How to Be a Conscious Eater

often have more sugar and salt than the latter. Researchers at

the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom eval-

uated hundreds of products across ten food categories and

found that higher salt was consistent among the gluten-free

versions; gluten-free breads and flour products were especially

likely to have more sugar than the regular versions, whereas

differences weren’t as noteworthy for gluten-free crackers. Not

to mention, gluten-free products in the study tended to have

less fiber than the regular versions.

The products cost more. That UK study found that gluten-free

products were 159 percent pricier than the regular versions.

Missing out on the health benefits of whole grains. High intake of

whole grains—many of which contain gluten—has been asso-

ciated with reduced risk of heart disease, some cancers, type

2 diabetes, obesity, and death from numerous causes, includ-

ing infections and respiratory diseases. For many people, going

gluten-free means going grain-free, which means going whole-

grains-free. Whole grains aren’t the only way to get your fiber,

but they’re a widely available one. As we recall, most of us

aren’t reaching the daily recommendation of about 28 grams

a day on average; it’s not that gluten eaters are getting the

recommended amount of whole grains and fiber either, but

avoiding gluten makes it ever more likely that you’ll miss out

on those protective benefits.

Bottom line: Talk to your doctor before going gluten-free. Be sure,

because the cons may outweigh the pros. Otherwise, free

yourself of the supposed woes of enjoying foods with gluten;

unless you don’t have a choice, skip the headache, health risks,

and added cost.

Stuff that Comes from Factories 213

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