I need it, but for most of us it’s just snake oil

MY FIRST foray into gluten-free food came after I was diagnosed with coeliac disease in the early 1990s: strangely cylindrical ‘bread’ made with lentil flour instead of wheat.

I popped a slice under the grill to toast and waited. And waited. I turned away for just a moment and the thing burst into flames.

Back then, choices were severely limited.

Now there is a bewildering array of gluten-free products stuffed into every supermarket and bakery.

I have seen corn branded as gluten-free – it’s gluten-free anyway – as well as everything from gluten-free shampoo and shower gel to make-up and even dog food. Now it’s even possible to join a gluten-free travel group and sign up to gluten-free dating to find your perfect dietary-compatible love match.

While true coeliacs like me might welcome the choice, this selling of gluten-free snake oil is getting out of hand. It seems that my uncommon illness is now being marketed and promoted as a lifestyle choice.

In coeliacs, gluten – a combination of proteins that are found in wheat, barley and rye – can affect the villi that line the intestines, causing them to flatten. In other words, the little finger-like protrusions that allow nutrients to be absorbed into the body are compromised.

Symptoms of the auto-immune disease include severe diarrhoea, vomiting, bloating and cramping, lethargy and depression.

They can be debilitating and often occur just a few hours after

Claims that it is healthy are just a myth

consumption of any product containing gluten.

Claims that gluten causes irritation of the gut in noncoeliacs are unsupported by longterm research, yet this hasn’t stopped a new breed of people from adopting a gluten-free diet to address every health issue from bloating to lack of energy.

The myth has spread that gluten-free equals healthy – and not only in terms of food.

You’d be forgiven for thinking this is the case, but that’s simply not true as most gluten-free products have more fat and sugar to help create the texture that is lost when gluten is excluded.