6 Delusions Most People Have About a Gluten Free Diet


Going gluten free seems to be the current diet craze right now, but how many people actually understand what this really means?  Has your BFF suggested you go on one or has your doctor suggested you might benefit from a gluten free diet?  Has a friend or relative told you that they have gone gluten free and they feel so much better now, and it’s got you thinking about doing the same?

Take a look at the 6 top misconceptions and things you should know before you decide to adopt this type of lifestyle.

measuring scoops of gluten free flours (almond, coconut, teff, flaxseed meal, whole rice, brown rice, buckwheat) wit a text in letterpress wood type

Photo credit: bigstock

1.  You will absolutely lose weight

If you ask many people why they went gluten free the top answer is probably “to lose weight”. It’s assumed that if you cut out carbs, you should lose weight.  Unfortunately, many people simply exchange their “gluten” for some other types of high calorie foods or those “gluten free” cookies. Always remember that gluten free foods are not calorie free foods.

 

 SEE ALSO: 8 Ways Gluten is Making You Fat, Sick, and Tired

2.  Gluten free food is super expensive

Well, this one is partially true. If you go to a pizza place and find they offer gluten free pizza, don’t be surprised to find that it costs twice or three times as much as a regular pizza. However, going truly gluten free simply means cutting gluten out of your diet, which means that when you go to the supermarket, you won’t be spending money on bread, tortillas, pitas, bagels, cakes, cookies, or pasta, to name a few, so technically, your grocery bill should be a bit lower, or right about the same after you buy more fresh fruits and veggies.

 

3.  You will never have stomach problems again

Although many people believe this is true, it will only work if you have celiac disease or a true sensitivity to gluten. Otherwise there isn’t any proof that removing gluten from your diet will actually do anything to improve your digestive health.

 

4. Gluten free foods are healthier

Most people believe that gluten free foods are healthier than “regular” foods but that really isn’t true. In order to make foods gluten free, manufacturers must remove flour. This means that they must add something else like fat or sugar or artificial something or other to make up for the lost flavor and texture of flour. Read more about dangers of sugar.

 

5.  Gluten free foods taste, well, disgusting

This is a matter of taste, as many things are. There are people who don’t eat a gluten free diet but they eat gluten free cookies because they like the taste. If you do adopt a gluten free diet, experiment with the different brands of wheat-less foods and see which ones suit your taste buds.

 

 YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The 10 Secret Signs You Might Be Gluten Intolerant

6.  Gluten free means eating healthier

Many people go gluten free because they think this means they will be eating healthier but this isn’t always the case. As we said before, many people simply exchange their lunchtime sandwich for a salad covering in fatty dressings; they eat boxes of those gluten free cookies and crackers all day long and have hot fudge sundaes after dinner. Unfortunately, many people also end up eating a very unbalanced diet and miss out on important vitamins and minerals, especially things like folic acid, an important mineral that young women and pregnant women must have for the healthy development of their babies. If you do decide to go gluten free, be sure you take a good quality multi-vitamin every day.

//