Doctors Wary of Anti-Gluten Crusade

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

(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.” More»

Some are allergic; others just want to lose weight

(NEWSER) - Everyone in Hollywood seems to be allergic to gluten—or at least off it—these days. Celebrity practitioners like Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Gwyneth Paltrow have helped propel the gluten-free lifestyle into the spotlight, with more of us mere mortals following suit in an effort to get thin. It's no wonder that avoiding the stuff can help us lose weight: it's in everything from fried chicken to pizza to beer. The Daily Beast lists eight celebs who’ve ousted the difficult-to-digest protein from their diets: More»

Mild-mannered wheat protein is the latest dietary scourge

(NEWSER) - Gluten-free diets, once the purview of those with life-threatening conditions like celiac disease, have hit the mainstream. Docs now estimate that gluten allergies strike one in 100 North Americans, and even those who aren't allergic are turning onto gluten-free, blaming the protein for ailments from infertility to anxiety. More»

Low-fat peanut butter and energy bars make the list

(NEWSER) - Some foods have an underserved reputation as being healthy snacks, writes Katherine Tallmadge at the Washington Post . She runs down five common ones, including:

• Energy bars: These are actually "calorie bombs," she writes. Sugar is usually the first or second ingredient. Going for a hike? Try nuts and dried fruit instead.

Coffee mega-chain acquires Cali juice maker

(NEWSER) - Coffee might be healthy —but juice definitely is. And Starbucks wants you to have your vitamins. Having bought a California fruit and veggie juice maker for $30 million, the coffee mega-chain is adding "super-premium juice" to the menu. It also plans to launch a health and wellness chain by mid-next year. "It's a natural evolution toward being more than just a one-trick pony," says one analyst. (But don't joke about Starbucks—which fired a barista over an anti-Starbucks song .) More»