“The kingdom of gluten not only contains wheat flours and barley, but also permeate into things like coca-cola with caramel color”~ Evie Antholis, gluten-intolerant student

How many times have you heard somebody say “I’m gluten-free”? As a Marymount student, probably a lot. What really is gluten anyway? And why does everybody suddenly care about it?

Gluten is a protein found in most grains, especially in wheat, barley and rye. It is the substance that holds breads and cakes together, giving them a chewy texture. Unfortunately, as a result of a condition known as Celiac disease or even gluten intolerance, some people are unable to properly digest and/or come into contact with gluten. Some Celiac patients are so sensitive to the protein that they must use gluten free skincare products and toothpastes to avoid severe reactions. Surprisingly, however, only about seven percent of the US population has true problem with ingesting gluten. So why do people who don’t have these problems go on gluten-free diets, and are there really any benefits in doing so?

If you ask someone why they’re avoiding bread and cookies, it is most likely that their answer will be one of two things. The first reason would be for weight loss. However, despite this common misconception, one only really loses weight because of the virtual elimination of many kinds of carbohydrates, all necessary to a healthy diet. The pounds don’t necessarily come off because of the sudden disappearance of the dreaded gluten. Moreover, many do it simply for the purpose of being “healthier”, however no studies have proven that there is any long-term health benefit to going gluten-free when there isn’t a genuine medical need to do so. In fact, going gluten-free when you don’t need to while not replacing the nutrients you lose with dietary supplements could result in deficiencies in fiber (digestive health), magnesium (digestive health), iron (red blood cells, skin, hair and nails), zinc, calcium (healthy bones) and a range in B vitamins (memory, mood, energy, skin). Who knew a little protein could affect so much?

In short, unless you really need to, try to avoid going completely gluten free. Besides, with Thanksgiving around the corner, who would want to miss out on pie?