Amidst the gluten-free craze, it's hard to know what's fact or fiction. Here's what you need to know: According to Mayo Clinic, gluten-free excludes gluten in grains like wheat, barley, rye and triticale (wheat and rye). And, there are three main types of gluten-free eaters. Which are you?
I've been diagnosed with celiac disease.
If you know you have celiac disease, chances are your doctor has already recommended a gluten-free diet. Cutting out gluten can do wonders for your small intestine, so it's essential to follow your doctor's recommendations.
Grocery shopping with celiac disease can be more challenging. Check the packaging on products to make sure you're safe. Many stores carry gluten-free options; ask an associate to point you in the right direction.
Eating out with celiac disease can be a hassle, but not if you choose your location wisely. Spiral Diner & Bakery caters to all sorts of allergies with a unique allergy menu. Manager Rich Marx said Spiral Diner & Bakery adopted a gluten-free menu option by customer demand. "We've had gluten-free options forever, just not a whole menu," Marx said. "People asked about it a lot."
I suffer from eczema, nausea, constipation, etc.
Cutting out gluten may be the answer to your problems, but so might eliminating sugar, upping your exercise routine, watching your stress level and infinite other combinations.
When people with celiac disease cut out gluten, they see a huge impact on their body. Gluten-free diets can help address your symptoms, but only if the shoes fits. Science is still relatively new on everything gluten pertains to in the body.
Before going gluten-free, talk to your doctor about your symptoms to choose the best approach for you.
I'd like to try the gluten-free trend.
We've cycled through the Atkins diet, fat-free options galore, the extreme cleanses … and now we've arrived at gluten-free. If you're just trying a gluten-free diet to blend in, nutritionist Emily Haeussler will reprimand you.
"If you cut out all wheat from your diet, you are eliminating that source of nutrient," Haeussler said. "If you're using gluten-free products, you're missing many of the nutrients that would be present in the whole grain."
In addition, extreme food monitoring, like focusing on eliminating gluten without a doctor's consent, can lead to eating disorders. Haeussler specializes in treating eating disorders and said she's seen the effects of gluten-free diets firsthand.
"We really see in the eating disorder field that something like this can really exacerbate the progression of an eating disorder by eliminating more and more foods from a healthy diet," Haeussler said.
