Gluten Free Benefits?

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JustJoel

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I’ve done a bit of reading, and I’m finding it hard to justify the inherent problems in a gluten free diet, unless one is intolerant or suffering from Celiac disease. Are there any benefits to a gluten free diet for those who have no such intolerance? In one article I read, the author said that aside from the above two reasons, the third reason is personal choice? I’m just wondering why someone would choose a gluten free diet if it’s not necessary.

These are genuine questions - I’m looking to learn!
 
From the little that I've read, there is no benefit to eliminating gluten from your diet unless there is a medical reason to do so.
 
I've read quite a bit on the subject, and talked to my GI doctor about it. If you don't have celiac disease - which is not an intolerance but the inability to break down gluten - there is no scientific evidence of any benefit to a gluten-free diet. It's a fad that marketers have glommed onto, like the low fat diets of the past.

Here's a good source of reliable information: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/tag/gluten/
 
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+1 GG

I talked to my Endocrinologist and she said that unless you
have Celiac Disease (and in some cases IBS) you should not cut gluten from your diet. She said that GF become a fad diet in the USA.
She had asked me to keep a food diary over the previous 6 months,
and I got a big thumbs up from her! :)
 
I have a young cousin with Celiac Disease. For him, it is a major problem. But, for most people, as I understand it, it is not a problem. I do know that the symptoms of Celiac Disease are not subtle. If you have it, you will know something is wrong.

So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

CD
 
My kid has been on a wheat/glutin free diet for a couple for years now. I did it for most of a year.

We both lost a bunch of weight. It also made my head feel much clearer, and my stress level went way down. That wasn't a placebo effect, as I didn't do any research before starting it. I still get that effect if I go off wheat for a few days.

My problem is I am on the road working most days. I just got tired of corn tortilla sandwiches and lettuce wrapped burgers. Taco Bell and the rest of the fast food places started adding wheat as a filler, which meant no tacos either.

I will probably go back on it after the first of the year. There is just too much good wheaty stuff to eat until then.
 
There is a vegan and gluten free bakery opening just around the corner from me. The perfectly good coffee shop that was there forever got booted, Owner raised their lease sky high and this is what the ngbrhood gets as a replacement. Doubt I'll ever cross their doorstep.
 
Perhaps if a member of a household is celiac it might be practical for the entire household to be GF.
They have to, really. I had a co-worker who had celiac disease. Any source of even a little bit of cross-contamination - from the counter, or a cutting board or measuring cup, for example - will cause painful, debilitating symptoms. The only treatment is abstaining from gluten.
 
My kid has been on a wheat/glutin free diet for a couple for years now. I did it for most of a year.

We both lost a bunch of weight. It also made my head feel much clearer, and my stress level went way down. That wasn't a placebo effect, as I didn't do any research before starting it. I still get that effect if I go off wheat for a few days.

Eliminating any food group will generally result in weight loss because people usually end up eating fewer calories when they do that.

The placebo effect is not a single thing but a group of effects that can happen when people try an intervention, no matter what the reason is. Sometimes a simple change in habits is enough to make people feel better.
 
Perhaps if a member of a household is celiac it might be practical for the entire household to be GF.
I’d never thought of that; I guess because I’ve never had any association with a person suffering from the disease, or anyone who had a family member who was living with it.
 
Thanks for all your information folks! I have learned A LOT in the few weeks I’ve been researching recipes for Rose. It’s fascinating and sometimes very confusing. And most of the recipes I’ve found seem to require brand-specific flours, many of which are only available on-line. I really feel for people who medically need a gluten free diet. It’s kinda like keeping strict Kosher or Halal!

I’ve also spent more than I probably needed to on various gluten free flours, xanthan gum, and other products that help to replace the structure-building qualities of gluten, lol.
 
I agree with Joel, this is a good informative thread about gluten diets. I am not gluten intolerant nor anyone in my home. Still, it is good information to understand. I thought I read somewhere that gluten and wheat flour can cause inflammation (general inflammation), though I don't know if that is true.

I needed to make a gluten free meal this past week and I learned a lot there too. There are certain brands (normal brands) of worcestershire that are gluten free, though they are not labeled as gluten free. Potatoes can be sauced up with a cheese sauce that is cooked down, and it thickens, so it would work for rice (if you can eat that). Green beans can be sauced up with cream cheese and herbs and cream. BBQ sauce can be made gluten free with the Shurfine brand of worcestershire sauce. Breading can cause issues with remaining gluten free, so try coconut flour or almond flour or crushed pork rinds. Thickening sauces is difficult without flour, so cook down the sauces.

I received an A++ rating on my cheesy potatoes, my sauced green beans, and bbq'd pork ribs. I hope in the future I'm able to put together another all grade A gluten free meal, so I'm not stuck on making only one.

I do understand that cross contamination is an issue for celiacs disease people and it is pretty serious. For gluten free hobbyists, it's just a little more trouble as a home cook.
 
I agree with Joel, this is a good informative thread about gluten diets. I am not gluten intolerant nor anyone in my home. Still, it is good information to understand. I thought I read somewhere that gluten and wheat flour can cause inflammation (general inflammation), though I don't know if that is true.

I needed to make a gluten free meal this past week and I learned a lot there too. There are certain brands (normal brands) of worcestershire that are gluten free, though they are not labeled as gluten free. Potatoes can be sauced up with a cheese sauce that is cooked down, and it thickens, so it would work for rice (if you can eat that). Green beans can be sauced up with cream cheese and herbs and cream. BBQ sauce can be made gluten free with the Shurfine brand of worcestershire sauce. Breading can cause issues with remaining gluten free, so try coconut flour or almond flour or crushed pork rinds. Thickening sauces is difficult without flour, so cook down the sauces.

I received an A++ rating on my cheesy potatoes, my sauced green beans, and bbq'd pork ribs. I hope in the future I'm able to put together another all grade A gluten free meal, so I'm not stuck on making only one.

I do understand that cross contamination is an issue for celiacs disease people and it is pretty serious. For gluten free hobbyists, it's just a little more trouble as a home cook.
I saw an article in Bon Appétit that swears King’s All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, makes silky lump-less gravy. I’ll let you know if it works out, or if it’s “fake news”
 
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