Gluten-free diets and health?

Do you find yourself in the grocery wondering why there are so many gluten-free products available? The number of options and availability of these products have grown in recent years. This is a very positive thing for those who have celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity. Celiac disease is an auto-immune disease where the body is unable to tolerate gluten. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, and barley. So as you can imagine, that can really make grocery shopping tricky. A gluten-free diet is the only known treatment for celiac disease.

However, a recent trend is believing that gluten-free foods are healthier and can aid in weight loss. Unless you have celiac disease, there are no health benefits of adopting a gluten-free diet. A recent study found that 46% of people who bought gluten-free foods did so with the belief that they were healthier and 30% bought because it was believed to aid in weight loss.

If you do not have celiac disease but still enjoy gluten-free products, that is fine. There is nothing unhealthy about eating them. The only concern would be if you are adopting the diet under false statements in the media. Science shows that there is "no evidence" that a gluten-free diet will benefit anyone in the general population other than those affected by celiac disease or gluten-sensitivity. 

Reference:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science/No-evidence-that-gluten-free-diet-benefits-general-population-says-researcher/?c=YcZKBI4b%252BeSYtWGgDHoWRg%253D%253D&utm_source=Newsletter_Subject&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%252BSubject