Gluten-free foods not as healthy as you might think
I’m not surprised that gluten-free products have gained a “health food” reputation.
These foods can make a big difference in the quality of life for people who would otherwise suffer terrible gastrointestinal consequences from eating wheat-based baked goods with the gluten intact.
But don’t confuse “gluten-free” with a healthy free pass to eat your fill of these products — whether you have celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten or just simply think it’s a healthier way to eat.
Because some new research has revealed a dirty little secret hiding in the gluten-free section of your supermarket.
Gluten is the protein in wheat and other cereal grains that gives shape and a chewy texture to breads, muffins, and other baked goods.
In people with celiac, the immune system incorrectly identifies gluten as an intruder and goes on the attack — a response that damages the lining of the small intestines.
And then the trouble begins. Chronic diarrhea is common, as well as bloating, fatigue, and other nagging symptoms.
In most cases, when gluten is taken out of the picture, the immune system and the intestines return to normal.
At this point, you have a choice. You can eliminate all wheat, rye, barley, and other cereal grains from your diet, or you can continue to enjoy baked goods made with gluten-free ingredients.
And that’s where you’ll find a different kind of trouble.
Rice flour is a common replacement for wheat in gluten-free products. Unfortunately, toxic metals in soil, water, and fertilizer — like arsenic, mercury, and others — can bioaccumulate in rice and turn your “healthy” snack into a ticking time bomb. As decades of research shows, a steady diet of those toxins can increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, and nerve damage.
To investigate this danger, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago collected data reported by more than 70 people who had followed a gluten-free diet while participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
And the results make for an alarming wake-up call for anyone who eats a lot of gluten-free products.
Compared to people who included wheat and cereal grains in their diets, those in the gluten-free group had, on average, 70 percent more mercury in their blood and twice as much arsenic in their urine!
While these results don’t necessarily prove that rice flour was the culprit that sent toxic metal levels soaring, it’s a shocking red flag.
As one of the researchers said, “These results indicate that there could be unintended consequences of eating a gluten-free diet.”
And in addition to increasing your toxic load, gluten-free products might also spike your risk of weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
That’s because rice flour and other wheat substitutes (such as potato flour, tapioca starch and corn starch) all rate pretty high on the glycemic index.
The glycemic index — or GI — is a measurement system that helps you predict which foods will raise your blood sugar.
So obviously, a diet that consists of high GI foods is much more likely to contribute to weight gain and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
And to cap all this off, highly processed gluten-free foods tend to have less fiber and fewer vitamins and minerals than their wheat product counterparts.
That’s why most gluten-free products simply can’t be considered health foods.
While labeling products as gluten-free is one of the most popular selling points on processed foods these days, don’t think it means that muffin or cookie or pie shell is a health food. If you don’t need to be on a gluten-free diet for medical reasons, whole-grain organic products may be your best choice!
“Gluten-free foods are healthy, but can boost toxic metal risk: Study” Mary Martin, March 13, 2017, Newsmax, newsmax.com
