The Truth about Gluten-Free Foods You May Not Know
Gluten-free foods are all the rage. And although going gluten-free is an important diet choice for some people, it’s not a fad that everyone should be jumping on.
In fact there are a lot of reasons to avoid a gluten-free diet. If you don’t have celiac disease or some kind of gluten intolerance, you might want to think twice before you hit the gluten-free aisle.
Here’s what’s wrong with going gluten-free (if you don’t have to)…
1. Gluten-Free Foods can be Low in Nutritional Value
A lot of people associate gluten-free foods with health, but the truth is, many gluten-free products lack the nutrients you’d find in other foods. The more processed refined an item is, the more that’s lost along with it, and that’s true of wheat that’s gluten-free.
Here are some of the vitamins and minerals that are often low (or missing altogether) in gluten-free products:
- Iron
- Niacin
- Folate
- Thiamine
- Zinc
- Calcium
- Vitamin B12
- Phosphorus
2. Gluten-Free Foods can be High in Sugar
Sugar is the most common ingredient added to food when something is removed. When it comes to gluten-free products, sugar is often added to maintain stability and texture. And sugar is all wrong if one of your goals is to get fit and lose weight, as it only leads to weight gain over time. Plus, the kind of sugar we’re usually dealing with is refined, processed sugar that’s really bad for your blood sugar levels.
