It is a fact that many people are convinced that eating gluten-free is healthier than eating foods that contain gluten, and that it may be the key to losing weight.

In fact, there is currently no scientific evidence that non-celiac people can have health problems by eating gluten. On the contrary, the gluten free trend has often led many to gain weight and in some cases to develop forms of insulin resistance.

On the other hand, many other people manifest what is now called “gluten sensitivity”. This is a series of symptoms such as persistent bloating and heaviness after eating gluten-containing products and others that make “gluten sensitivity” resemble irritable bowel syndrome. This sensitivity affects 2 to 6% of the population.

At the moment it can be identified with certainty with a double-blind placebo trial, where the person is given gluten and a placebo (for example rice) without their knowledge, to verify that there are real reactions to gluten.

However, adding 1% of celiacs in Italy with a maximum of 6% of those who say they have a sensitivity to gluten, the cause of which, among other things, may not be the consumption of gluten, we arrive at 7% of Italians .

Yet the belief that gluten “is bad” and the trend of gluten-free products seem to involve well over 7% of the population. Pay attention to it. But, for the experts, there is no reason to avoid gluten if you are not celiac or if you do not confirm the sensitivity.
Find it all in this Panorama interview with dr. Umberto Volta, coordinator of the scientific board of the Italian Celiac Association.

According to the author of ” Happy intestines “, Giulia Enders, gluten does not cause any weight or intestinal problems.

But, in industrial products, so-called hidden gluten (modified starch could be wheat starch) is used so massively that we eventually ingest much more gluten than normal.

At that point it may be logical to have digestive problems: to remedy this, it would be enough to simply pay attention to this “hidden gluten”.

And maybe vary our carbohydrate consumption with different but natural foods. For example rice, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, potatoes. And instead avoid replacing pasta and bread or desserts with gluten free products.