6 False Beliefs about Gluten

Myths, as a rule, sooner or later turn out to be false. We believe in some certain information about the world around us without realizing it might be wrong. Nowadays people think they know it all about gluten.

The truth, however, is different: there’re lots of facts we do not yet know about this type of protein. Gluten is a bond of two chemicals – gliadin and glutenin. It is found in rye, barley and wheat and has been heavily consumed by people for centuries. 

1. Nowadays Wheat Is Richer in Gluten 

What we hear on TV and read in the press has made us believe that today’s wheat has much more gluten than it had in the past. We also believe that the food industry keeps creating genetically modified foods in order to make us dependent on some certain chemical substances. You might have heard about the incidence of coeliac disease that occurred last century. Was it caused by wheat genetically filled with gluten? We doubt.

2. Consume Special Food If You Wish to Avoid Gluten

Unless you know you suffer from coeliac disease should you buy special food. The number of people who have gluten sensitivity is really low. More than 93% of population can consume all the regular versions of products they find in supermarkets. Manufacturers of gluten-free food simply make us believe that we need their stuff – how else would they make money if they didn’t try to sell what they produce? More than that, all those gluten-free alternatives are much more expensive. On average, a bag of gluten-free crisps may cost up to five times as much as the regular version.

3. A Gluten-free Diet Is Richer in Nutrients

Celiac disease is the only reason why you should purchase and consume gluten-free products. That’s because people who suffer from this health disorder have no other way of letting their bodies absorb minerals, vitamins and other nutrients that they receive from food. People who do not have this autoimmune disorder should not bother – they can purchase and consume the regular kind of food. Why would you want to pay much more money for something that is not going to make any difference? If you are a healthy person, there is no need for you to replace your favorite food with its gluten-free alternatives.

4. It’s Easier to Lose Weight If You Eat Gluten-free products

Exercise and moderate calorie consumption is all you need to lose weight. You might think that people who follow a gluten-free diet lose weight. However, this might be true only for the first few days of such a diet. This happens simply because dieters stop eating processed foods and snacks that are high in fats, salt and calories. They start eating more fresh vegetables and fruits hence start losing a bit of weight.

5. The Less Gluten You Consume the More Energetic You Become

The mass media claim that the less gluten-rich food you consume the more energetic you feel. According to them, gluten is a type of protein that makes you feel weaker and more exhausted. They explain that this happens because your body wastes lots of energy to digest the protein. The truth is there is no evidence to prove this fact.

6. Gluten Increases the Risk of Developing Cancer

There are plenty of websites where you can read how dangerous gluten is. They report that gluten causes cancer hence should not be consumed. This might be partially true and only in those cases when people suffer from coeliac disease. If they consume gluten-rich foods, they increase the risk of developing intestinal lymphoma, pharyngeal and esophageal as well as a few other types of cancer. Luckily, only one per cent of such individuals exist in the world.