Gluten-Free Doesn't Always Mean Healthy
Did you know Gluten and wheat can be found in items like Twizzlers, taco seasoning, salad dressings and soups under pseudo names? It's tricky to navigate and if you’re suffering from a gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity your antenna always has to be up.
Gluten-free products were created because even just the tiniest amount of gluten can cause severe intestinal symptoms in Celiac patients or people who are gluten intolerant. It was a certification put on labels so that people would know that this product is safe and free from any trace of gluten. So let's start with a disclaimer. I know that it is critical for Celiac and gluten intolerant people to operate under this umbrella. I know that for these people gluten-free is not a choice - it's a necessity.
In the old days you had to go to a health food store to obtain gluten-free items. That's no longer the case. Supermarkets scatter gluten-free products and displays throughout the store and nearly every restaurant features gluten-free menu options.
In 2012, gluten-free sales were at 4.5 billion. By the year 2027, they are expected to hit 7.5 billion. More people have gluten allergies but even more people are using the gluten-free lifestyle and these companies smell blood.
Gluten-free has become a choice thanks to messages and testimonials in the media leading us to believe gluten-free is healthy. Many companies have taken advantage of the fad and carefully crafted labels and advertising with many catchy “health” phrases like you see on these pretzels.
I’m not claiming whether gluten is healthy or not. I’m just pointing out that not everything labeled "gluten-free" should be a green light to healthy.
You don’t see product packaging promoting “could cause weight gain and raise blood sugar”. Gluten-free can be a trap for those not medically required to cut gluten from their diets if you don’t study the ingredients on the label.
Is the item free of gluten? Yes. Does it have potentially harmful ingredients? That needs to be determined.
The bottomline is if it's not a fruit, vegetable, or organic animal protein (all gluten-free foods by the way) it could potentially be harmful to your health.
There are 4 specific ingredients that end up in many gluten-free items that can potentially raise a person's blood sugar even more than wheat:
- Cornstarch
- Rice Flour
- Tapioca Starch
- Potato Flour
If your blood sugar is high you will be resistant to weight loss. Thus defeating the purpose of that gluten-free way of life you were depending on. So this ingredient label from the gluten-free pretzels raises a huge red flag.
You can certainly choose to live the gluten-free lifestyle and make it a healthy one, but put the focus on real single-ingredient foods. Things that are made on a farm or in a garden and not in a factory are always going to serve you better. You can make whatever decision you want about consuming these pretzels or gluten-free Oreos but make sure it's an informed decision. Be curious about your foods and continue to be a diligent label reader.