…Reveals you can go back to your regularly scheduled sandwich, now. The researcher who performed one of the original tests on eating gluten (saying it’s bad for many people) followed it up with a longer, more rigorous test on the effects of eating gluten, and found that (unless you have Celiac Disease, you should be fine to eat it.
While the original, famous test relied on self-reporting, the follow-up provided 100% of meals for participants, so their gluten intake was strictly measured and controlled. And while participants reported on how they were feeling on their diets (they cycled through diets of high/low/no gluten every few weeks), they also had to provide urine and stool samples, so there was a less subjective measure of the results.
So what happened? Every participant reported “worsening” symptoms… on every diet. Leading researchers to conclude that gluten intolerance is psychosomatic.
One thing they did note, is that more research is needed into FODMAPs (short-chain carbohydrates and sugars like fructose). A gluten free diet naturally eliminates many FODMAP containing foods. FODMAPs are poorly absorbed, and may cause bowel discomfort.
Another thing that gets eliminated and may lead to more comfortable digestion: preservatives (benzoate, nitrates, sulfates…). Gluten free foods tend to be catch-alls for the health conscious and allergy-prone: sugar free, allergen free (nuts, dairy, etc.), all natural/organic. You also *usually* get more nutrients from organic foods, so switching may make you feel better for non-gluten reasons.
And by contrast: people with Celiac’s Disease have extreme reactions to gluten. They often need food prepared in a pan that hasn’t even touched anything with gluten.
Want to try an elimination diet?
1) Make sure you are taking at least one daily multivitamin so you don’t accidentally eliminate necessary nutrients.
2) Cover all your food groups: protein is important, but so is some sort of carbohydrate/starch (poor maligned things!). You need a good source of energy, and should remember that your brain is really what needs it.
3) Give it a couple of weeks and expect some discomfort as your body adjusts to the absence. (And ditto when you add something back in—your body will have to get used to digesting it again).
Gluten Intolerance— Real or Fake? Share your thoughts on the new study below:
