Introduction and Gluten-free Influences
While browsing the grocery store aisles, it has become more common to see gluten-free pasta, cookies, bread, pancakes, muffins and more. Gluten-free diets have become popular among people of all ages in our community, either by choice or for medical reasons. According to Statista, the market of gluten-free foods is skyrocketing and is estimated to value $7.59 billion by 2020. Whether following the gluten-free lifestyle is a necessity or a choice, this diet can be challenging to pursue.
As described by The Celiac Disease Foundation, gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale, a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten is present in many different foods, from crackers and cakes to sauces and gravies.
The motivations for being gluten-free differ, as some people simply want to feel healthier while others have a natural intolerance to gluten. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestine over time due to the consumption of gluten, which commonly goes undiagnosed. Some of the symptoms include abdominal pain, fatigue, behavioral issues, etc. according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. Since these effects can be subtle, many people don’t feel it is necessary to get tested, leading to potential health issues in the future. According to Cure Celiac Disease, in the U.S alone, it is estimated that about three million people are living with Celiac.
Aside from gluten intolerances, the gluten-free trend attracts many followers due to the misconception that the diet leads to weight loss. According to registered dietitian for Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Marina Chaparro, eating a gluten-free diet isn't recommended when trying to lose weight; in fact, it could lead to weight gain. Culturally these diets have increased in popularity among millennials through the influence of books, magazines, and celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Kourtney Kardashian and Jessica Alba who broadcast their love for the gluten free lifestyle. According to Tech Times, in 2016 the percentage of Americans who have gone gluten-free is three times higher than the percentage of Americans diagnosed with a disease such as Celiac.
Between 2009 and 2010, about 0.52 percent of Americans without Celiac disease eliminated gluten from their diets, and that percentage rose to about 1.6 percent by 2014, according to a study from JAMA Internal Medicine in 2016.
The assumption that the gluten-free lifestyle is “healthier” can be misleading, as going gluten-free restricts a person from eating carbs such as cookies, bread and pizza. Yet, gluten-free options can contain as much or more sugars and fats than gluten.
Why “Gluten-free”
Certain diseases such as Celiac and Thyroid disease prevent a person from eating anything containing gluten. According to Celiac.org, Celiac disease can be very hard to diagnose, since the effects fluctuate depending on the individual. There are more than 200 celiac diagnosis symptoms some of which include abdominal bloating and pain, vomiting, fatigue, irritability, behavioral issues and constipation.
On the other hand, Thyroid disease is the reason for an underactive or overactive thyroid. Although the main cause of the disease is still unknown, many doctors, researchers and patients have recognized a strong correlation between Thyroid disease and gluten. According to Gluten Free Living.org, between 4.1% of women living with a type of Thyroid disease also are diagnosed with Celiac.
Since there is no treatment for either disease, not consuming gluten is the only “treatment” which limits the symptoms of Celiac and Thyroid diseases. In a 2010 study published by Journal of Pediatric, after 12 to 18 months of not eating gluten, 11 out of 15 children with Celiac disease and high abnormal thyroid levels began to see their thyroid levels decrease and return to normal.
Although she has been gluten-free since 8th grade, junior Sabina Bacino still remembers the constant stomach irritation, aches and pain she felt from consuming foods containing gluten.
“Around three years ago I started to realize a lot of things with my body and health weren't feeling right. I had muscle fatigue, my stomach constantly hurt, and I had bad migraines every single day,” Bacino said.
After suffering from these symptoms, Bacino visited the doctor and was diagnosed with Hashimotos Auotomothimia Thyroid disease, ultimately leading to the removal of gluten from her diet. The sudden lifestyle change was challenging for Bacino because foods containing gluten were a large part of her previous diet.
“The first three or four months were definitely very hard since I had craved things like bread and pasta and at first I was unaware that there were so many gluten-free options. I didn't know where to find them,” Bacino said. “But after a while the cravings went away and I found a lot of places that had a lot of good gluten-free alternatives to normal food that would normally have gluten.”
When people think of gluten intolerance they tend to think of diseases such as Celiac, but that is just one manifestation of gluten sensitivity. According to Mind Body Green, as estimated 1 in 20 Americans have what is called non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Gluten sensitivity can develop at any age and can cause symptoms similar to those of Celiac.
Similar to the symptoms Bacino suffered, junior Hannah Reidy experienced immense amounts of stomach pain due to her gluten intolerance.
“My stomach hurt a lot whenever I ate gluten. I had continuous pain which made it hard to stand and walk,” Reidy said.
After suffering two to three weeks of flu-like symptoms due to the overconsumption of gluten, Reidy visited her doctor. Afterwards, she was recommended to avoid foods containing gluten as they were the source of her constant stomach pains. Ever since 2016, Reidy has maintained her gluten-free diet.
Junior Carmen Monroe-Watts has experienced a smooth transition away from foods containing gluten over the past two and a half years. She was initially experiencing skin reactions (Eczema) when she ate gluten, forcing her to remove gluten from her diet. She believes Marin’s typical environment of healthy eating was a positive factor that supported this change.
“Living in Marin has definitely helped me eat the food I want to while still upholding my gluten-free diet. I can basically find anything that people eat day to day at any local grocery store in Marin,” Monroe-Watts said.
In Marin, many restaurants and bakeries provide special gluten-free options for consumers, or produce only gluten-free foods. Additionally, many supermarkets have an aisle dedicated to “gluten-free” foods, where items such as pasta, crackers, muffins and sauces can be found.
On the other hand, in other regions of the country where gluten intolerance may not be as widespread, it is more difficult to follow the practices of this unique diet.
“Since my family is from the South, when I travel to the South on vacations, it’s much more difficult to eat gluten-free. It's not as of big of a thing to be gluten intolerant in Georgia. People are still confused what gluten is. It's definitely more difficult when I travel for sure since Marin is so involved in a way,” Monroe-Watts said.
The Price of a Gluten-Free Life
Although there are many unique food alternatives, the price of a gluten-free diet may be hard to digest. The expense of gluten-free products are actually the number one stressor for Celiac patients, according to National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. According to a study done by US National Library of Medicine, on average, gluten-free products were 242 percent more expensive than regular products. It may seem ridiculous for the price of a loaf of bread to triple because it doesn’t contain gluten, but the ingredients and maintenance behind making gluten-free bread is far more complicated.
Located in the heart of downtown Novato, Flour Chylde bakery has attracted many gluten-free customers with its gourmet baked goods. The owners, Catherine and Dion Brennan, were initially motivated to create the business due to the reactions of their customers at the farmers markets they originally sold their products at.
“We would send [gluten-free goods] out to a farmer’s market and I had people come up to the booth and say ‘I’m a cancer survivor and this is the only food I can eat.’ They were telling me all these wonderful stories about how my food was helping benefit them everyday to get through some sort of human tragedy. That's what probably inspired me to [open a gluten-free bakery],” Catherine said.
In order to make foods that please their customers, alternative ingredients such as teff, chia, amaranth and others are used as a substitute for gluten, according to Brennan.
It typically costs a few cents to make traditional loaf of bread, as it is usually made up of just wheat flour, yeast and water, according to Dion. When making a loaf of gluten-free bread, there are many more ingredients to account for, including eggs, dairy, Xanthan Gum (for texture) and about three to five different types of flours, which are far more expensive than typical traditional bread. In fact, the average unit cost for a gluten-free product is $1.71 while the average unit cost for gluten containing products is about $0.61, according to Canada’s Dalhousie Medical School.
Brennan described how these ingredients used in their recipes are “complex whole grain fibers” that come from more expensive suppliers, ultimately contributing to the more expensive prices of gluten-free foods.
According to Bacino, she faces struggles when buying food for herself. For example, slices of gluten-free pizza are usually not served and instead whole pizzas, which are double the price, are the only option. When shopping in a grocery store, the average unit cost for a gluten-free product is $1.71 while the average unit cost for gluten containing products is about $0.61, according to Canada’s Dalhousie Medical School.
Is going Gluten-free really all that?
Despite the fact that gluten-free diets are more pricey, certain people have decided to avoid gluten to develop what they think is a healthier lifestyle. The misconception that gluten is unhealthy can be a contributing factor in the decision to become gluten-free by choice.
Although eliminating gluten from one's diet can help reduce the intake of starches and carbs, gluten-free alternatives can be just as unhealthy or even more so if one consumes an excessive amount daily. Some gluten-free foods contain more calories and sugar since more unhealthy ingredients such as higher sugar content and flour are needed in order to add more flavor to the food.
“When people tell me that gluten-free is a healthier alternative, ‘to what?’ is what I would ask them,” Catherine said. “Is it a healthier alternative to wheat bread? I would say ‘no’, that's probably not true because gluten-free bread requires a lot more starch to it to keep it together, since it’s missing the gluten. It usually requires a gum, then on top of it requires milk product and sometimes eggs. So your bread is actually maybe not healthier than traditional bread.”
Although there has been a surge in diets where people are “avoiding gluten,” it is not a necessary switch as 86 percent of people who believed their bodies could not tolerate gluten actually could, according to a study in the Journal Digestion.
Most restaurants and bakeries provide gluten-free options for the benefit of people who are medically gluten-intolerant, but the majority of customers who choose to consume and buy gluten-free foods are gluten-free by choice.
But completely cutting out carbs from a diet doesn't also contribute well to someone whos trying to maintain a healthy diet. Although gluten-free foods may contain more calories, it doesn't mean the carbohydrates are unnecessary.
“I tried to avoid carbs in my diet, but since I play sports there are going to be times when I need to make a sandwich. As an athlete, I need carbs in my diet and cutting them out completely would definitely impact my ability to perform. You can still be healthy while being gluten intolerant, just everything in moderation,” Monroe-Watts said.
Conclusion
Despite various health misconceptions, the gluten-free diet is healthier for individuals who have gluten related disorders. The gluten-free trend has made its mark in Marin County and as the amount of individuals practicing this diet increase, gluten free foods will only continue to become more apparent.
“Some people have chosen a gluten-free lifestyle. Gluten has not been a fad. It's not coming and going, it's a huge industry,” Brennan said.