Food can be…confusing. Do you need to avoid gluten at all cost? Avocados eaten as quickly as possible? Well+Good nutrition experts will set the record straight on food. They’ll cut through the hype, the hand-wringing, and give you the most complete information about what you should and shouldn’t put into your body. See All
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What is the purpose of cutting out gluten? Popular eating plans such as Whole30 and Paleo demand it. Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, registered dietician and the star of the You Versus Food YouTube series dedicated to busting nutrition myths debunks the truth about doughy proteins found in carbs.
Gluten is a wheat protein that has a very important role in the food industry. Gluten gives wheat bread structure, as anyone who has watched The Great British Baking Show will know. Lockwood-Beckerman suggests that gluten is like the glue holding together your favorite wheat-based snacks.
Some people are unable to eat gluten, but the number is small. Lockwood-Beckerman states that only 1 percent of the general population (about 3,000,000 people) has celiac, an autoimmune disease which renders your body incapable of processing gluten. She says that about 20 million people (or 6 percent) of the population have non-celiac sensitivity. This is when someone tests negative for celiac, but still has digestive problems when they eat gluten. She says this is a relatively new phenomenon and hasn’t received much research.
It makes perfect sense to them that they cut gluten. Lockwood-Beckerman’s advice is for everyone else. She says that going gluten-free just to avoid gluten is a trend, similar to fannypacks or tiny sunglasses. You could be missing out on valuable nutrients, such as folate, iron, and B vitamins.
What are her gluten-filled favorites? Breads made with whole grain flour or whole wheat will lower your blood sugar levels. She recommends avoiding the Girl Scout cookies and tempting coffee shop pastries in order to avoid a mid-afternoon slump.
Lockwood-Beckerman believes that the most common way to consume gluten is by slicing it. Whew! Check out the video to learn more about her (and count all of the bread puns).
Here’s what cutting gluten could do to your gut. There may soon be a vaccine for celiac patients.
