluten for all of my life, had strange health problems since childhood, went about 4 decades eating everything before almost exploding my stomach from the wheat germ. Anyway for you celiac disease people out there looking for some help in order to be able to eat gluten, look up supplements that have an ingredient called 'Dipeptidyl peptidase-4' in them (Wikipedia article about the stuff: h t t p : / / bit.ly/9bWMdI). Look for enzyme supplements that contain that stuff & have other digestive enzymes in them & give them a try, watch what happens to your ability to digest gluten & dairy :-) I am actually eating some gluten snack treats these days with the aid of that enzyme, & I am able to eat some ice creams (the ones that don't contain eggs that is) with the aid of those enzymes. If somebody would have told me I would be able to eat this stuff again 9 years ago I would not have believed it, but I am actually doing it today. Anyway look the stuff up, give it a try, be careful with it because it isn't good for people with diabetes (the enzyme tends to cause an increase in ability to metabolize glucose, isn't recommended for people with hyperglycemia). If you cannot find the stuff give me an email & I will point you at a site that carries it in the U.S. cheers :-)

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