First of all, most white baked goods do have gluten in them. Second, eating less gluten or no gluten does not mean giving up on fiber or any vitamins. If you eat a lot of fruits and veggies (also know as carbs) you will be getting all the vitamins you need. If you didn't keep the gluten out of your diet when you ate out, then you were not trying a gluten free diet. Why is everyone so against gluten free eating? No one is twisting anyone's arm. I have a sensitivity, and I do feel better when I don't eat it. If you cut out gluten and continue to each junk food, you will not lose weight.

I'm with Deborah, gluten free eating is actually very good for you. Ridding your diet of gluten is not very easy. Considering 90% of all you eat has gluten in it. Did you know that anything that is portion sized like candy and chewing gum, is powdered with flour (gluten)as to not stick in the packet. most processed foods and condiments carry a form of gluten. However, keeping a diet of meats, fruits and veggies is what a healthy diet includes and is great to rid your body of toxins like gluten and still give you proper intake of vitamins that your body needs to function. My son has gluten issues, it actually increases his estrogen levels causing him to have ADD like symptoms. He was diagnosed with ADD by a neurologist, we took him off gluten 100% and it was amazing to see the difference in his behavior. I am a true believer it is very healthy to go gluten free.

Fruits and vegetables are not necessarily high in fiber - grains are by far. There are serious vitamin & mineral deficiencies in a gluten-free diet - not my opinion - but fact.

Humans have safely consumed gluten grains for thousands of years. It is NOT a toxin - it triggers an allergic reaction. Other allergy-induced foods/ingredients are NOT toxins.

It is a personal choice if one does not have an allergy. Note that Jenny McCarthy believes gluten caused her son's autism & going gluten free "cured him". In fact, if you believe diet changes you neurological biochemistry that significantly - consider that the diagnosos was probably incorrect. I'm still waiting for the science - NOT anectodal - to show sugar causes hyperactivity or that milk consumption increases mucous.

What do you think humans lived in before manufactured foods.? As a matter of fact there are many vegetables that contain more starches than grain itself. And if you are really concerned about balance, that is what supplements are for, to supliement what vitamins your body lacks. it is very dangerous to diet without finding out what and how the drastic change in foods will effect your body. Some people get migrains from the lack of chemicle intake from coffee and sugar, your body goes through withdrawals. As for Weight loss on a gluten diet, you need to avoid ALL foods aside from those naturally grown. Gluten is not a fat, it is a natural enzyme that causes physical and mental issues with those that are sensitive to it. Because it happens to be in just about all carb items, avoiding it causes you to avoid carbs there fore loosing weight. Gluten does not cause weight gain or loss.
And for those that suffer from it's wrath would beg to differ calling it toxic. The foods themselves do not cause the neurological changes, it is how your body digests and transforms it.

I believe what has been proven in front of my eyes. It was proven that my son received an mmr immunization that contained traces of mercury, which in turn destroyed his digestive tract in his stomach. Now when he digests ANY form of gluten his body turns it into estrogen and the estrogen prior to puberty caused him to actually experience pms rages. Removing this enzyme from his diet changed all of that.
I agree it is not a great diet tool, but how foods are digested has been proven to effect ones mental and physical abilities.

I am happy that a gluten free diet has provided relief for your son. Gluten is a protein, not an enzyme. The problem when it is in the GI tract of a person with an allergy, sensitivity or intolerance is that is basically causes the microvilli and villi to become "flat" and literally make it difficult if not impossible for normal absorptive processes to occur.

What you have experienced with you son is a case study/anecdotal evidence... perhaps you should have your physician write it up for a peer-reviewed journal to add to the science. I've never seen any biochemical reference that states gluten turns to estrogen - intriguing. Plant estrogens are not the same as human estrogens.

The article is about gluten-free diets and "perception" of their being "healthier" or to be used for weight loss. It is not an effective weight loss diet. Eliminating gluten from the diet does cause significant vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Supplementation can be beneficial - especially for someone with a medical diagnosis.

Fruits and vegetables are NOT high sources of fiber in the diet. Most Americans do not consume nearly enough of their daily requirements for fruits and veggies NOR fiber (which has a whole host of health benefits).

Look at diets across the globe - the American diet is higher in animal proteins than anywhere else... the rest eat rice and wheat products (breads, flatbreads), fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds w/small quantities of meat & fish.

Oh I agree, the consumption of fruits and vegitables is almost obsolete. You have to have alot of self control and absolute discipline to maintain a healthy diet of that level. A Gluten diet is absolutely not used for weight loss. I think it seems to just be a new fad that some people are finding to be good for their digestion to function better but it is not purposed for a weight loss.
I think to have a complete and solid understanding of what our individual bodies need to function go from self discovery. When I was diagnosed with Barrett's I was put on a caveman diet and I lost about 35lbs then I had to learn how to level it out by adding and subtracting foods.
is there one true solution to diet without losing more than just fat??

A farmer I knew was asked to care for a very fancy dog. The woman who asked told him that the dog would only eat specially prepared sirloin. The farmer told the woman that by the time she got back, he would have her dog eating turnips! After the dog had NOTHING to eat for 3 days, guess what he learned to eat? That's right, turnips! I think this story fits here into our politically correct, over-indulged society. I grew up in a city where the kids who grew to be 7 feet tall ate hot dogs, french fries, Twinkies and Pepsi-Cola!!!

Wow Jodi I'm glad you set me straight. My apologies Mrs Stoler if you felt I offended you in any way, I thought it was just good conversation. Good luck with your studies.

I see no value in or benefit to going gluten-free without medically needing to do so. Personally, I find gluten-free-for-the-fun-of-it folks to be... kind of annoying!

Jodi, I checked out your website -- very impressive credentials!

Another issue is that "genetically modified" wheat can contain much more gluten than regular wheat ( I once read up to 600 times more), making it more difficult for some people to absorb and utilize it's nutrients, especially with conditions like celiac disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, acid reflux , some types of autism spectrum disorder and other gastrointestinal disorders. Some believe this is the reason so many more people have wheat sensitivities now than in the past.
For several years I decided to take gluten out of my diet, due to ulcerative colitis that was not responding to medication. My symptoms improved dramatically and I maintained the diet for 3 years. My condition is in remission on a lower dose of non-steroidal anti-flammatory meds and I reintroduced gluten in very limited amounts (dining out/parties/work functions) 2 years ago. If I over do it, I feel it! I do, however, eat Ezekiel Bread, on a regular basis, which is an organic "sprouted" wheat, barley, spelt and lentil bread, with no gastric disturbance whatsoever.

I was talking about greens not peas, corn and potatoes when I mentioned eating a diet rich in Fruits & veggies. Greens like arugula, spinach, Bok choy, broccoli rabe, kale and so on. If you want to read about a healthy diet that can give you all the fiber and vitamins you need , check out Joel Fuhrman. He is all about vegetarian eating. That is Dr. Joel Fuhrman.

The over-arching point is that going gluten-free is not a "weight loss" strategy. It is not necessarily healthier (due to missing nutrients) and requires some work to replace missing nutrients. Many "gluten-free" versions of otherwise gluten-containing products may not have the same taste and often have more calories (yielding weight gain).

Yes, eating plant-based foods is desirable...however let's not forget that wheat is an ancient grain that humans have been consuming for thousands of years. Unfortunately, many prefer to use anecdotal stories vs. evidence-based practice to justify their beliefs (I am not talking about actual diagnoses here). Food elitism must not intimidate people to the point where they simply ignore making any decent food choices.

Thanks MaryLou. For those of you who question my credentials - I have double masters degree in nutrition and applied physiology and completed a dietetic internship at Columbia University; my doctorate is in Clinical Nutrition from UMNNJ. I have never once claimed to be an MD or DO. Just as a naturopath or chiropractor can call themselves a doctor - so can I. I actually have a private practice and work with individuals. I have written text book chapters and am frquently interviewd by national media because of my expertise. I don't need to justify my credentials to you - but since some of you cannot figure out how to determine credibility - thought it would be helpful. I was asked by the Patch to blog reguarly. Health and medicine do have science to support statements - it's not just opinion.

You wonder why kids cyberbully? It's because adults lead by example!