I KEEP SAYING.. Gluten-free foods are not healthier than regular foods

I was horrified when gluten-free diets were taken up by a glorified fan club as though gluten sensitivity was common. It’s not. And a gluten-free diet is totally unnecessary for anyone who isn’t allergic to gluten – and it may be harmful.

Some suggest that gluten-free food can even be worse for you, because in order to enhance the flavour and texture they often contain more sugar and fat, and fewer vitamins and minerals.

The gluten-free fad has grown year on year and a lot of people are trying to cut it out of their diets. But unless you’re one of the 1% of people who actually have coeliac disease, meaning that you can’t eat gluten without getting seriously ill, you don’t need to avoid it.

After looking at over 3,200 products across 10 food categories, Australian researchers were able to find little or no difference in the nutritional value of gluten-free food. They looked at foods such as bread and pasta, but also at those considered to be junk, including cookies and chips. They found significantly lower levels of protein in gluten-free foods but the sugar and sodium levels were similar.