What‘s the Truth Behind the ’Nebulous’ Gluten-Free Diet?
- Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:15pm by
Liz Klimas
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Crunchmaster Cinnamon and Sugar Grammy Crisps are made with 100% whole grains and certified gluten and peanut free. (Photo: PRNewsFoto/TH Foods)
ATLANTA (TheBlaze/AP) — Epidemic or fad? Healthy or unhealthy? Fact or fiction? These are just a few of the many paradoxical faces “gluten free” has taken on as millions have been diagnosed with the “disease” or join the bandwagon in an effort to get healthier.
Gluten-free products are flying off grocery shelves, and restaurants are boasting of meals with no gluten. Celebrities on TV talk shows chat about the digestive discomfort they blame on the wheat protein they now shun. Some churches even offer gluten-free Communion wafers.
“I don‘t know whether there’s more people getting this or that more people are noticing” they have a problem, said the Rev. Richard Allen, pastor at Mamaroneck United Methodist Church, north of New York City.
Or is it just another food fad?
Faddishness is a big part of it. Americans will spend an estimated $7 billion this year on foods labeled gluten-free, according to the market research firm Mintel. But the best estimates are that more than half the consumers buying these products – perhaps way more than half – don’t have any clear-cut reaction to gluten.
They buy gluten-free because they think it will help them lose weight, or because they seem to feel better, or because they mistakenly believe they are sensitive to gluten.
“We have a lot of self-diagnosing going on out there,” said Melissa Abbott, who tracks the gluten-free market for the Hartman Group, a Seattle-area market research organization.
But make no mistake, “going gluten-free” as it is often phrased these days, doesn’t not necessarily lead to a healthier lifestyle. In June, WTOP out of Washington, D.C., described that with the demand for gluten-free food on the rise, the emergence of gluten-free junk food has followed:
“Now we have a bit of a trap. Now it is easy to buy a lot of gluten-free junk food,” says nutritionist Monica Reinagel, who hosts the “Nutrition Diva” podcast.
[...]
“You can’t assume a food or a product is nutritious simply because it is gluten free,” Reinagel says.
Reinagel added that there is no guarantee a gluten-free diet will lead to weight loss.
Men’s Health magazine even created a list of six gluten-free foods that will actually make you fatter. Among them are granola and a few dessert and bread products. It is clear from the nutrition labels that gluten free does not mean sugar or fat free.
A prominent medical journal also suggested earlier this year that removing gluten from one’s diet, if you really didn’t need to, could be detrimental, depriving oneself of enough fiber.
Michele Kelly, owner of Pure Knead bakery, poses with a rack of freshly baked gluten-free sandwich bread. (Photo: AP/John Bazemore)
Fads aside, research suggests more people are truly getting sick from the gluten found in wheat, rye and barley, but the reasons aren’t clear.
In the most serious cases, gluten triggers celiac disease. The condition causes abdominal pain, bloating and intermittent diarrhea. Those with the ailment don’t absorb nutrients well and can suffer weight loss, fatigue, rashes and other problems.
It was once considered extremely rare in the U.S. But about 20 years ago, a few scientists began exploring why celiac disease was less common here than in Europe and other countries. They concluded that it wasn’t less common here; it was just under-diagnosed.
More recently, a research team led by the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Joseph Murray looked at blood samples taken from Americans in the 1950s and compared them with samples taken from people today, and determined it wasn’t just better diagnosis driving up the numbers. Celiac disease actually was increasing. Indeed, the research confirms estimates that about 1 percent of U.S. adults have it today, making it four times more common now than it was 50 years ago, Murray and his colleagues reported Tuesday in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
That translates to nearly 2 million Americans with celiac disease.
Celiac disease is different from an allergy to wheat, which affects a much smaller number of people, mostly children who outgrow it.
Scientists suggest that there may be more celiac disease today because people eat more processed wheat products like pastas and baked goods than in decades past, and those items use types of wheat that have a higher gluten content. Gluten helps dough rise and gives baked goods structure and texture.
Bertha Domimguez prepares gluten-free dough at Pure Knead bakery sandwich bread in Decatur, Ga. (Photo: AP/John Bazemore)
Or it could be due to changes made to wheat, Murray said.
In the 1950s, scientists began cross-breeding wheat to make hardier, shorter and better-growing plants. It was the basis of the Green Revolution that boosted wheat harvests worldwide. Norman Borlaug, the U.S. plant scientist behind many of the innovations, won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work.
But the gluten in wheat may have somehow become even more troublesome for many people, Murray said.
That also may have contributed to what is now called “gluten sensitivity.”
Doctors recently developed a definition for gluten sensitivity, but it’s an ambiguous one. It’s a label for people who suffer bloating and other celiac symptoms and seem to be helped by avoiding gluten, but don’t actually have celiac disease. Celiac disease is diagnosed with blood testing, genetic testing, or biopsies of the small intestine.
The case for gluten sensitivity was bolstered last year by a very small but often-cited Australian study. Volunteers who had symptoms were put on a gluten-free diet or a regular diet for six weeks, and they weren’t told which one. Those who didn’t eat gluten had fewer problems with bloating, tiredness and irregular bowel movements.
Clearly, “there are patients who are gluten-sensitive,” said Dr. Sheila Crowe, a San Diego-based physician on the board of the American Gastroenterological Association.
What is hotly debated is how many people have the problem, she added. It’s impossible to know “because the definition is nebulous,” she said.
One of the most widely cited estimates comes from Dr. Alessio Fasano, a University of Maryland researcher who led studies that changed the understanding of how common celiac disease is in the U.S.
Fasano believes 6 percent of U.S. adults have gluten sensitivity. But that’s based on a review of patients at his clinic – hardly a representative sample of the general public.
Other estimates vary widely, he said. “There’s a tremendous amount of confusion out there,” Fasano said.
Whatever the number, marketing of foods without gluten has exploded. Those with celiac disease, of course, are grateful. Until only a few years ago, it was difficult to find grocery and dining options.
“It’s a matter of keeping people safe,” said Michelle Kelly, an Atlanta-area woman who started a gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free bakery in 2010 after her son was diagnosed with celiac disease. While conventional bakers use wheat flour, she uses such ingredients as millet flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour and tapioca starch.
At one of Atlanta’s largest and busiest health food stores, Return to Eden, manager Troy DeGroff said over a third of his customers come in for gluten-free products for themselves or their family.
“Thank you, Elisabeth Hasselbeck,” he said, referring to one of the hosts of the daytime talk show “The View” who helped popularize gluten-free eating.
(Related: Is Being Gluten Free Trendy?)
It’s hard to say how many of his customers have a medical reason for skipping gluten. But “they‘re at least paying attention to what they’re sticking in their mouth,” he said.
On a recent Friday afternoon, several customers bought gluten-free, though none had been diagnosed with celiac disease or had digestive problems from eating wheat.
Julia White said she picks up gluten-free items when her granddaughters visit. They’ve been diagnosed with problems, she said. “They don’t just make this up.”
Another customer, Meagan Jain, said she made gluten-free cupcakes with a school friend and liked the taste. But she doesn’t buy gluten-free often because “it’s expensive.”
For her, “It’s a fad. It’s part of the eclectic, alternative lifestyle.”
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Comments (67)
ghostsouls
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:14pmMy grandson, age 8 is on a gluten-free diet. He is Autistic. Before starting this diet, he only had a few spoken words. After reading Jenny McCarthy’s book she written about her own autistic son and how she helped him with this diet, my grand son was put on this diet. After two years,he is now in the 2nds grade, has the largest vocabulary you could imagine, he went from special classes to being main streamed, and only taken out of class for testing and special help. He talks to everyone and now even looks people in the eyes when he speaks to them. If you didn’t know any better you would not know anything is wrong with him. I cannot say this will work for everyone, I just know it works for him. And what a blessing!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 6:25amWhen my oldest son was 9, he was disgnosed autistic (he’s now 22). We put him on a gluten free diet and the progress was so tremendous (he’s also Down Syndrome) that they thought he was celiac instead of autistic. They had me put him BACK on gluten to test again. I felt like I was poisoning him, but trusted the medical community at that time (I no longer do). He has both, but they lowered the autism to Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified. When I got cancer 7 years ago, I lost ALL my iron during chemo. After receiving 3 months worth of iron in an infusion, it was gone in 2 weeks. I went on the GF diet, and regained it all. When we made a major move, my youngest son tested positive. We’re all three gf.
If you think it will cause you to lose weight to go on this diet, you are grossly misled. It makes you healthier because if you’re celiac and ignore the diet, you’re at higher risk for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, colon cancer, early menopause, and a host of other problems. It’s an autoimmune disorder where your body alters itself to not absorb the gluten protein, thus you are malnurished. My oldest was almost diagnosed failure to thrive because he hadn’t gained weight in 3 years….he weighed 37 pounds at age 8. He’s now 5 ft 1 and weighs a stout 150 (lifts weights constantly, but I do need to get him out walking to lose that gut).
Report Post »Jimmielynn
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:35pmThe gluten free junk food will be like the fat free snacks that came out several years ago. People will think they can eat unlimited amounts and the weight gain will follow. I follow a paleo diet. No grains, legumes, dairy, or sugar except for what comes in the food naturally. Grains in general irritate the gut and they spoke your insulin like sugar. I feel fantastic and if I cheat, I physically suffer. I don’t have any crazy allergies or anything but I think our bodies perform best when we eat clean with foods like lean beef, fruit, veggies and nuts. There are recipes using coconut flour and almond flour but they’re not that great. I recommend everyone give it a try for 30 days and see how you feel. You can find all you need to know online.
Report Post »LameLiberals
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:30pmIsn’t Bill Orilly on board with this type of bread? His stupid tips of the day included this if I remember correctly.
Report Post »ALL4FREEDOM
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:57pmWheat is not as genetically diverse as it once was, and people today may be somewhat sensitive than in the past without developing celiac disease. Just try eliminating wheat from your diet for a month and see how you feel. One thing is certain though: we eat far too much grain and too much meat and poultry that is grain-fed. The result is that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid ratios are way out of whack, and this UNQUESTIONABLY leads to health problems, particularly high cholesterol and systemic inflamation.
Report Post »Pouncing Porcupine
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:05pmMondo Bacon Cheeseburger, Tater-Tots, Extra Trans-Fat, and a Side of Gluten, Please!
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:12pmI must eat gluten free because of celiac. I realize that eating gluten free has become a fad for some. It is so nice to find more gluten free food. The only way I want the government involved is to have labeling that tells if it is really gluten free. Right now it is now clear.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 6:27amyea, barley malt puts me in the bathroom 15 min after eating it….but barley isn’t considered an allergen so they can hide it in natural flavors or analyzed yeast.
Report Post »XaviorOnassis
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:15pmGrain free is healthy. period. Gluten is only a small part of the story. Even non-glutenous grains such as corn are not good for you. Whole grain is not good for you. There is no grain requirement for the human body and the more grain/sugar you eat, the less healthy your body will be whether or not you are fat. Get your carbs from fruits, nuts and vegetables (no, I am not talking about Congress). This is the way people were designed to eat.
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:25pmSounds good but what if you have been told not to eat nuts and you are allergic to fruits and vegetables.
Report Post »Pouncing Porcupine
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:26pmSucks 2BU, Ducky.
The perfect human diet is outlined in the very first chapter of the Bible, and includes grains.
Report Post »IndyBarber
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 9:53pmThe “period.” just reminds me of something algore said about global warming. 8 years ago, the answer was the all bacon diet, a few years before that it waste all cabbage diet. Pass the beer, have a burger, and enjoy life. Stop pushing what works for you down my throat.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:22pmXavioronassis….right on and eat fruit by itself, not with meals. Eating fruit with meals interferes with digestion and creates bloating.
Report Post »The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:49pmSponsors / advertisers paid off the contributors for access to the front page
Report Post »1whoknows2much
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:34pmI just read the book Wheat Belly written by D. William Davis and explains all about the wheat and gluten issues. He explains that the wheat today is nothing like the wheat of 100 or 1000 years ago. Wheat has been hybridized so many times especially in last 50 years and that when the scientists kept changing wheat they weren’t required by government test on animals first so they had no idea what it would do to human bodies. Also it’s no coincidence that diabetes has shot up dramatically in past 50 years. He spoke of a test that was done showing someone who eats 2 slices of wheat bread their glucose shot up faster and higher than if they eat a snickers candy bar. I don’t want government to force this on anyone in fact they have tried for years pushing people to eat more whole grains when their is no real reason to, any fiber or vitamins you get from whole grains you can get in more abundance from other foods like vegetables. I don’t think people should be demonized for trying to eat better especially when there is a lot of evidence that it can help a lot of people, but people should have the right to choose if that right for them.
Report Post »Even Bill O’Reilly on Foxnews has recently came out and said he read the book and cut out wheat and he says he feels a lot better.
AngelOnline
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:06pmFirst…I am NOT a hippie my any means….that being said for 3 years doctors could not find anything wrong with me (allergy tests and all) and recommended I see a shrink and get put on Prozac for my panic attacks. I KNEW what I was experiencing (heart palpitations,becoming extremely tired, unable to swallow, and sheer panic attacks) were NOT IN MY MIND. I was led to look things up online and started a food journal. After 2 months there was no denying – SOY and GLUTEN were the culprits. (I always wondered why I could not drink beer without becoming ILL) I started seeing a Naturopathic Doctor as well and that is where I got the diagnosis that I was “gluten sensitive”. It showed up on a full body thermal scan in my colon. My “regular” doctor was AMAZED! and I have been gluten free for 8 years. The “experts” all just wanted to put me on meds instead of finding the problem. I am on NO meds and only take herbs….take that Obamacare. I WILL NOT COMPLY.
Report Post »Steve28
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:20pmMy dauhter in law and grandchild have it and it does make a big difference they say in how they feel physically and emotionally.
Report Post »crushynn
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:39pmAwesome! I too had anxiety, sluggishness, dizziness, etc. & doctors couldn’t figure it out. So I went to a nutrition consultant who did biofeedback & determined I had sensitivities to gluten & dairy. That was 7 months ago. I cut out 90% of my gluten & dairy & could not believe how much better I felt. Also lost 8 pounds. It’s not easy to do but the way I feel is worth it.
Report Post »SammyStutsfruckle
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:56pmI love my beer and I‘ll be damned if I’m going without it. My gf has me trying this gluten free crap and yeah, whatever.
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:38pmBeer is gluten-free.
Report Post »crushynn
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:40pmTry Woodchuck; gluten free beer. It’s good!
Report Post »Ducky 1
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 7:02pm@ Country….most beer is not gluten free!!
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:54pmYou can bet that I would not be a gluten free guy if I didn’t have to be. I really miss sandwichs, pizza, hamburgers, bread, cookies, cake and alot of other stuff. People would be shocked to find out that gluten is in almost everything in one form or another. Mostly starch, ie, “modified food starch” and even less obvious names. I bought a jar of chunky salsa and ate about half of it and got sick. I read the label, (too late), and found it had allergen warnings for wheat, milk and soy. I thought it was a jar of vegetables, whats up with the other stuff? I have to read labels on everything, do web searches and I take a big risk eating out. Even when carefully choosing from the menu, because spices and flavorings in foods contain gluten. IT SUCKS!!
My symptoms have gotten so bad with Peripheral Neuropathy in my feet being the worst. I sometimes get very little sleep for days because of the tingling, sharp pains and cramping in my feet. (it’s worse at night) In those instances, I need perscription pain pills just to get some rest and relief from the pain.
Designated ‘gluten free’ foods are so expensive that I just ignore them anymore and search for what I can eat safely from general products off the shelf. It’s a lifestyle changer for sure and miserable…….
After having my eyes opened to how much processed gluten is in everything we eat and genetically altered wheat, I think it might not be a bad idea to try to cut back on some stuff.
Report Post »DebbiePhoebe
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:50pmThere are many other symptoms, too. I don’t have celiac but I had horrible on-going skin rashes for years. They went away within days of going gluten-free 6 years ago. Most gluten-free baked goods just aren’t satisfying to me so I stopped trying to imitate my old diet and now I eat more fresh fruit and vegetables. I’m way healthier now.
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:46pmI like fresh baked bread, I’m a gluten for punishment.
Report Post »I also eat beans, break wind and kill penguins…..
hauschild
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:40pmThis is another classic – almost as good as this one: “Organic fruits and vegetables”.
The people in this country almost beg to be duped. It’s astounding.
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:43pm“Organic Fruits and Vegetables” That means chemical fertilizers and pesticides were not used on them. Without which results in more produce loss, which raises the cost… if you are okay with eating petroleum-based poison… by all means continue.
Report Post »0341_yankee
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 8:22pm@country. jokes on you, pesticides are used in even greater quantity on organic produce. Growers are allowed to use them to save crops, and when they do it’s done by saturation. As long as it‘s ’to save the crops‘ it’s perfectly within the organic guidelines and they don‘t have to tell you it’s been done. On the other hand conventional farmers use the products sparingly. Unfortunately the only way to know what you’re eating is to grow or kill it yourself.
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:36pmTwo million people with Celiac Disease. Well the logical thing (which is actually) illogical is to make the price of food increase for 298 million people so 2 million people can have glutton free.
Report Post »wmcritter
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:28pmI don’t care if it is a fad for other people, for me it is a way of life. I was diagnosed with celiac at 18 months. For most of my life, no store even knew what gluten-free meant, let alone carried any products. Then a couple years ago, it became the newest fad and it was everywhere. I cried the first time I went into a store and they had a dedicated gluten-free section. I don’t care how or why it came about, I’m just glad it did.
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:43pmIf it had been when Adam was put in the Garden of Eden that Adam was told he could not eat from any tree in the garden but only from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent would have said: God just doesn’t want you to eat from every other tree because he knows if you take from all the trees you will become like God.
Report Post »RossPoldark
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:19pmIn Italy, every new born is tested for celiacs disease, due to the high rate of it. The mecca of pasta, and there is a high rate of celiacs disease. The problem with buying gluten free foods, is that they are so expensive. Oreilly mentioned is it Hail Mary or Holy Mary as a web site that sells gluten free foods, but have you seen the prices!!!? A six pack of lemon tarts are almost 60.00 dollars. Maybe when more and more bakeries start making gluten free items, the prices might come down. I have celiacs disease, but I also have systemic mastocytosis.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:30pmI have found mixes make much better product than what you can buy ready made .. also lots of foods are naturally gluten free or you can get the ingredients that are gluten free… for mixes I have found King Arthur Flour Company are the best (they have mailorder) … and spices The Spice House has mailorder and you can look up .. they only have a couple of items that contain gluten.
http://www.thespicehouse.com/
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:32pmEasy solution… buy the flours and make the stuff yourself. I buy all my gluten-free flours from Amazon… it is a tad pricier than whole wheat flour… I just bought (4) 32oz Bob Mill’s GF Oats for $18, plus “free” 2-day shipping. No tax on food. Millet, Amaranth, Rye, Quinoa, Tapioca, Xanthum gum (gluten-replacer), etc… Amazon has it all at a great price!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:47pm@Country .. .I have gotten Bob’s products from Big Lots … even cheaper! Check for it if you have a Big Lots in your area. The shortbread cookie mix is great .. I make them like refigerator cookies and chill and slice and bake. Mine also has the oats and other flours .. not always have all things but if I go a couple times a month I usually find what I want.
Report Post »GlezeleVayne
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:56pmThere is no need to buy specially made “gluten free” products. Eating a diet which consists of meats, vegetables, rice or other gluten free grains, (quinoa is yummy and easy to prepare) and staying away from most prepared or canned goods does the trick. Losing weight is easy on this sort of diet, it isn‘t expensive and it’s yummy. Gluten free only gets expensive is someone is determined to imitate a gluten containing diet in all its aspects. I’ll eat gluten free prepared foods, such as cookies etc. as a snack.
Start reading some good books on the subject, such as Dangerous Grains by Ron Hoggan, and you will quickly learn that the current blood tests and other diagnostic tools are not nearly what they need to be. Hope this improves. For now, the best way to see if you are gluten sensitive is to go 100% gluten free for 2 weeks or more, then introduce gluten into your diet. If you feel noticeably worse, you would do well to eliminate gluten from your diet.
Report Post »MarinaSchumacher
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:12pmMy daughter is a celiac,and honestly, they more my family has moved away from gluten in our diet, the better we all feel. It’s not the worst thing to be gluten free. Just eat meat and veggies.
Report Post »dheard
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:08pmIf you want to learn more about why gluten causes problems for people look up “gluten sensitivity” in wikipedia. Companies who produce flour put the wheat through a process to make it easier for customers to use but requires partial breakdown by an enzymatic process. This process has been studied and shown to increase the allergenic effect of gluten and makes people who are otherwise healthy and have no normal sensitivity to gluten to react to it – especially after eating a lot of gluten containing foods, which most Westerners do since our culture was built on wheat. Don’t knock it just b/c it’s a thing that is popular among lefties and hippies. Not everything they do is dumb or crazy.
Report Post »bumfuzeled
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:27pmYou use the term allergenic incorrectly. Most people sensitive to gluten are not allergic to it. Gluten allergy is extremely rare whereas gluten sensitivity affects 1% of the population. And yes most things the hippies and progressives do is idiotic.
Report Post »TRILO
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:51pmAmericans are fat because the food they eat has had the nutrition striped from it due to heavy processing, preservatives, pesticides, food colorings, depleted soil and GMO seeds that are causing increased allergies and health risks in both humans and animals.
The problem is not the gluten in bread, it is that fact that wheat gluten is in darn near EVERYTHING from dog and cat food which is why our pets are fat, to breads, soups, dressings and most processed foods, etc., etc. The same with high fructose corn syrup. There is extra protein and sugar in practically everything a typical American puts in their mouth. Take the time to read your labels and you would be shocked at how much of this cr@p you are eating every day. And people wonder why they are getting fatter?
Did your grandmother have to add extra gluten in her bread or home made dumplings to make them taste great? Since when are dogs and cats herbivores so why are they eating wheat gluten, corn, etc? Wheat gluten that naturally occurs in whole grain flour is one thing, Wheat gluten today is a modern additive and cheap filler to make breads more gooey and sauces thicker.
You are what you eat. Read your labels.
Report Post »bumfuzeled
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:31pmWhat Americans eat is only half of the reason many of us are overweight. The second half of the equation is sedate jobs and lifestyles. It’s simple, even the dimocrats can get it. Calories in – Calories burned = Calories retained. Notice I said calories not fat, carb, protein, gluten or glycemic friendly. It’s simple math and works with ANY type of calorie.
Report Post »ITGuy
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:35pmYeah there is alot of crap in the foods we eat but that stuff don’t make you fatter. Here’s a tip. If your fat, don’t eat so much. People can eat 4000 calories in one meal and not even know it. I.E. Chinese, Olive Garden. Not to mention the other 2 meals of the day and calorie laden sodas they have in the day. 2000 calories a day will keep most people at their maintenance level (don’t lose or gain). But to lose weight you need to be eating between 1000 – 1600 calories a day. And once you start doing that it’s not that hard to keep up. I’ve lost 24 pounds so far and I eat WHATEVER I WANT. Just not as much as i use to. Your stomach will get use to less food and you will get full faster. Eat more veggies and Protien (chicken) vs. Carbs (breads pastas) carbs produce more calories per oz of food than protien does. My wife is having all kinds of trouble with migranes and nausea and fatigue. We are going to get her checked out for gluten allergies cause we have tried everything else we can think of. Hopefully 20th time is the charm. I‘m running out money and she’s running out of patience.
Report Post »sta
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:17pmCalorie in+ Calorie out is a dangerous myth. The “food pyramid” has done so well to help all Americans stay thin, hasn’t it?
Report Post »When they want to fatten up cattle for slaughter, they put them on a low fat diet. We need more fat, less carbs and more muscle building exercise. But the government tells us otherwise (just take a walk!). When a human is put on a 2000 calorie diet with rice as the main ingredient, they gain weight. When scientists changed the diet to give 2500 calories with Olive Oil added, less rice/more veggies and meat, people lost weight.
The problem with calorie in/calorie out is that the human body is NOT a furnace. It is constantly fighting to save us from starvation by storing fat. What is stored is sugar. Carbs become sugar in the body.
watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:49pmReally what difference does it make? People don’t want to be gods anyways. They want to be monkeys, and so they might as well be fat slugs.
Report Post »Locked
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:46pmThere are definitely people who have issues with gluten. There are also people who have smaller reactions, but not enough to get diagnosed. I used to date a girl in the second category; she would get terrible stomach pain. It went away on a gluten-free diet, but it was hard to maintain. She eventually found a good balance.
As for a way to lose weight? Sounds like a fad.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:24pmYes .. I was told that I had colitus at 16 ,,, I did everything they said and NOTHING helped .. for years and years I put up with terrible stomach pains and bloating and more … then I heard about what gluten can do to some people … I cut gluten out of my diet .. mind you it takes a long time for the effects to get out of your body .. but now after well over a year .. I feel great .. no more pain or bloating .. did I bother going to a doctor? Hell no .. why should I … a little change in my diet made ALL the difference.
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:42pmAre people making themselves fat or are wicked Progressives making people fat? Those same wicked people are afraid of grandma and grandpa raising grandchildren also. That’s why the tree by where Casey Anthony died was struck by lightning. That fat man in Michigan lived after getting struck by lightning. You tell me, are Progressives making people fat?
Report Post »PA2AK
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:53pmdude…relax. you’re aluminum foil hat is a little thick.
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:40pmGluten-free has nothing to do with losing weight. Two issues, wheat (contains gluten) is an allergy to many Americans, thus causing “inflammation” in their bodies with all sorts of side effects. Second, gluten has a morphine-like addictive effect… this is why processed foods, even non-wheat products have “gluten” listed as a ingredient at the bottom of the list. Gluten is the new MSG! I found I was “allergic” to gluten and I took it out of my diet… as a result… I lost 50# in a year. On the bad side, when I do eat something with gluten in it, my body reacts badly to it now, as I have no resistance to it, and it pretty much ruins my day. But, gluten-free products are not diet products… I can make you the most delicious gluten-free oatmeal cookies… and if you eat them all… you’re gonna pack on the pounds. You want to lose weight, drop the sugar! “Fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar does”
Report Post »countrysideflair
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:48pmAnd, non-wheat flours give much higher levels of fiber… so that statement regarding a fiber-deficiency is completely false in this article!
Report Post »PA2AK
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:51pmMy wife has Celiac’s disease. Not an “allergy”, but she cannot digest it. Sometimes even the slightest contamination of her food with products containing gluten can wreak havoc on her digestive system. The short-term effects are painful. The long-term can be pretty serious. While eliminating gluten from anyone’s diet can have some health benefits. It’s not a cure-all. Gluten is typically a tough compound for anyone to break down. Because my wife has Celiac’s, we frequently cook gluten free meals…doesn’t mean you have to buy stuff labeled gluten-free all the time. There is a lot of stuff out there that is *gasp* naturally gluten free. People need to relax with the diet fads though. Eat. Be healthy. Eat a well-balanced diet. Don’t starve yourself. Don’t be an idiot. I am glad there are more products out there that are GF, though. Sure gives her more options and it is starting to lower the price…some of it can be a little ridiculous!
Report Post »crushynn
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 6:48pmYou are right on both posts.
Report Post »George Patton
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 11:31am@countrysideflair
Report Post »Will you please make me some of those gluten free oatmeal cookies? I’ll pay you whatever you want.
Gonzo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:32pmI want gluten in my food, lead in my gas and guns. Leave me the heck alone.
Report Post »dheard
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:52pmNo one’s making you eat gluten-free so chill it, Gonzo. It‘s an option for those of us who can’t tolerate gluten… =\
Report Post »tkrnstr
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:53pmWheat also affects allergies. If it doesn’t bother you or affect you, eat all the gluten you want. A lot of people should not and can’t eat gluten or wheat products. Food tastes a lot better with it though. My doctor wants me to limit my intake of gluten but I don’t have to cut it out completely.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:01pmDheard, 10 years ago nobody was forcing me to be a part of a national health care system either. Everyone in New York could buy a Big Gulp and feed their babies formula with no hassle. This is how it starts.
Report Post »George Patton
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 2:04pm@gonzo
Report Post »More choice does not lead to tyranny.
Correlation does not equal causation. Crime rises in the summer. That doesn’t mean summer causes crime. Having many sizes of soft drinks does not lead to government mandating sizes. Tyranny is the result of prideful, arrogant, elitist leftists, not 4 sizes of soft drinks or food with and without gluten. It’s not food or soft drinks or baby formula that liberals want to control….it’s people. As long as people exist liberals will try to control them. Liberals are not really for or against anything…their positions change according to whatever position will give them more power to control people. Who knows, they might come out and ban gluten free food. They were against paper grocery bags once and advocated plastic grocery bags…then they switched and were for paper…now they are against both of those and for reusable bags! They have no values!…whatever advances their power is their current value. So please, let’s not be against gluten free foods because you think liberals might try to force you to eat them, because they are just as likely to try to force you to eat gluten laden food.