Excuse us while we go eat some bread…
Lately, it seems that it’s been pretty popular for people to go gluten-free even if they don’t actually have an intolerance to the stuff, however, it’s not actually that good for you to go without! In case you didn’t already know, coeliac disease is an abnormal immune reaction to gluten that can cause inflammation and even damage the small intestines.
Gluten is a protein which is found in wheat, rye, oats and barley, so if you have coeliac you can’t eat any of those things without feeling some serious pain. The diet helps the intestines heal and manages symptoms.
Nowadays, so many people are self-diagnosing and research from the University of Newcastle has found that this is actually quite bad for you.
The researchers said:
“There are likely to be many in the community who incorrectly attribute adverse physiological symptoms to wheat ingestion and unnecessarily subject themselves to a gluten-free diet.”
“Several studies have demonstrated that gluten-free diets may not provide adequate amounts of trace elements and vitamins, such as calcium and vitamin D.”
They also added:
“A gluten-free diet may adversely affect cardiovascular risk factors, such as total cholesterol levels, weight gain leading to obesity, glucose intolerance and blood pressure.”
Apparently, only 16 per cent of people who have self-diagnosed a gluten intolerance actually showed any symptoms when tested. So, while it might seem like a great way to fix an upset stomach or to lose weight, you could actually be doing more harm than good and you should just stick to a balanced diet.
SEE ALSO: Major backlash for bride who complained about her ‘small’ $2k ring
SEE ALSO: Reports Walmart are coming to Australia
SEE ALSO: So, it turns out cheese isn’t necessarily vegetarian
Image: Getty
Written by Marni Dixit
