Trendy Diets Are Inappropriately Cutting Out Wheat & Gluten 
originally published in
Gluten-free diets are not required for healthy weight management, and may do more harm than good
Barbara started each new year with a resolution to lose weight. A friend of hers had recently gone on a wheat-free diet and had lost a few pounds so she wondered if this could be the answer. Fatigued from years of restrictive dieting and giving up her favourite foods, she asked a few more women how they kept the weight off and some good questions emerged.
If white carbs are so bad then why isn’t all of Asia overweight, where white carbs are so common? If bread and pasta is so awful, why aren’t more people from France and Italy unhealthy and obese?
Recently there has been a rise in popularity of fad diets that inappropriately vilify wheat and gluten (the protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley).
A November 2012 public opinion survey of approximately 1,000 Canadians by Nanos Research found that close to three in five (57.6 per cent) thought that reducing wheat-containing products help or somewhat help in weight loss. More than one in three (36.2 per cent) thought that gluten-free diets help or somewhat help in weight loss.
Before you unnecessarily remove nutritious and enjoyable foods from your diet, here are some important things to note based on scientific research. For more information about gluten-free diets, wheat and other grains visit www.healthygrains.ca.
There is no need to remove gluten or wheat to lose weight.
New diet books claiming wheat is to blame for belly fat might sound convincing, but are not endorsed by leading health authorities such as Health Canada. Healthy weight loss involves reducing calories consumed and/or increasing calories expended by physical activity, not cutting out specific foods. Also realize that factors such as genetics, family history, stress, sleep, hormones and body composition also play an important role in your weight.
If you are overweight, reducing calories from foods containing carbohydrates, protein or fat will create the same level of weight loss over the long run. Simply switching the same amount of calories of a gluten containing food to gluten-free foods will not effect your weight.
Don’t be fooled by the extra initial weight loss of a low-carbohydrate diet; this indicates you have essentially dehydrated yourself, since carbohydrates store fluid on the body. Since wheat and gluten-containing foods are high in carbohydrates, eliminating these and not replacing them with other carbohydrate-rich foods may result in five or more pounds of fluid loss on your body.
For sustainable weight loss, instead of eliminating any food, reduce the portion sizes of higher calorie items in your diet. These are different for everyone, so keep a journal to assess your own personal trends or work with a registered dietitian who can customize a plan just for you.
Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to weight loss. While you may think a loss of two to four pounds per month is slow, this is right on target and more likely to be sustained for the long term.
Benefits of wheat and grains for health
Unnecessarily removing wheat and other gluten-containing foods from your diet could do more harm than good. Wheat, rye, barley and oats supply key nutrients such as fibre and B-vitamins that are good for your health.
Unless you have celiac disease (which the Canadian Celiac Association estimates affects approximately 1 in 133 Canadians) or if you have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity that affects an estimated two to six per cent of us, there is no reason to give up gluten and wheat.
Health Canada as well as health authorities internationally support whole grains in the diet. Research shows consuming whole grains can be helpful in weight management and offer overall satiety in meals.
Do not be misled by popular claims that you can skip grains and just eat vegetables and fruit. Grains provide different types of fibre, B-vitamins, other nutrients as well as phytochemicals that are not found in fruits and vegetables. For optimal health, choose a wide variety of foods.
The bottom line
When you restrict enjoyable foods you love you will inevitably obsess about them more and likely overeat. There is nothing you must restrict or give up completely in order to manage a healthy weight.
As an activist for finding enjoyment in eating, I would also argue that removing foods you love, such as pasta or bread for no clear medical reason just adds difficulty to the already big challenge of healthy eating.
About Andrea Holwegner
CEO, Registered Dietitian, Counseling Practice Director & Professional Speaker
Andrea the «Chocolate Loving Nutritionist» is founder and CEO of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. since 2000. She is an online nutrition course creator, professional speaker and regular guest in the media. Andrea is the recipient of an award by the Dietitians of Canada: The Speaking of Food & Healthy Living Award for Excellence in Consumer Education....Read more
“If white carbs are so bad then why isn’t all of Asia overweight, where white carbs are rare?”
If white carbs are so bad, and all of Asia isn’t overweight, then are white carbs NOT rare in Asia?
Hi Tracy! Thanks for catching the error. When the Calgary Herald printed my column they edited the sentence so I have revised this since it should have read: “If white carbs are so bad then why isn’t all of Asia overweight, where white carbs are so common”
Hello Andrea,
I always read your blog, it gives me “food for thought” so often. Besides, who can’t like someone that is so in love with chocolate! I was just reading your article on “Vilifying Wheat…”. I had up until last year been happily eating all types of bread/cookies. Then I started getting tummy pains/gas/loose bowels etc. It became progressively worse until I finally out of desperation cut out most sources of wheat. The symptoms greatly reduced. A blood test says I am not allergic to gluten, but I am scared to eat wheat again as the side effects are so uncomfortable, not to mention embarrassing. How would you like your husband to call you “My Fragrant Little Flower”. I have heard that wheat protien is the cause. Why is it I have many collegues at work and friends that are showing the same symptoms I have? Out of 8 people at work, 4 cannot eat wheat without side effects from bloating/gas to skin rashes? This is not normal, and may be why so many people are going off wheat, more so than weight loss. What do you think of all of this?
Thank you,
Barb C.
Hi Barb,
Thanks so much for your note. There is an estimated 2-6% of us that have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity that do respond to wheat with digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating and/or diarrhea. This could be you or some of the colleagues you work with or alternatively this could as a result of other factors in your diet that change when you remove wheat. For example if you remove packaged cookies, crackers, highly processed baked goods etc. you will be eating less preservatives and processed ingredients in your diet. If you replace them with more whole foods such as fruits, veggies, quinoa etc you will feel better and often have a higher level of fibre in your diet which improves digestion. It may also be a matter of portion sizes that are relevant ie/ no one feels good if they eat many slices of pizza, massive bowls of pasta at a restaurant. Keep in mind there is a difference between whole foods such as pasta, whole grain bread and oatmeal (oats are cross contaminated with gluten unless labelled gluten-free) and the large amount of packaged foods Canadians consume that would be wheat containing. I would be curious if you have been following gluten-free that having a cup of pasta within a supper meal or a few slices of whole grain bread would create the same negative digestive symptoms as a diet full of packaged cookies, cakes, boxed noodles with sauce etc. It would be worth a shot to try this out since wheat is such a rich source of B-vitamins, fibre and heart healthy phytonutrients (and of course is tasty and can provide more variety in your diet). If you still then find you have digestive issues then you may be someone with the non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Those are my thoughts! Happy reading.
Andrea