Scientists from the University of the Basque Country have found that gluten-free foods are often more harmful than regular foods. The research was published in the journal food.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten-free products are essential for people with celiac disease, ie intolerance, as well as people with gluten sensitivity. However, some people prefer such products because they find it more useful.
As a 9-year study of scientists has shown, this is actually an illusion that it can harm health.
The study included a small sample of 25 people (20 women and 5 men) with celiac disease, ages 27 to 60. They wrote down the gluten-free foods they ate. The scientists then compared the nutritional value of these foods to their gluten counterparts.
Many gluten-free foods were higher in unsaturated lipids (“bad” fats), lower in fiber, and higher in salt than gluten-containing foods. The scientists concluded that although the formulation of gluten-free products improves each year, they cannot be considered nutritionally equivalent to their gluten-containing counterparts and are not a healthy alternative.