Gluten-free alternatives with 7 times as much fat

GLUTEN-free foods promoted as a healthy option for millions can contain seven times more fat than standard products.

All the major supermarkets and many big brands have introduced ‘gluten free’ products as part of the ‘free from’ food trend.

Around one in 100 people have coeliac disease, which can make sufferers seriously ill if they eat gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye.

But going gluten-free has also become a trendy dietary preference, with around 13 per cent of the population avoiding the protein.

However, research by the Grocer magazine found higher levels of fat and sugar in some supermarket own-label products. An Asda Chosen By You free-from white loaf contains 12.7g of fat per 100g – seven times that of the ‘standard’ equivalent. A comparable glutenfree loaf at Tesco has three times the amount of fat compared a standard loaf, while Sainsbury’s is four times higher.

The research found similar increases in fat and, in some cases, sugar with gluten-free ready meals.

There is evidence that retailers and manufacturers see gluten-free foods as a cash cow. Recent research found companies selling high-price versions of foods such as ketchup, soup and curry sauces as ‘gluten free’ even when standard versions contain no gluten.

Industry experts say gluten-free recipes sometimes contain more fat or sugar to improve taste or texture.

But nutritionists said consumers often saw free-from options as healthier than standard versions and supermarkets needed to do more to tackle the disparities in their ownlabel lines. Coeliac UK chief executive Sarah Sleet said: ‘We want them to look at what more can be done to bring down fat and sugar levels in gluten-free products.’

Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda all said they were committed to making their gluten-free products healthier. Sainsbury’s said it had been working to bring free-from products ‘more in line with their standard equivalents’. A spokesman said a reformulated range would hit shelves this month.

Tesco said it was working to bring down fat levels in its gluten-free bread, adding that sugar was already lower than in its conventional loaf.

Asda said it was looking to see what could be done to reduce the fat levels in its glutenfree products without compromising on taste, having recently relaunched its range. A spokesman said: ‘We are looking at the nutrition of existing free-from products.’