We seem to fear gluten these days like we used to fear fat and carbs. At a recent women's conference I attended, the buffet line included four large signs declaring the salad, vegetables and chicken were all gluten-free. The people standing in line next to me wondered if that was a good thing?
Gluten-free diets seem to be the latest fad, yet new research shows the number of people being diagnosed with celiac disease hasn't increased.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, in which foods containing gluten trigger the immune system to attack and damage the small intestine, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Gluten is a protein found naturally in grains like wheat, barley and rye.
People with celiac disease have no choice but to avoid gluten in their diet. If they don't, their small intestine is damaged every time they eat something with gluten. And that can be serious. But for most of us, gluten isn't a bad thing. Foods with gluten typically have fiber, which we all need to increase our daily consumption.
Yet, gluten-free diets appear to have become a trendy way to address any sort of gastrointestinal problem, said lead author of the study, Dr. Hyun-Seok Kim, an internal medicine resident at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, N.J.
"People may have a gluten sensitivity or non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms, and simply assume that a gluten-free diet will help their symptoms," Kim wrote in the study papers.
The number of Americans following a gluten-free diet tripled between 2009 and 2014, but diagnoses of celiac disease remained stable during that same period, the researchers found. The study was published as a research letter in the Sept. 6 online edition of JAMA Internal Medicine.
For their study, Kim and his colleagues reviewed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, a regular survey of American health and diet conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The team identified more than 22,000 survey participants -- aged 6 and older -- who had blood tests for celiac disease. The survey volunteers were asked whether they had been diagnosed with celiac disease or were following a gluten-free diet.
Based on their analysis, the researchers estimated there are around 1.76 million people with celiac disease in the United States. About 2.7 million more people adhere to a gluten-free diet even though they don't have celiac disease, the findings showed.
Around a half percent of survey participants reported being on a gluten-free diet in 2009-2010. By 2013-2014, that number was closing in on 2 percent, the investigators found. The results suggest that the gluten-free diet has become something of a fad, Kim said.
He suggested that people may be adopting a gluten-free diet because they suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity, with gastrointestinal symptoms that improve when they lay off the gluten. However, people choosing a gluten-free diet often haven't consulted with a digestive specialist or dietitian, and may not be following the stict diet required by those diagnosed with celiac disease.
The bottom line is a gluten-free diet can be difficult and expensive. Choosing to go gluten-free, if you don't need to, may make your life more challenging.
Q and A
Q: What is brewer's yeast, and are supplements worth taking?
A: Like baker's yeast, it is a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As its name suggests, brewer's yeast is used in beer production. It is sold in deactivated form as a nutritional supplement (flakes or powder), supplying protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals, such as chromium and manganese. "Nutritional yeast" is usually also a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Like brewer's yeast supplements, nutritional yeast supplements are inactive. Yeast supplements vary nutritionally, depending on the medium on which the yeast is grown, how they are processed, and whether they are fortified. Some are much higher in chromium or selenium, for example, and many, but not all, are rich in folic acid. Most contain little vitamin B12. There's no evidence that yeast supplements will boost energy, improve athletic performance, or have other health benefits, as sometimes claimed. Chromium-rich yeast is often touted for controlling blood cholesterol and diabetes, but the evidence that chromium has such effects is inconsistent. Use yeast supplements if you like the way they taste. Nutritional yeast has a nutty, cheesy flavor; brewer's yeast tends to be more bitter, though de-bittered products are available. Compare labels for nutrients, especially if you are vegan and are looking for extra B12. It's always best to get nutrients from a healthy diet. But if you do need supplemental nutrients -- for instance, if you are a woman of childbearing age and are trying to get extra folic acid, as recommended - a more reliable way to get them is with a basic multivitamin/mineral pill. -- University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, August 2016.
RECIPE
Fall often is the time to break out the loaf pans and get busy making homemade bread. Eating Well magazine offers a Seeded Whole-Grain Quick Bread that has three times the protein and fiber than regular bread.
Seeded Whole-Grain Quick Bread
1/3 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons flaxseed
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed and sesame seeds in a dry, medium skillet; toast over medium heat, stirring, until lightly brown and starting to pop, 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the seed mixture in a small bowl; transfer the remaining seeds to a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the large bowl; whisk to combine. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl, then stir in buttermilk, oats, oil and honey. Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients; stir and fold together until combine. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved seeds. Bake until golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 1 loaf; 10 slices.
