NOT SO HEALTHY

‘HEALTHY’ practices that can be bad for you. This week: going gluten-free if you don’t need to

EATING gluten-free has become a health trend — ‘but gluten is only a problem to those with a sensitivity or intolerance, such as coeliac disease’, says dietitian Marcela Fiuza. ‘Removing foods containing gluten [a group of proteins found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye] can leave you lacking in nutrients.’

A 2012 study in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics found those on a gluten-free diet were more likely to be deficient in folate (vitamin B9, needed to make red blood cells), calcium, iron and zinc.

In another, researchers found that those consuming less than 4g of gluten a day had a 13 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those eating 12g or more, perhaps due to a lower fibre intake (fibre can help regulate blood sugar).