Our grocery stores are overflowing with gluten-free goodies. Tables of gluten-free doughnuts and muffins line the bakery, and boxes of gluten-free granola are stuffed into the cereal aisle. But the holy grail awaits in the frozen-food section, where you can choose among gluten-free pizza, lasagna, bread and breakfast burritos — and that’s only scraping the top of the freezer.
Retailers are capitalizing on an industry that grossed $973 million in 2014 and is projected to earn as much as $2.34 billion in 2019, according to a report from Packaged Facts, a market research publisher. Consumers are willing to spend big bucks to ensure their food is gluten-free — consider, for example, that it costs $5 for a loaf of gluten-free bread compared to $2.30 for its gluten-filled counterpart.
Clearly, we’re eating gluten-free up. But does dropping gluten translate to dropping pounds?
Two years ago, Kathy Gregersen of Syracuse, Utah, and her daughters Anita and Melannie decided to go gluten-free to cure digestive issues and get healthier. At first, the only problem with eliminating gluten from their diets was the inconvenience of gluten-free cooking. “Probably the most difficult part about going gluten-free was the lifestyle change,” Melannie says. “It took so much longer for us to prepare our meals.”
But after a year of eating mostly meat, dairy, vegetables and fruit to avoid gluten, the Gregersens noticed a significant change in their weights. Kathy suddenly went from a size 12 to a size 16, Anita jumped from a size 1 to a size 10 and Melannie gained 30 pounds. “We found ourselves buying a new pair of pants every week or so,” Melannie says. They also noted other symptoms, such as loss of energy, mood swings, anxiety and depression.
Nicole DeBoom of Boulder, Colorado, also decided to go gluten-free, but her experience avoiding gluten had different results than the Gregersens’. In February 2015, DeBoom stopped eating gluten as a monthlong food experiment, and her biggest complaint was the price. “If you’re a grain addict, eating gluten-free is expensive for sure,” she says.
DeBoom’s diet consisted of gluten-free buns, pizza and pasta, lots of rice and quinoa, cereal, oats and yogurt. At the end of the month, she had more energy and had maintained her weight. “I had to re-frame my brain and be really mindful of what went into my body,” DeBoom says.
Gluten affects everyone’s bodies differently, and cutting out gluten in the name of weight loss can be tedious, expensive and even counterproductive. Here’s what to expect if you swap your grains for pricey, gluten-free bread and pasta:
If you don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you’re wasting your money.
About 1 percent of the U.S. population has celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder. Those with celiac disease can’t tolerate gluten, which damages the inside of their small intestine and prevents their body from receiving vital nutrients. If a person with celiac disease ingests gluten, symptoms from stomach pain and diarrhea to anemia and fatigue can occur.
Those with non-celiac gluten sensitivity, a condition that a small but unknown number of people have, also experience a range of symptoms when they ingest gluten. Unlike someone with celiac disease, however, these folks don’t experience intestinal damage.
Even the smallest amount of gluten can cause a great deal of suffering to those with both conditions, and the only cure that exists is a completely gluten-free diet. This is designed for people who need to avoid gluten for health reasons, says Rachel Begun, a Colorado-based registered dietitian and culinary nutritionist. People who don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity won’t benefit from switching their regular breads and snacks for pricey, gluten-free foods. “While the gluten-free claim carries a perceived health halo, the science does not show that removing gluten from the diet, in and of itself, is a pathway to better health or weight loss,” Begun says.
[See: The 10 Best Diets for Fast Weight Loss.]
In some instances, gluten-free food can be worse for your health.
“Processed, gluten-free food has more calories than wheat-containing junk food,” says Dr. Carol Semrad, a professor of medicine and director of the adult clinical nutrition and small bowel disease section of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at The University of Chicago.
Gluten, the glue-like protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is responsible for the soft, chewy texture of bread — plus, it gives it its ability to rise. So what happens to food when you remove gluten from the equation?
Well, it tastes terrible, says Melannie Gregerson: “We didn’t like the taste of the food at all.” DeBoom added gluten-free bread to her diet and noted that its taste and texture fell flat. “It was hard to find a bread alternative that tastes and feels the same,” she says.
To compensate for the taste, manufacturers add extra sugar, salt and fat — which in turn makes the food unhealthier. “Many gluten-free grain foods are higher in fat to improve the texture and mouth feel of the food,” says Tricia Thompson, a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant for people with celiac disease. Gluten-free snacks such as pretzels and potato chips sometimes have twice as much sodium as their gluten counterparts, and gluten-free sweets can have double the sugar content.
[See: 8 Weird Ways Obesity Makes You Sick.]
A gluten-free cupcake is still a cupcake.
The trendiness of gluten-free food has led to a spike in the production of gluten-free treats — cupcakes, cookies, muffins and brownies in all different flavors, for example. While these treats may taste sweet, their high calorie counts can leave you feeling bitter: A gluten-free vanilla cupcake contains 780 calories, a gluten-free cookie has 200 calories and gluten-free blueberry muffins pack 360 calories each.
Kim and Jake Rosenbarger of Boulder, Colorado, specialize in baking these gluten-free goodies after converting their bakery to exclusively gluten-free in March 2013 when Jake was diagnosed with celiac disease. The Rosenbargers use a certified gluten-free flour mix in their bakery, and the grain gives their cakes a similar caloric density to gluten-filled cakes.
So why do other gluten-free treats have high calorie counts? Because people don’t know how to bake with gluten-free ingredients, Kim Rosenbarger says. “The skill set is very specific, so if people aren’t putting in the time to do it right with the right ingredients, they’ll likely use fillers (such as sugar and fat) to improve the taste,” she says.
Assuming “gluten-free” translates to “healthier” can lead to empty calories, or those in food that offers no nutrients. A diet filled with empty calories can lead to weight gain, according to the Obesity Action Coalition.
The best way to avoid falling into this trap? Treat gluten-free goodies the same way you would treat regular cakes and cookies, and enjoy them in moderation. “This has nothing to do with a gluten-free diet,” Semrad says. “But rather, sensible eating to avoid excessive amounts of processed foods.”
[See: What’s Really in Those Meatless Meats?]
Weight loss still depends on making the right dietary choices.
If you’re thinking about adding gluten-free bread and pasta to your weight-loss plan, reconsider. “It’s expensive, takes a lot of time, doesn’t taste nearly as good and had a very negative effect on our bodies,” Melannie Gregerson says.
Processed, gluten-free food won’t help you lose weight, but most of the nutrient-rich foods that dietitians recommend for healthier living are naturally gluten-free. If you want to shed some pounds, focus on including these: fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, lean meat and poultry, fish and nuts. “Fill your meals with these foods, limit empty calorie foods to special occasions and you’ll be well on your way,” Begun says.
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Will Gluten-Free Food Really Help You Lose Weight? originally appeared on usnews.com
