The gluten-free trend may seem like a positive but a new study from the University of Minnesota claims that young people who go gluten-free might have better diets but are also more likely to have poor body image, purge and even smoke.
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ER physician Dr. Travis Stork explains if you have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, you should eat this way. However, a lot of people are gluten-free that don’t need to be. The good in this is that people who go gluten-free are four to seven times more likely to value locally grown, healthy, and organic foods. Healthy eating overall is good. But there is a downside.
There is a three times higher rate of engaging in unhealthy weight-control behaviors like smoking, using diet pills and having eating disorders. Dr. Travis brings up the health halo, the belief that eating gluten-free is healthy and you are a healthier person just by doing so.
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OB/GYN Dr. Nita Landry points out that gluten-free foods frequently contain more saturated fat, sugar and salt than regular foods and less fiber and protein. Something isn’t healthy just because it says it’s gluten-free. “Gluten-free does not equal healthy although you can be gluten-free and healthy, but the two are not synonymous,” Dr. Nita says, concluding the discussion.
