gluten

Are Gluten-Free Diets Really Healthier?

Singer-actress Miley Cyrus caused quite an Internet buzz by claiming that her drastic weight loss was not because of anorexia but due to a “gluten and lactose allergy”—and then encouraged everyone to go on a gluten-free diet for a week.

First of all, there is no such thing as a “gluten allergy” or “lactose allergy.” Read what Sharecare experts have to say on the difference between a food allergy and intolerance.

I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance in 2005, after suffering for about a decade with vague digestive symptoms that became progressively worse. At the time of my diagnosis, I was 5’8” and weighed a pitiful 105 pounds. I always thought I had a great metabolism, but in fact, I was not adequately absorbing nutrients. Bottom line, I was a sick girl.

So I kicked gluten to the curb and within a week, I felt better than I had in years. My debilitating digestive issues were gone and my energy level spiked. My appetite also increased, now that the food I was ingesting wasn’t making me sick all of the time. With my love affair with food rekindled, I gave myself free rein to consume anything that was gluten-free.

After four years of being on a gluten-free diet, I topped the scales at 161 pounds. I wasn’t necessarily overweight, but I felt sluggish. While it was fun to munch on gluten-free versions of pizza, chicken nuggets, burgers, cookies, etc. the weight gain was a wake-up call for me. Just because I was gluten-free didn’t mean I was eating a healthy diet.

Apparently I’m not the only one who gained weight on a gluten-free diet. According to Sharecare expert Mark Hyman, MD, “A study found that 81% of people suffering from celiac disease (gluten intolerance) who followed a gluten-free diet gained weight. That’s because there is a common misconception that anything labeled ‘gluten-free’ must be good for you.”

Now I strike a better balance nutrition-wise while remaining gluten-free. I’m focusing on vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains and I read product labels for information like calories and fat, not just to see if it’s gluten-free. I’ve dropped 20 pounds with this new approach and feel so much better.

If Miley Cyrus is enjoying health benefits from a gluten-free diet, that’s great—but that doesn’t mean it’s the right health choice for everyone.

Are you on a gluten-free diet? Share your experience in the comments section below.

Join the largest health conversation in 140 characters or less! Tweet what you want to talk about to @SharecareNow and let’s start chatting!

File under: In the News

Contributor

Joy Johnston

Joy Johnston is a Senior Web Producer at Sharecare. She has been an online journalist since 2002, working for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, About.com and AOL CityGuide. She has become gluten-free savvy since being diagnosed as gluten-intolerant in 2005. Favorite exercise: long walks in the park. Health vice: soy lattes.

View my Sharecare profile

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Comments

  1. Sharon

    I have recently been diagnosed with a corn and milk allergy. Learning to adapt to this new lifestyle has been challenging. I have found it best to stay away from all processed foods and that means sticking with fruits, veggies, whole grains and meats that haven’t been loaded with fillers. My diet is much healthier and I have adjusted.

    Going gluten free can be challenging as well but in the long run it can be as healthy as you make it!!

    April 13th, 2012, 10:20 am
  2. Christine Budell

    I am on a gluten free diet because I was diagonsed with a Wheat allergy about 8 years ago. I am not celiac, but just one step below it. I can tolerate some gluten like but not any wheat products. I however, have the opposite effect that you had. I was at my ideal body weight for my height and bone density and had been living a semi gluten free diet in part because of the South Beach and Adkins diets plans. I lost my last 15 pounds using those methods and kept the weight off for three years, then one thanksgiving I made the mistake of having a 1/2 C. of mac and cheese for the first time in three years. I become ill within 20 minutes and couldn’t understand why. I assumed that it was because of the cheese, due to a lactose intolerance, but began to get increasing ill; coudln’t keep food in me (both ends was problematic), gained weight hand over foot, blotchy skin and itchy skin and general fatigue. It took my doctors over three months to send me to a G.I. specialist who did more tests to rule out what was making me sick and GAIN weight! I gained over a hundred pounds in less than six months following the diet my doctors prescribed to rule out any food allergies. Finally they did a biopsy of my small intestine and discovered that I was unable to process wheat enzymes thus was I wheat intolerrant, more easily discribed to my friends and family I was allergic to wheat and wheat products.
    Gluten free foods are just like any other processed food; not good for you. So while I live a gluten free life for the betterment of my health and well being. And it has taken me six years to lose almost all of that ‘wheat weight’ I have learned that diet and exercise go hand in hand. You can’t out train a crappy diet of processed foods. So I eat meats, veggies, fruits, some nuts, and seeds. I avoid dairy products, soy products, and grains of all types. I do slip sometimes and enjoy a street taco but corn isn’t a problem for me to digest once it’s broken down. But like every other human being on the planet we can not process corn in it’s whole kernel form.
    Living a gluten free life style isn’t hard, avoiding garbage that is now gluten free is a little harder than it was when that wasn’t available.
    Final thought: PROCESSED FOODS ARE GOOD FOR YOU WHETHER IT’S GLUTEN FREE OR CONVENTIONAL. EAT REAL FOOD: MEAT, FRUITS AND LOTS OF VEGETABLES!

    April 13th, 2012, 2:48 pm
  3. Shirlee Webb

    What are some of the non- gluten grains?

    May 8th, 2012, 1:57 pm
  4. Mary

    Eating gluten free has changed my life. I suffered from GERD (reflux) for over 30 years. I took medication for at least 15 of those years. I was prescribed two prilosec and two zantac a day. It was the only thing that kept me from having continuous heartburn and throwing up in the middle of the night for many years. I hated that I had to take so much medication and worried about the long term affects on my body. By luck I met a woman at a party who had stopped eating gluten and was able to stop her medication for GERD. So, I thought “What do I have to lose?” I stopped eating gluten that day and within two weeks I was down to one prilosec a day. I had gained a lot of weight over the years (I am 5’4″ and weighed 216) and knew that once I was able to lose some weight I would also be able to stop that last pill. There was a part of me that was afraid to stop taking it. After losing 25 lbs I did stop taking that one pill a day and now do not take any medication and do not suffer from any symptoms of GERD. I do not have to sleep propped up and never have heartburn or reflux symptoms. I am so grateful for meeting that woman at the party.

    I now eat a very healthy diet, go to Weight Watchers regularly, exercise and have lost 45 pounds and 20% of my body weight. I wish more doctors were aware of the affects that gluten have on our body when it comes to GERD. No doctor ever suggested that I try to eat gluten free.

    I agree with Christine that it is so important to eat real food and not all the processed gluten free stuff that is out there now. Non of us really need any of that.

    May 8th, 2012, 2:07 pm
  5. Lyndsey

    I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when I was 19 years old after about 10 years of consistently being sick – both digestively and in general. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the body’s ability to absorb gluten and weakening the villi in your intestinal tract.

    When I was diagnosed I weighed 135 lbs while only being 5’3. Instead of losing weight I was gaining (mostly due to being in college and ONLY eating gluten filled foods). I currently live a gluten free lifestyle – or mostly gluten free because it is very hard to stay 100% GFree while eating out. I am at or below my expected body weight and feel a million times better.

    Due to celebrities and other influential people having Celiac there has been a vast improvement in the selection of GFree foods availabe in regular grocery stores. The main reason most GFree foods seem “better” for you is due to them being made with organic ingredients and whole grains that do not contain gluten.

    Once you read the books and understand your disease it is easy to maintain and healthy and mostly “normal” lifestyle.

    May 8th, 2012, 4:15 pm
  6. Sheryl A

    I started eating gluten free 2 years ago because I have Sjogren’s Syndrome, and I had read that people with autoimmune syndromes tend to do better on gluten free diets. I had had terrible, uncontrollable acid reflux and nausea for months before starting this diet, and it cleared up within a week of going gluten free. I don’t have celiac, and have never been tested for allergies, but this diet works for me. I don’t have to be as strict about avoiding gluten as someone with celiac does. For example, I can eat a piece of pie, by carefully eating just the filling. If i eat more than a peanut’s volume of the crust, or other gluten containing item,though, I get a stomach ache a few hours later, proportional to how much I ate. I have not had a problem gaining weight on this diet, because I eat mostly a fruit/veggie/grain/low fat/low sugar diet. Gluten free baked goods tend to be more calorie dense than their gluten containing equivalent, so I tend to avoid them. I have recently lost 15 pounds, by eating smaller portions and snacking less. Being gluten free can help with weight control in one way: on a buffet table of desserts, often the only thing I can eat is the fresh fruit.
    At the end of the comment before mine, in bold letters, Christine said that PROCESSED FOODS ARE GOOD FOR YOU WHETHER IT’S GLUTEN FREE OR CONVENTIONAL. EAT REAL FOOD: MEAT, FRUITS AND LOTS OF VEGETABLES! I think she meant to say that PROCESSED FOODS ARE *NOT* GOOD FOR YOU WHETHER IT’S GLUTEN FREE OR CONVENTIONAL. EAT REAL FOOD: MEAT, FRUITS AND LOTS OF VEGETABLES! I agree with that.

    May 8th, 2012, 5:02 pm
  7. Tamra

    food allergies affect people in different ways, your experience may not be the experience of others, I personally feel that it would be good for everyone to try a gluten free diet for a week, I don’t feel it would have a negative affect on anyone, no one can eat anything they want as long as it doesn’t have an allergen in it, I have tested allergic to Wheat, Oats, and Barley, not intolerant but allergic, this diagnosis came from a allergy and asthma specialist, I recently decided to try a gluten free diet, after only 1 day I felt amazing I felt like I lost 10 lbs overnight, after a few days I slipped up and had a sandwich I was in pain with a couple of hours, and back to being sluggish, I cant wait until I have insurance again so I can actually see a dr. again to discuss what my experience was, and to see a nutritiousness to figure out what it best for me to eat, I have other food allergies I need to work out.

    May 8th, 2012, 8:20 pm
  8. Edith

    I have eaten a gluten, lactose, citrus and soy free for almost 5 years now. Interestingly enough, since I was a breadaholic, I thought I would lose weight immediately upon giving up gluten. It did not happen. Apparently I was substituting another fattening food for the bread. My health is better in some ways, but the discovery of intolerances seemed to have uncovered other issues.

    I have been going to Weight Watchers for about 5 months. I am within 7 pounds of my goal for lifetime membership. This will be my second time getting to lifetime status, but this time I intend to maintain my goal weight. I wish I could eat hard roles and sour dough bread again, but the onslaught of wheezing is not worth it.

    May 8th, 2012, 8:22 pm
  9. DrAttai

    I transitioned to a gluten-free (and now a primarily plant-based, non-processed food) diet a few years ago as part of treatment for an autoimmune condition, and the benefits have been incredible. However I agree that a gluten-free diet is not for everyone, and prepared or processed gluten-free foods tend to be high in sodium, fat, and preservatives. I wholeheartedly agree with the author of the article and some of the comments above that a diet rich in whole, unprocessed naturally lean foods is best for most of us.

    May 9th, 2012, 12:02 am
  10. Lori

    I self diagnosed after watching a few episodes of Dr. Oz show about allergies. I feel 1000% better after after giving up bread and dairy products. My diet is simple. Try to stay away from anything in a bag, box or bottle. In other words, eat fresh fruits and vegetables and preferably organic. I visit the Farmers Market once a week. I have lost a lot of weight but need to lose another 10 pounds. I feel great and everyone tells me I look fabulous. I feel like a new person. My tests do not show any allergies. To make it simple. I feel I was dying an early death due to the SAD American diet which is filled with chemicals. So, if it is not the wheat then it is the other junk in our diet. The hardest thing to give up was restaurant food, wine and deserts. But now that I have less sugar in my diet, my blood work is normal. So dieting is simple. Treat your body like your car – don’t put junk in the engine.

    May 9th, 2012, 6:23 am
  11. Andrea

    Hi everyone!
    I’ve been gluten free since 2007, it is true I gained weight. Having my diet restricted for so many years because of extreme discomfort and at times vomiting because of my inabIlity to process foods has made me binge at times on gluten free cookies, pizzas and brownies. I guess I had lost my self control. Now having had this realization, I keep a lot of fruits and cut vegetables to snack on and do not keep cookies or other sweets in the house. I just signed up for a marathon and with the right food choices, I will go back to my healthy weight. I must admit that I’d take extra pounds any day over the extreme discomfort and coma like naps that the gluten made me experience. I guess we are lucky that we have so many gluten free foods oprions these days.

    May 9th, 2012, 9:17 am
  12. Heather

    For those diagnosed celiac disease, having the option to have a GF cookie now and then is great! But, like any diet, to heal your gut, and get the most nutrition out of your foods you need to eat organic fruits, vegetables, dairy, lean meats and fish. I worry about articles like these, because a lot of people just think this is a fad…It’s NOT! It’s a serious problem.

    May 9th, 2012, 4:54 pm
  13. Basia

    I hate the gluten free diet and reading labels and calculating diet. I wish food was as good as in the olden days when things were real and fresh. Now everyone is getting cancer from all the unhealthy ingredients in todays foods. I’m sorry for all of you who have celiac and intolerances. My son does too. He has diabetes and celiac and it sucks! Yes there are some good things out there but they are hard to find. I guess its what we are used to and what we become used to. Maybe I’m just discouraged and also find it very expensive. My thoughts and I appreciate any tips to making it easier and less of a burden. Thanks.

    May 10th, 2012, 2:35 am
  14. robin clapp

    I have read a lot of replies about gluten free and i am mainly just wheat free — it helps me to have less arthritis in knees, fingers, and shoulder and toes. I have a burger sometimes and may eat just one bun with lettuce and tomato. I do not have to be strict but have read how many of you have improved your lives with only naturally grown foods. I do have a sweet daily but am improved from sweets several times a day. Different people have many different requirements and I am improving daily.

    May 18th, 2012, 4:36 pm

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