The short answer – not necessarily. Does that surprise you? I think there’s a lot of misconceptions on whether gluten free is actually healthier. I think that a lot of people think it is, but when you actually compare labels of gluten-free products to whole grain, you’ll find the ingredient list in gluten-free to be a lot longer. Not to mention most gluten free products have a lot less fiber than its whole grain counterparts.
Day to day, I choose to eat a gluten free diet, simply because I feel better on it. Wheat in particular (which contains gluten) can give me stomach pains, a bloated stomach, and makes me feel tired after eating it. But I’ve been this way since I was a teen, so its no news to me. I haven’t been diagnosed as Celiac, which is an allergy to gluten, but if I eat a lot of it, its definitely uncomfortable for me.
Some other symptoms of wheat sensitivity include (you may have a few or a lot of the symptoms):
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Skin problems (dermatitis herpetiformis)
- Pale, foul-smelling stool
- Fatty stool (steatorrhea)
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Joint pain
- Chronic fatigue
- Bloating
- Weight loss
- Iron deficiency (anemia)
- Malnutrition
- Tingling in the hands and feet
- Fertility problems and missed periods
- Canker sores in the mouth
- IBS (Irritible Bowel Syndrome)
NOTE: The symptoms above “might” mean you could be sensitive to wheat, but not necessarily
If you suspect you may be sensitive, it would be a good idea to cut it out of your diet completely for 1 week at least to see how you feel or visit your doctor or Naturopath for other suggestions.
But, if you feel perfectly fine eating wheat, there is no reason to switch to a gluten free diet. I would only recommend doing so if you think you may have a sensitivity to it.
If you’re a wheat-eater, the Ezekiel brand of products like bread, wraps etc, are probably the healthiest you can get. They are made with sprouted grains, and don’t have anything you can’t pronounce in them. Biggest benefit being that you get a great amount of fiber.
On the other hand, if you’re eating gluten free, my favorite commercial gluten free bread is the Udi’s Gluten Free Millet Chia bread, or the Silver Hills Gluten Free Bread, which has a relatively short ingredient list for a gluten free bread…which is great!
I hope this provides some clarification and helps you decide whether jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon is necessary for you or not. It may not be!
