Gluten-free bakery
Gluten-free diet craze gains popularity
The big buzz topic in diet circles these days isn’t low fat or macrobiotic or even low-carb.
It’s gluten-free.
A gluten-free diet eliminates the consumption of naturally occurring proteins, or gluten, which is most often found in wheat, barley and rye.
The diet was initially recommended for individuals suffering from celiac disease — a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten.
The symptoms of celiac disease include abdominal bloating and pain, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and weight loss.
Many medical specialists say they believe that celiac disease is gaining notoriety now because it was under diagnosed in the past.
“I think it’s a case of people just not being aware before and they’re more aware now,” said Yvonne Thigpen, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center. “I don’t think more people suffer from celiac disease now I just think it’s diagnosed more.”
One of the interesting things about a gluten-free diet is that it has been embraced by the autistic community as a treatment to ease symptoms in autistic children. That assertion by the Autism Research Institute is something that has not been medically proved, however.
“I think that the problem is that people with autistic children are always looking for some form of relief,” said Tina Morris, a resident of Roseville who buys gluten-free products whenever possible for her son, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, a mild form of autism. “I think we want to believe as parents that something is going to help, anything is going to help.”
John Hofmann, owner of All About Health in Eastpointe, said that he has increased the number of gluten-free products he sells at his store because demand has skyrocketed in recent months.
“There are a lot of people who come in just because of the gluten-free products,” he said. “I have Crohn’s disease myself and I just recently started a gluten-free diet and I feel remarkably better.
“I think it’s one of those things that’s here to stay,” he continued. “Once people discover something that makes them feel a lot better, they’re going to want to continue doing it.”
A gluten-free diet has also proved to be helpful in losing weight for some individuals — something that has been noted by desperate individuals trying to shed extra pounds.
“I’ve definitely seen people come in for gluten-free products who don’t need them because they have celiac disease or anything,” Hofmann said. “I think people in general want to be healthier and this is a way they can do that.”
Thigpen said that she thinks that weight loss results in individuals who aren’t suffering from celiac disease or other digestive problems might be a fluke.
“I think if people focus on restricting calories with a gluten-free diet than that will work,” she said. “However, if you’re just substituting gluten-free items in your diet, you’re still eating the same amount of calories so I don’t think that works as a diet program for people who are trying to lose weight.”
Whether it works for weight-loss or not is still up for debate. What isn’t in question is the fact that gluten-free products are popping up everywhere — including shopping powerhouses such as Meijer, Kroger and Wal-Mart.
“The thing with me is that I’ve read a lot about gluten and I even got a gluten-free cookbook so I’m really interested in trying to stick to it because I think it will make me healthier,” said Mary York, a resident of Ferndale who was picking up gluten-free products at Kroger during her weekly shopping excursion. “One of the big ones is gluten-free pasta. I substituted that out and I swear no one in my family has even noticed.”
Another benefit for the gluten-free diet craze is that Hollywood has embraced it.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck of ABC’s “The View” has penned “The G Free Diet” book after struggling with celiac disease for years. She often talks openly about her struggle and the diet on “The View.”
Actresses Rachel Weisz and Zooey Deschanel also have talked openly about a gluten-free diet.
“I don’t know that I would say that I do a diet because a celebrity says to, but I did learn about it by watching (Hasselbeck) on ‘The View,’ ” York said. “I don’t think I just jump on fads, but I am going to stick with this one for awhile. I think it could make me feel a lot better.”
For more information, visit www.celiac.com or www.gfreediet.com.
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