You’ve probably heard of people following a gluten-free diet for their health and wondering, “Is gluten bad for you?” You may have wondered. Answer: maybe; It depends on the person.
Unless you have certain underlying conditions, such as celiac disease, gluten is not inherently bad for you. However, gluten is OK for most people to eat. Removing gluten from your diet can harm your health due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies resulting from your diet.
In this article, learn about the effects of gluten on the body and whether gluten is bad for you.
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What is Gluten and Is It Actually Bad for You?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye grains and in products made from these grains, such as bread, soy sauce, malt vinegar, beer, and more. In baking, gluten helps hold ingredients together like “glue.”
Contrary to popular belief, gluten is not “bad” for you. You have a special medical condition that requires a gluten-free diet.
Potential Adverse Effects of Gluten
For most people, gluten does not affect them, and eating a gluten-containing diet is healthier than eliminating gluten from the diet.
However, gluten may have an autoimmune and inflammatory effect on people with certain conditions.
In less than 1% of people with celiac disease, gluten acts as a trigger for the immune system to attack the lining of the small intestine, leading to malabsorption, inflammation, villous atrophy, and hundreds of possible symptoms.
Conditions Where Gluten May Make It Worse
Some health conditions benefit from a gluten-free diet; The primary and undeniable one is celiac disease. Research on the effects of gluten for most of these conditions is limited or ongoing.
celiac disease
Gluten protein and the gluten-free diet were discovered in 1941 as a treatment for celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which white blood cells attack the lining of the small intestine when gluten is consumed. It is a genetic, inherited condition and the only treatment available is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet.
Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), also called gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity, is when a person reacts to gluten but does not have an autoimmune response or wheat allergy.
This is a relatively newly recognized condition and there is some controversy about it. Some scientists suggest that there may be other triggers besides gluten. amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) and FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di- and mono-saccharides and polyols).
Wheat Allergy, Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance
Unlike celiac disease and gluten intolerance, people with wheat allergies do not react to gluten. They have an allergic reaction to wheat but will be able to eat gluten sources other than wheat (such as barley and rye). However, many people with wheat allergies purchase gluten-free products or order from gluten-free menus due to overlap and availability.
Inflammatory Conditions
Aside from celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, scientists have theorized that a gluten-free diet may also benefit some inflammatory conditions.
Inflammatory conditions for which research supporting a gluten-free diet is limited include:
The benefits of a gluten-free diet have also been studied for other conditions such as endometriosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, autism spectrum disorder, and more. However, there is not enough evidence to support a gluten-free diet recommendation for these conditions.
Is a Gluten-Free Diet Recommended for Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Sometimes a gluten-free diet is recommended as treatment. However, evidence for the existence of a gluten-free diet for IBS is conflicting and inconsistent. Scientists say there is not enough evidence to recommend a gluten-free diet for people with IBS. More evidence supports the benefits of the low-FODMAP diet for IBS.
When Should You Consider Going Gluten-Free?
Do not go gluten-free before being tested for celiac disease. This is because you must be consuming gluten for celiac disease tests to be accurate.
People with celiac disease need to avoid gluten more than people with gluten intolerance or other conditions. They cannot have cross-contact (e.g., use a separate toaster, clean all pots and pans, avoid eating shared fried foods, etc.). Therefore, it is important to make the correct diagnosis.
Living as if you have celiac disease when you don’t can be socially and nutritionally limiting. On the other hand, not adhering strictly enough to a gluten-free diet when you have celiac disease can lead to serious health consequences.
If you have symptoms of celiac disease or gluten intolerance, such as bloating, nausea, confusion, diarrhea, constipation and more, see a healthcare professional for a diagnosis.
Who Can Eat Gluten Without Problems?
Most people can eat gluten without any problems. Only people diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid gluten. Several other inflammatory conditions may also benefit from avoiding gluten, but talk to a healthcare professional before changing your diet.
To put this into context, less than 1% of the general population has celiac disease. We know much less about gluten sensitivity, but the condition affects between 0.5% and 13% of the population, according to self-report studies.
Based on these statistics, most of the population should be able to eat gluten without any problems. Going gluten-free itself can harm your health, so it’s best to avoid it unless necessary.
Summary
Gluten is a protein that occurs naturally in wheat, barley and rye. Switching to a gluten-free diet isn’t necessarily better for your health; In fact, gluten-free diets are associated with nutritional deficiencies and heart disease.
Only people with certain medical conditions, such as celiac disease or gluten intolerance, can benefit from a gluten-free diet.