Gluten - What's your take on it?

[Liz CA]

I have been eating gluten-containing foods for 50+ years and seem to be fine. This means I never paid attention if what I ate contained gluten or not. There is an increasing push by functional medicine physicians to eliminate gluten from the diet even if you never had problems with it.

Do you actively try to avoid or minimize gluten even though you don't have a negative experience? Should we heed the warning now and not wait because it's serious? I mean, I don't know how damaging gluten over the long run is to the average gluten-tolerant person. If you have been diagnosed with Celiac or you have eliminated gluten and feel better then you have the answer...however what about those of us who have no noticeable negative effects? 

I have to confess that I like my homemade sourdough bread, other than that I eat lots veggies and fish, now and then some chicken. Is minimizing gluten a "middle of the road" approach or would one have to be completely gluten free to reap any benefits? 

If anyone knows of sources (credible, perhaps even peer-reviewed) that discuss the harmful or not so harmful effects of gluten, I' d appreciate a link.

[athena1277]

 My 16yo was diagnosed with celiac disease just before her 2nd birthday.  I have read quite a bit about CD, gluten intolerance, etc.  Eating 100% gluten free is absolutely necessary for anyone with CD, and possibly a few other conditions, although I have seen very little actual research on gf outside of CD and gluten intolerance. I do question non-celiac gluten intolerance, but I’ll save that discussion for another day.  

Here’s the thing.  Most gf foods lack much of the nutrition that regular foods do.  If you don’t have to eat gf, you are not helping yourself by adhering to that diet.  Some people gain weight on a gf diet.  It’s also more expensive.  

The best thing is to do is eat a healthy balanced diet.

Edited April 28, 2019 by athena1277

[Pen]

Personally I see no reason to go gluten free if it doesn’t bother you.

I try to minimize it because of healt issues, but would not do so if I had no issues.

Seems to me people have eaten gluten wheats for a long time now without major issue for most.

Though the general “grain brain” issue —grain generally, not just gluten, may be legit.  (See Perlmutter book by that title.) 

[Pawz4me]

27 minutes ago, Liz CA said:

Do you actively try to avoid or minimize gluten even though you don't have a negative experience?

No.

I have enough unavoidable stress in my life. In the absence of a clear cut reason or need to do so, I refuse to allow something like food, which should be one of life's  enjoyable pleasures, to become another source of stress. 

[J-rap]

I only minimize it because I'm trying to minimize carbs in general -- though not completely, at all.  I love bread.  🙂  I really don't think there's a need to completely eliminate it if you don't have a problem.  I haven't really heard that push.  I think good bread even has positives -- There's fiber in a lot of breads, and sour dough has its own advantages to health.

I do have a couple kids who seem to have a high sensitivity toward gluten.  They get sick when they eat it.  It took us years to figure it out.  One was tested for celiac and although the blood test was positive, the biopsy was negative.  So apparently they don't have celiac, but still have a sensitivity.

I probably eat only half as much as I used to now, but I'm good with that.

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I didn’t know that I had a problem with gluten until my dd was diagnosed with celiac disease. I had not tested positive to the same tests. But after going celiac level gluten free for a year and then getting accidentally glutened I got super ill for three miserable days. No gluten for me. 

[lmrich]

I found out in August that I am highly allergic to wheat. I am not allowed to touch it or breathe it in. So, yeah, I avoid it. I miss it. A lot. 

[Liz CA]

6 minutes ago, lmrich said:

I found out in August that I am highly allergic to wheat. I am not allowed to touch it or breathe it in. So, yeah, I avoid it. I miss it. A lot. 

 

What symptoms did you have, if I may ask?

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, athena1277 said:

Here’s the thing.  Most gf foods lack much of the nutrition that regular foods do.  If you don’t have to eat gf, you are not helping yourself by adhering to that diet.  Some people gain weight on a gf diet.  It’s also more expensive.  

There are plenty of GF foods that are nutritious. Not everyone replaces their wheat bread with processed GF food, nor does everyone eating replacement GF food do so without balancing their diet in some other way. You can be a junk food vegetarian or vegan too, lol! 

To me, this statement has less to do with whether a GF diet is wise and more to do with whether eating a health GF diet is convenient or low-cost. 

I seem to be gluten intolerant. I didn't go GF on purpose--I did a bit of a strict, time-limited, dietary clean up due to my body wigging out on me (sort of an elimination diet, but not to find a sensitivity). I fully expected to go back to my previous diet of better than SAD (but mostly ordinary food). Ha! 

[marbel]

I don't have any reason to think I, or anyone else in my immediate family. has a problem with gluten, so I don't limit it at all.  

It seems like a few years ago there was a sort of push toward gluten-free for all, but I am not seeing as much of that anymore. If anything, the message I seem to be getting is "don't go GF if you don't need to."  I'm just basing this on my own memory and experience. 

[hornblower]

I love gluten! I hate how many restaurants conflate vegan with gluten free. I'm always saying "gimme the gluten!!!!! just hold the animal products" 
 

[Ellie]

I see no point in avoiding gluten if you don't have problems with it.

[Ellie]

3 hours ago, athena1277 said:

Here’s the thing.  Most gf foods lack much of the nutrition that regular foods do.  If you don’t have to eat gf, you are not helping yourself by adhering to that diet.  Some people gain weight on a gf diet.  It’s also more expensive. 

But there are lots of foods which are naturally gluten-free: dairy, eggs, all fruits, all vegetables, some grains, nuts and seeds, all meats. It's only when people try to replace the foods they love with look-alike foods that there is less nutrition, but they can eat all day, nutritiously, without coming close to gluten;  they just have to resign themselves to the fact that they cannot have bread or pasta. People who have allergies to specific foods learn to do that; people who have celiac can, too.

[Arctic Bunny]

3 minutes ago, Ellie said:

But there are lots of foods which are naturally gluten-free: dairy, eggs, all fruits, all vegetables, some grains, nuts and seeds, all meats. It's only when people try to replace the foods they love with look-alike foods that there is less nutrition, but they can eat all day, nutritiously, without coming close to gluten;  they just have to resign themselves to the fact that they cannot have bread or pasta. People who have allergies to specific foods learn to do that; people who have celiac can, too.

Exactly. I gad a good friend who, along with her daughter, had celiac. She was always amazed and so grateful that we could throw together a meal for them. It just so happens that our everyday meals are naturally gluten-free, so no big deal, just pay attention to not using the usual steak spice and such. So, not that we avoid gluten, but certainly more meals than not are very low gluten (because I don’t watch spice mixes, etc, so I can’t say gluten-free).

[Ali in OR]

I love bread products, I have no difficulty with gluten, and I seen no reason to even investigate if there is some hidden evil within it. But I do have to be careful not to eat as much bread as I would like just to avoid weight gain.

[Lawyer&Mom]

I’ve been gluten-avoidant for 10+ years.  It hasn’t changed my life.  I’m not radiant and full of energy.  I just have fewer breakouts and better digestion.  So if gluten agrees with you, enjoy it!  Have a croissant for me! 

[HomeAgain]

I don't avoid gluten, but I will say that I feel better when I cut down on yeast/sugar, which is found in a lot of fluffy bread.  Pastas are just fine, and I do still eat sandwiches occasionally, but I don't make them a staple of my diet.

[Carrie12345]

I make zero effort to avoid or reduce gluten.  I do know that I feel crummy if I let myself go overboard with starchy carbs, so I try to pay attention to overall ratios, but that’s about it.

In the rare cases that I’m feeding someone with celiac, I buy everything pre-made and usually use disposable everything to serve because I’m terrified of cross-contamination and my kitchen, with many young chefs, is absolutely contaminated!  (Same for feeding people with nut allergies.). When my infant couldn’t tolerate milk proteins, I tried to eliminate it all from my kitchen in preparation for when he started solids. Fortunately, he outgrew that by his 1st birthday.

For people avoiding things by choice, I just make it very clear that my kitchen comes with zero guarantees and take no offense if they don’t want to partake in my pot luck offerings!

(I do have to keep reminding myself not to ask my vegetarian daughter to defrost chicken or roll meatballs...)

[G5052]

I had horrible IBS-C and actually had to take medication for it.

Then I started tracking what I ate, and I figured out that it was gluten. I cut out gluten, and in time stopped the medicine.

Cross-contamination doesn't bother me, and I can sometimes get away with one small cookie or something with a little crust. But only once a week or so, and sometimes even that bothers me.

My youngest has IBS-D and cutting out gluten had the same result for her. No more medication, and symptom-free.

I buy bread and freeze it for occasional sandwiches when we are out, but mostly we just eat normal food that has no gluten. It isn't that expensive if you do it that way.

[Guest]

I have gone gf at one point due to IBS, but it did not seem to make a difference to me. 

I think it is better to have a full variety of (whole, nutritious) foods than to restrict categories unnecessarily. 

[lmrich]

10 hours ago, Liz CA said:

 

What symptoms did you have, if I may ask?

I broke out into a rash while in Germany - eating and drinking more wheat products. BUT the bigger problem is my throat closes up - not so I can't breathe but kind of below your airway so food cannot pass. Plus a lot of GI discomfort. I knew I was allergic to dairy so I was used to these symptoms from that. I am also allergic to rice, coniferous vegetables, nightshades, and others... Not sure if I introduce the others yet. 

My dad, sister, and I have EoE as adults and the allergies might contribute to the condition getting worse. Finding a doctor who is knowledgeable with allergies and GI is tricky. 

[DawnM]

I thought I was gluten intolerant or had celiac, but I have discovered that I am not celiac nor necessarily gluten intolerant, but I have a wheat allergy.  They now categorize allergies on a 1-5 scale of severity.  I am a 3 for wheat.  I feel SO much better not eating it.  But I eat it.  Sigh.  I have gone about 3 weeks without it and I felt so much better.

I am gearing up to do it again,.  But it is HARD.  Everything has wheat in it.

[jemsmom]

12 hours ago, athena1277 said:

 

Here’s the thing.  Most gf foods lack much of the nutrition that regular foods do.  If you don’t have to eat gf, you are not helping yourself by adhering to that diet. 

Really?  The vast majority of whole foods ARE gf.  I've never considered glutinous grains to be nutritional powerhouses.  Subsistence staples, yes, but not nutrition-packed foods.

[73349]

39 minutes ago, jemsmom said:

Really?  The vast majority of whole foods ARE gf.  I've never considered glutinous grains to be nutritional powerhouses.  Subsistence staples, yes, but not nutrition-packed foods.

This is largely true, but cross-contamination is a huge problem if you leave the produce department. I hate going through the nut section of the grocery store and flipping over package after package to see "processed in a facility that also processes wheat" or "may contain traces of wheat." Same with dried and freeze-dried fruits. And I can only buy from the bulk bins if it's something you rinse before eating (beans, yes; trail mix even with no gluten-containing ingredients, no).

I don't think it's necessary to go gf if it's not a problem for you. (Then again, I didn't realize it was a problem for me until I'd been gf for several months and realized I hadn't had to buy medicine for headaches all year.) It's a much bigger issue IMO that so much of our food system depends on so few mass-produced ingredients--corn, wheat, soy, cow's milk.

[Liz CA]

6 hours ago, HomeAgain said:

I don't avoid gluten, but I will say that I feel better when I cut down on yeast/sugar, which is found in a lot of fluffy bread.  Pastas are just fine, and I do still eat sandwiches occasionally, but I don't make them a staple of my diet.

 

I have sharply reduced sugar as well and also avoid yeast (hence the sourdough) and less sugar seems to be a good thing for me.

[athena1277]

15 hours ago, Ellie said:

But there are lots of foods which are naturally gluten-free: dairy, eggs, all fruits, all vegetables, some grains, nuts and seeds, all meats. It's only when people try to replace the foods they love with look-alike foods that there is less nutrition, but they can eat all day, nutritiously, without coming close to gluten;  they just have to resign themselves to the fact that they cannot have bread or pasta. People who have allergies to specific foods learn to do that; people who have celiac can, too.

I guess I could have been clearer on what I said.  I was referring to GF substitutes, not naturally GF foods.

[Farrar]

My take on gluten is that it is delicious. Like, amazing delicious.

If I had to give it up, I would. But in the absence of not having to, I think the people giving it up for funsies, just to see, are basically off their rockers.

[HomeAgain]

3 hours ago, Liz CA said:

 

I have sharply reduced sugar as well and also avoid yeast (hence the sourdough) and less sugar seems to be a good thing for me.

You know, I don't have a problem with sourdough.  I love the stuff.  I never connected it - it still has yeast, but it's balanced with the other bacteria.  About once a month I'll get a boule during the winter to eat with soup. 

[Jaz]

My dh and ds both have brain fog when they eat gluten as bread or pasta products, not trace amounts or even breading on chicken. I avoid it to keep my weight down. I eat bread/pasta when out on dates, holidays, etc. 

[HollyDay]

I'm 50+ years too.  And I've seen lots of foods come and go on the "evil" list.  Remember when fat was evil was sugar was okay?  Eggs were bad, then not bad, now might be bad.  White bread and white rice were great until they were bad.  How about dairy??

Ugh....how on earth do we know what to eat.  My friend says she misses her youth when everyone ate wonderbread with butter and honey and no one ever heard of kale.

Having said all that....I am gluten free. 

Oldest dd tested (by bloodwork) sensitive to it.  She went gluten free for almost a year.  She dropped almost 20 lbs without even trying, her eczema cleared up, her GI problems went away, her anemia improved, and her sleep problems went away.  She has gradually started adding gluten back into her diet.  Being away at college has made gf eating a challenge for her both convenience and price wise.  So far, she is doing okay.  BUT, she is being really smart about.  Not every day.  Not much.  So far so good.

Youngest has struggled with anemia.  The doc suggested we try gf to see if that made a difference. And, like oldest dd, it did improve the ferritin levels (no other changes, just cut out gluten).  She also said that her tummy issues were better.  She wants to try adding gluten back in like her older sister, but with finals and wisdom teeth surgery coming in a couple weeks, she doesn't want to take a chance on a reaction.

I struggle with inflammation.  2 years ago, my PT suggested I cut out gluten for a month to see if it helped my pain and inflammation (low back, hip problems).  And it helped!  Within 2 weeks, my inflammation was down!!  Pain levels improved.  I felt better.  I was "glutened" at a wedding reception buffet once and it resulted in quite a bit of tummy problems.  So, I guess being gf did something.  I tried sourdough bread not long ago and it was okay in moderation.  When I tried eating it everyday, I had tummy problems and increased joint pain.

Do I think gluten should be on the "evil" list?  Not at all.  If you are celiac or allergic to it, then by all means stay as far way from it as humanly possible.  I have celiac friends who can't even use cosmetic or hair products with wheat germ or some other wheat product. 

Do I think gluten is the "smoking gun" for most health issues? Probably not, unless you have an issue that is related to it.  I know several ladies with arthritis who said staying off gluten for a month did nothing for their pain and inflammation.  But, stopping all dairy did wonders for them.

Know your body.  Get tested if necessary.  Try elimination diet challenges if you think you should

By the way, I did not lose a single ounce when stopping gluten.  I did not substitute gf baked goods either.  Dd did.  She substituted cookies, cakes, muffins, etc...which are often higher in calories and carbs.  Still she dropped a bunch a weight.  And didn't

[Jean in Newcastle]

Foods have changed over the years due to pesticides, soil depletion, processing, additives and GMO hybrids.  It makes sense that people are reacting to some of that.  In fact I would say that you are lucky if you don’t  

 

 

[Liz CA]

Thanks, guys! I feel better continuing with my sourdough bread. Perhaps I will even venture into GF flour types if I feel really adventurous some day.

I do remember many food fads like the fat free wave. I bought some "fake, fat free cheese" and that is when dh said he would rather die from fat than eat the fake one.  🙂

 

[bethben]

A true sourdough bread can actually be tolerated by people who have gluten sensitivities.  People with thyroid issues can have unknown problems because gluten can mimic thyroid hormones thus telling your thyroid to underperform. I see no reason if you don’t have issues.  Why make life harder if you don’t need to?  

[Rosie_0801]

We've had problems with the additives in bread, so no longer buy supermarket bread.
I only get the brain fog thing if I sit in my bed eating nothing but bread for hours, but I think that's less about the bread and more about me being a lazy butt who knows she is also meant to eat protein and fresh foods. 😂

[Liz CA]

46 minutes ago, bethben said:

A true sourdough bread can actually be tolerated by people who have gluten sensitivities.  People with thyroid issues can have unknown problems because gluten can mimic thyroid hormones thus telling your thyroid to underperform. I see no reason if you don’t have issues.  Why make life harder if you don’t need to?  

 

I think (hope) what I am making is true sourdough as I don't use yeast at all but I use regular flour.

25 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said:

We've had problems with the additives in bread, so no longer buy supermarket bread.
I only get the brain fog thing if I sit in my bed eating nothing but bread for hours, but I think that's less about the bread and more about me being a lazy butt who knows she is also meant to eat protein and fresh foods. 😂

 

Store bought bread has so much unnecessary stuff in it here too and it's never crusty enough for me which is why I started baking bread.

[Ausmumof3]

On 4/28/2019 at 10:02 AM, Pen said:

Personally I see no reason to go gluten free if it doesn’t bother you.

I try to minimize it because of healt issues, but would not do so if I had no issues.

Seems to me people have eaten gluten wheats for a long time now without major issue for most.

Though the general “grain brain” issue —grain generally, not just gluten, may be legit.  (See Perlmutter book by that title.) 

Most shop bread has added gluten to help with producing those fluffy loaves that people love, not just what’s in the wheat naturally.  And modern wheat varieties have been bread for significantly higher gluten content.  I don’t know if that is the issue or other additives but some shop bread definitely makes me feel pretty off. I’m too lazy to go fully gluten free though.   

[Rosie_0801]

3 hours ago, Liz CA said:

Store bought bread has so much unnecessary stuff in it here too and it's never crusty enough for me which is why I started baking bread.

 

When we bought from the occasional sausage sizzle, the kids used to throw the cheap, supermarket, white bread on the flood, not even recognising it as food.

[kiwik]

I think some people need to avoid gluten, some people need to minimise gluten and everyone is probably better of not having gluten excessively- don't have wheat cereal and toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and pasta for tea with a couple of gluten based snacks as well for example.  Eat more vegetables instead.

[jemsmom]

On 4/28/2019 at 1:50 PM, athena1277 said:

I guess I could have been clearer on what I said.  I was referring to GF substitutes, not naturally GF foods.

So you're saying gf processed foods are less nutritious than "normal" processed foods?  Gf spaghetti is less nutritious than regular spaghetti?  Gf sandwich bread more deficient than regular sandwich bread? A gf chocolate sandwich cookie is more lacking nutritionally than an oreo?  Really?  Now if you were saying the gf substitutes were less tasty and more expensive, you'd have no argument from me!

I've seen this in other places as well. One pushback against non-celiac people going gluten free is that the diet is somehow nutritionally *less*.  As far as I can see, that position has no basis in fact.  Actually, if switching to a gf diet causes people to eschew more processed foods because the gf subs don't taste very good and are more expensive, then I'd say that's quite beneficial.

 

 

[athena1277]

1 hour ago, jemsmom said:

So you're saying gf processed foods are less nutritious than "normal" processed foods?  Gf spaghetti is less nutritious than regular spaghetti?  Gf sandwich bread more deficient than regular sandwich bread? A gf chocolate sandwich cookie is more lacking nutritionally than an oreo?  Really?  Now if you were saying the gf substitutes were less tasty and more expensive, you'd have no argument from me!

I've seen this in other places as well. One pushback against non-celiac people going gluten free is that the diet is somehow nutritionally *less*.  As far as I can see, that position has no basis in fact.  Actually, if switching to a gf diet causes people to eschew more processed foods because the gf subs don't taste very good and are more expensive, then I'd say that's quite beneficial.

 

 

 

1 hour ago, jemsmom said:

So you're saying gf processed foods are less nutritious than "normal" processed foods?  Gf spaghetti is less nutritious than regular spaghetti?  Gf sandwich bread more deficient than regular sandwich bread? A gf chocolate sandwich cookie is more lacking nutritionally than an oreo?  Really?  Now if you were saying the gf substitutes were less tasty and more expensive, you'd have no argument from me!

I've seen this in other places as well. One pushback against non-celiac people going gluten free is that the diet is somehow nutritionally *less*.  As far as I can see, that position has no basis in fact.  Actually, if switching to a gf diet causes people to eschew more processed foods because the gf subs don't taste very good and are more expensive, then I'd say that's quite beneficial.

 

 

Even though it’s not the most nutritious, many regular breads, cereals, etc. have added nutrients.  GF versions do not.

[Jean in Newcastle]

51 minutes ago, athena1277 said:

 

Even though it’s not the most nutritious, many regular breads, cereals, etc. have added nutrients.  GF versions do not.

That is simplistic and not necessarily true.  It depends on what the gluten free foods are made of.  Many companies are now varying the flours used, often using ancient grains that do add important nutrients.

Now - obviously not everyone needs to eat a gluten free diet. . If I didn't have to, I wouldn't do it.  But for a variety of reasons (not all that include an intolerance or celiac disease) many people are harmed by a diet that includes gluten - sometimes not due to the gluten itself but due to wheat or additives or whatever else might cause inflammation in the body.  Dismissing people who are often desperate to find a solution to chronic health problems which include rampant inflammatory processes as following a "fad" is shortsighted and simply not true.  Are there people who are just following a fad?  Probably.  That's true in pretty much every aspect of life.  But I doubt that it is most people - even those who might seem to be inconsistent in their diet.  I say this because for years I tried various anti-inflammatory diets.  I often gave up because it is hard to do and because socially it puts up a lot of roadblocks when so many social events revolve around food chock full of gluten and other reportedly inflammatory foods.  I also wavered at times because unlike celiac disease which has tests which prove unequivocally whether you have it or not, inflammatory processes in the body are fickle and often multi-dimensional making even elimination diets hard to gauge.  As I said up thread, it took me a year of being off of gluten at a celiac level before my body gave me a crystal clear reaction to gluten and/or wheat.  If someone has no chronic and often vague problems healthwise, then staying on a diet that includes gluten is a nobrainer.  But for those who are trying desperately to find out a source(s) for their problems, I am here to tell you that going off of gluten at a celiac level for some time might be worth it.  But it took me probably at least ten years of trying various diets to come to that point and even then it was my daughter's clear diagnosis of celiac disease that inadvertently helped me too. 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Jean in Newcastle
typo

[scholastica]

I wouldn’t drop it from your diet if it’s not causing you a problem. People who go gluten free who do not have celiac are sometimes actually sensitive to fructans not gluten. Here is an article. If neither is bothering enjoy!

[Crimson Wife]

4 hours ago, athena1277 said:

Even though it’s not the most nutritious, many regular breads, cereals, etc. have added nutrients.  GF versions do not.

Unless those added "nutrients" are actually BAD for the individual. 40% of the population have one or more genetic variants that result in synthetic folic acid (the kind mandated by the Federal government) being harmful to their health. So for them, the GF kind without the added "enrichhment" is healthier.

[StaceyinLA]

After coming off a long stretch of doing Whole 30 (actually more like Whole 90), I was really curious to see what things were affecting me. Truthfully, eaten in balance (as in a sandwich or burger with appropriate amounts of fat/protein compared to the bread), I don't have an issue. I'm also not doing this daily like I was before.

What I have seen the absolute most sensitivity to, as in what makes me feel the worst if/when I eat it, is anything sweet - not just refined sugar either, but even paleo stuff that's pretty lightly sweetened with maple syrup. I get an almost instant stomach ache, not to mention that crummy feeling 30 minutes later. I don't think it's just because I've lost a taste for it either. I've done it a few different times over the last month with "healthy" desserts, and it's awful. 

Soy-laden foods seem to affect me also, so I'm fairly cautious about overdoing that as well, but the occasional bread item seems to be okay.