© Ryan K Liebe
A glance around your local grocery store will confirm that gluten-free eating has gone from trendy to mainstream. An estimated 30 percent of Americans say they're trying to reduce gluten in their diets—and we're pretty confident the reason has something to do with the fact that the wheat-derived protein has been blamed for everything from weight gain to weakened bones.
But while a whopping 63 percent of Americans believe a gluten-free diet can improve their health (are you in the majority?), there's a wealth of confusion and misinformation surrounding the topic. Below, we dispel common myths about gluten.
Myth: Gluten-free foods are healthier Truth: Processed gluten-free foods often contain more sugar, fat and salt to make up for the gluten, which adds chewiness to foods. Compared with most regular bread, gluten-free types are not usually fortified with iron or essential vitamins.
Myth: Gluten and wheat sensitivities are caused by genetically modified wheat Truth: There are no genetically modified wheat varieties commercially available in the United States (unlike corn and soybeans).
Myth: Whole-wheat bread has less gluten than white Truth: By trapping pockets of air in the dough, gluten helps bread rise. Since whole-wheat flour is heavier than white, industrially manufactured whole-wheat bread can often have added gluten.
Myth: Rye and barley also contain gluten Truth: Rye and barley contain proteins similar to those found in gluten—and must be avoided by those with celiac—but they don’t actually contain the type of protein found in wheat.
The take away? If you're going G-free for the sake of your general health (not because you suffer from celiac disease or a wheat allergy), be wise about your choices. Check labels for levels of sugar, fat and salt, and do a mid-aisle cross-check with fortified breads made from wheat. The healthy winner might not be so clear-cut. And if you've been opting for wheat bread over white, pat yourself on the back for those additional grams of fiber and whole grains—but don't assume whole grains mean less gluten. In fact, some whole-wheat bread can contain more gluten. Whew. Did we successfully stump your nutrition knowledge?
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Image Credit: Ryan Liebe
