{"id":12701,"date":"2014-07-07T07:46:39","date_gmt":"2014-07-07T12:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/?p=12701"},"modified":"2015-11-12T08:06:23","modified_gmt":"2015-11-12T14:06:23","slug":"gluten-free-asap-not-so-fast-say-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/news\/gluten-free-asap-not-so-fast-say-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"Gluten free, ASAP? \u2018Not so fast,\u2019 say experts."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kit Werner points out that persons eliminating items from their diets should take care not to elminate other important nutrients in the process. (Photo by Kenny Yoo.<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s not uncommon to hear a friend proclaim, \u201cI\u2019m on a gluten-free diet!\u201d just as you pass the biscuits and gravy.<\/p>\n

Or perhaps it\u2019s a low-carbohydrate diet. Or a seaweed diet. Or they\u2019re eating fish oil pills like candy (but not licorice \u2013 contains gluten). Or they have become vegans or vegetarians, or they are eating like a cave man.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s good to eat? What\u2019s not? Who knows?<\/p>\n

Kit Werner, clinical associate professor and nutritional sciences clinical director in the UWM College of Heath Sciences (CHS), is one of four registered dietitians in the college\u2019s departments of biomedical sciences and kinesiology. She and her colleagues know that well-meaning friends and neighbors, not professionals in the field, communicate much information about health care.<\/p>\n

Gluten free is big business<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s usually how diet and nutrition trends get started. The gluten-free market alone is predicted to reach $6.2 billion by 2018.<\/p>\n

The University of California, Berkley estimated that Americans spend $28 billion a year on nutritional supplements. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated there are 29,000 different nutritional supplements on the market.<\/p>\n

So, it\u2019s okay to ask Werner or her colleagues about nutrition \u2013 particularly about gluten intolerance and gluten-free diets, subjects that seem to be on a lot of lips these days.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often want something that will help them lose weight, feel better, have more energy, something they feel is lacking in their lives. Lots of people may see some benefit when they eliminate gluten from their diets. Unfortunately, people also want to choose one aspect of their diet and feel they have found the holy grail,\u201d Werner said.<\/p>\n

That inclination puts popular gluten-free diets on the same plate as other food trends (or fads, depending on your viewpoint).<\/p>\n

Test first, eliminate second<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen someone suspects they have an issue with gluten, they really need to be tested by a doctor before they start restricting gluten from their diet,\u201d Werner said. \u00a0\u201cIf you reduce gluten in your diet, then have the test, you may not be able to see the effect that gluten really had.\u201d<\/p>\n

The test is used to identify celiac disease, a serious condition caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten. It can damage the lining of the small intestine, which in turn can prevent the absorption of important nutrients.<\/p>\n

A blood test is used to detect antibodies related to an abnormal immune response. If the blood test is positive, a biopsy may be performed to confirm inflammation in the lining of the small intestines.<\/p>\n

For people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is essential. But for others, a gluten-free diet can have its own problems. Gluten-free foods may not contain all the nutrients you need and would normally have in your diet. Read the ingredient labels as carefully as you can.<\/p>\n

New FDA standards<\/a> on the labeling of \u201cgluten-free\u201d foods should help.<\/p>\n

Many people associate a gluten-free diet with weight loss, Werner said. But eliminating gluten-rich breads from your diet may lead you to eating more corn and foods with added fats, a more concentrated source of calories. And following a gluten-free diet can be difficult and expensive, despite the proliferation of such products.<\/p>\n

Take it slow if GF\u2019s the way to go <\/strong><\/p>\n

Gluten intolerance does exist \u2013 with levels that may vary from person to person \u2013 as do the types and severity of symptoms.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ve had a test and there is no celiac disease, but you still feel sensitivity to gluten-containing foods, eliminate gluten for a few weeks, then gradually reintroduce some gluten. That\u2019s the best way to determine your body\u2019s tolerance,\u201d Werner said.<\/p>\n

There may be other sources for the symptoms we associate with gluten intolerance, including emotional stress and the over-ingestion of carbohydrates from highly refined foods.<\/p>\n

Werner and her colleagues have dietary advice you may have heard: \u201cEating closest to the natural state is the one of the best things you can do. Stick with natural, gluten-free foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, brown rice, quinoa, beans, legumes and olive oil.\u201d<\/p>\n

New FDA labeling standards<\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration established what the term \u201cgluten-free\u201d means on food labels. Manufacturers have until Aug. 5 to update their labels in compliance with these requirements. The labeling claim \u201cgluten-free\u201d means that any food bearing the claim in its labeling:<\/p>\n