Gluten-free: What to eat and What to avoid
A few years ago, a lot of people may not have known what gluten was. Now, about 3.1 million Americans follow a gluten-free diet. Why is everyone so against gluten all of a sudden?
What are the Health issues?
If you have heard of or follow gluten-free diet food then you have most likely heard of Celiac disease. People with Celiac disease cannot digest gluten and even the tiniest amount can send them to the hospital! Yet, according to Forbes magazine, people with the diagnosed Celiac disease only make up 2.4% of those following gluten-free diet foods. A massive 72% of Americans following a gluten-free diet are just classified as ‘people without Celiac disease avoiding gluten’, or PWOGs. The remaining 12% are undiagnosed but claim to have Celiac disease.
So why are so many people just avoiding gluten on their own? Who would voluntarily give up bread, pasta, and cake?!? Lots of PWOGs gave up gluten after suffering from things like IBS, muscle pain, rashes, headaches and tons of other symptoms that seem to disappear after they switch to a gluten-free diet. While not everyone has a fully fledged celiac disease, many are finding they have a mild gluten sensitivity, which can cause a whole array of health issues.
Is it good or bad?
This doesn’t mean that everyone who has a headache should immediately stop eating gluten. Gluten can actually be good for you (surprising right?). The Harvard School of Public Health found that eating gluten decreased the likelihood of heart disease and scientists at the American Heart Association found that gluten lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes. Needless to say, it seems there are two very different sides to the gluten argument.
However, if you are one of the millions of people who have found relief by following gluten-free diet foods, you are lucky to live in a time when so many restaurants are creating gluten-free options on their menus. It is challenging enough to simply follow a gluten-free diet (gluten is hidden in so many different foods!) so it’s nice to have professional chefs ready to whip up some gluten-less foods. HowUdish can show you lots of gluten-free diet foods in your area too!
So maybe you have Celiac disease or maybe cutting back on gluten improved your chronic fatigue. Whatever the reason, following a gluten-free diet, has never been easier!
Photo by marekuliasz /Shutterstock.com
