Fad diets and trends of eating habits are constantly changing. Whether it be the new celery juice that everyone should be drinking or going on the Whole30 diet, the health industry is always putting something new out there.
A food regime that most carb-lovers don’t talk about is whether or not going gluten free is actually healthy for the body. People often don’t know what gluten is.
Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye. The word gluten is actually originated from the latin word for “glue.” Not exactly appetizing.
Many people stop eating gluten for weight loss or just to it to see if it makes them feel healthier.
Mia Mckinney talked about her experience with cutting gluten out of her diet.
“When I’m not eating it, I’m less bloated and I feel like that’s the biggest thing,” Mckinney said.
Gluten essentially causes the body to feel inflamed and is a major cause of bloating according to a study done by Harvard Health. Dr. Becky Campbell, a functional medicine doctor, explained why gluten needs to be cut out of anyone's diet in one of her blogs.
“The immune system can respond to gluten for up to six whole months after consumption!” Campbell wrote. “This is why it’s so important to completely eliminate gluten, and not just reduce it. With a Paleo diet, gluten is completely out of the question.”
Many people are also allergic to or have an intolerance for gluten. Headaches, nausea and fatigue are symptoms to look out for either right after consuming gluten or even days later.
Kayla O’Hara started to realize about four years ago that she was getting way too many headaches. She began researching her symptoms and decided that cutting out gluten might solve her problems.
“After about two weeks of not eating gluten, I saw an immense difference, and I was feeling so much better,” O’Hara said. “I was feeling less bloated and not getting severe headaches anymore.”
O’Hara found alternatives to the foods that she was used to eating. Although coming from an Italian family, it was hard for O’Hara to not feel left out. But when pasta or pizza days came around, she was always able to find good gluten free alternatives.
Whether this trend may pass or not, deciding to avoid or replace and entire food group is a big decision. According to a Forbes Magazine article, nearly 3.1 million people in the United States have decided to go gluten free. If the pattern continues, imagine what that number will be like in five years.
By Maria Teixeira