The Consensus: Gluten Is Not Unhealthy

Is gluten sensitivity real?

Whether NCGS is a real condition is debatable. The first thing to note is that NCGS is not a diagnosable condition like coeliac disease is. Diagnosis relies on self-reported symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and fatigue experienced following the consumption of gluten-contain foods. But that does not prove that it is gluten causing the problems as there is more to cereal foods than just gluten. Only a small amount of well-designed research has been conducted so far, with mixed results in reproducing symptoms of gluten intolerance in controlled dietary trials.

Leading researchers are now proposing that self-reported gluten sensitivity may just be a marker for dietary changes that reduce the amount of other food components that can cause gastrointestinal problems. Called FODMAPs (“fermentable oligo-, di-, mono-saccharides and polyols”), these are different types of carbohydrates such as lactose, fructose, fructans and sugar alcohols that can cause irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) like symptoms in some people. Wheat contains FODMAPs, but so too do many other foods such as milk, pears, plums, onions, garlic, and legumes.

The research into NCGS is beginning to mount a case that for many people who are following self-styled gluten-free diets for health reasons, gluten avoidance may have very little to do with any symptom improvements seen.

Is there harm to going gluten-free?

So what’s the harm then in going ‘gluten free’? There are consequences to any changes to diet. As Rebecca Dewey from The University of Nottingham noted, many gluten-free foods are higher in energy and fat while overall, a gluten-free diet is one that is known to be lower in fibre and folate.

Dr Alastair Ross rightly points out that from a health research perspective, dozens of studies have found that people who eat the most wholegrains (usually mostly wheat, oats or rye) have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes compared to those who eat the least. In fact, just how good whole grains are for us was unveiled in a recent major scientific review looking at diet and chronic disease. Covering decades of research and hundreds of studies, the review found that plant foods, especially whole grain foods, were linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, overweight and obesity, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

If you are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms that you think could be related to gluten, it is important to get this assessed by a doctor for possible investigation for coeliac disease. While low-FODMAP diets may help with IBS-like symptoms, these diets are best followed with the support of a dietitian.

Learn more with Consensus AI Academic Search Engine: