What do you think of this assessment of gluten-free diets? ABC NEWS Is Gluten-Free Healthy?
I found the info a bit off and the one-size fits all assessment of gluten-free diets very off. It’s true that we get great nutrients from high quality gluten containing foods but we can also get them from high quality gluten-free foods too. YES you CAN have a very healthy gluten-free diet if you choose nutrient-rich whole ORGANIC foods – many of which naturally contain nutrients like calcium and B vitamins that the doctor in this segment said could be deficient in a gluten-free diet (and what’s more important is that many of our best sources of calcium come from foods in nature that naturally have no gluten in them!).
When it comes to who can benefit from a gluten-free diet, practitioners like myself continuously see that there are people who are gluten intolerant or who have an auto-immune disease where avoiding or reducing gluten intake improves their symptoms. These individuals still need to focus on other components of the diet such as reducing known irritants and choosing anti-inflammatory foods, but gluten still appears to play a key role.
Net net, not all gluten-free products are created equal so not all gluten-free diets should be compared as equals. Organic, whole food, mostly plant-based diets provide nutrition for optimal health – it’s what I call a qualitarian diet — and if you add to it gluten-free because that’s an issue for you, you can gain health improvements overall as well.
I think the piece is way off. In fact, many gluten free foods, especially, if you bake from scratch have more nutrients than wheat. For example, teff flour, quinoa, gluten free oats, and more! The primary reason gluten filled foods are nutritious is because it is enriched! All the gluten free people I know it a huge variety of foods, are careful to get good protein, eat healthy fats, lots of veggies, lots of fruits. In other words a much better diet than the average American!
This Nightline Special which I viewed in New Zealand on The Sunday Programme last week irritated me on so many levels.
Why did the doctor not attempt to explain how, in his view, a gluten free diet might cause calcium deficiency?
What a bizzarre claim?….I mean REALLY!
And a gluten free diet low in fiber…again really?? Which gluten free diet was THAT doctor on about? Some ill considered, highly refined convenience-food gluten replacement diet sold via infomercial with endorsements from Hollywoodesque Bimbettes who don’t know their B12 from their botox?
And to present “Gluten Free” as a hollywood trend.
How condescending!