Good gluten, bad gluten

Between 2009 and 2014, the number of people who eat gluten-free food tripled. During that same period, the number of people diagnosed with gluten-sensitive enteropathy or celiac disease remained largely steady and constituted about 0.7% of the total population. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes an intolerance to gluten, a substance which occurs in various grains. The consumption of small amounts leads to a chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestine and can cause permanent damage. The dysfunction of the small intestines leads to such symptoms as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss. Depression may also occur in addition to poor growth in children. An untreated celiac disease also seems to increase the risk for some types of tumors. Before the disorder can be properly diagnosed, a biopsy of the small intestines that shows clinical evidence specific to the disease is required. Currently no causal therapy is available. For this reason, the only remedy seems to be a life-long abstinence of food containing gluten.

The influence of a gluten-free diet is part of current research and a recently published study was unable to prove any correlation between the consumption of food containing gluten and the - often propagated - higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Instead it showed that avoiding whole-grain products in a gluten-free diet might even have a negative effect on our cardiac health. Contrary to public opinion, many gluten-free products are not healthier. They often contain higher amounts of fat and calories, as well as lower protein and nutrient content. While a gluten-free diet is indispensable for celiac patients, it is currently not a recommended diet, as whole-grain products are part of a healthy and balanced diet. The often promoted positive health effects of a gluten-free diet could not yet be scientifically proven in healthy probands either.

Image 1  © “baibaz” / Fotolia.com