Can Miley Cyrus’ gluten free diet help you lose weight?

Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus; November 23, 1992) is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana.

Cyrus recorded music for the soundtracks, Hannah Montana (2006) and Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus (2007), released by Walt Disney Records. With the success of the Hannah Montana franchise she established herself as a teen idol. In 2007, Cyrus signed to Hollywood Records to pursue a solo career. She embarked upon the Best of Both Worlds Tour the same year, in which she performed as both herself and in character as Hannah Montana. The tour was eventually turned into a high-grossing concert film titled Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008). In July 2008, Cyrus released her first solo album, Breakout (2008), which was commercially successful.

Responding to rumors of an eating disorder after her recent weight loss, Miley Cyrus took to Twitter to defend herself, saying it was her gluten free diet that’s behind her thinner frame.

Rumors of a possible eating disorder because of her recent, sudden weight loss made Miley Cyrus to take to Twitter. The real reason she says she’s looking so thin? A gluten free diet.

Although Cyrus didn’t say she specifically cut gluten in an attempt to lose weight, she did tweet the following to her millions of followers:

For everyone calling me anorexic I have a gluten and lactose allergy. It’s not about weight it’s about health. Gluten is crapppp anyway!

— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) April 9, 2012

 

Cyrus is not the only one who’s recently hopped on the gluten-free train. In recent years, avoiding gluten — the common term used to describe the special proteins found in grains including wheat, rye and barley – has become in vogue. Food manufacturers are lining shelves with gluten free products galore, thanks in part to best selling books like “The G-Free Diet: A Gluten Free Survival Guide” by “The View” co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck. The market research firm Packaged Facts projects the market for gluten free foods and beverages will grow to more than 5 billion dollars in 2015 — up from an estimated 2.6 billion in 2010.

But is going gluten free a healthful way to lose weight?

“There’s absolutely no evidence that a gluten free diet promotes weight loss,” Karen Ansel, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. ”However, there is data that indicates that following a gluten free diet can result in a diet that’s low in key nutrients — especially iron, zinc and B vitamins such as folate and niacin.”

In fact, eating too many processed gluten free foods can make you put on a few pounds. Rachel Begun, a registered dietitian living with celiac disease and food industry consultant, says, “People who go gluten free may gain weight if they rely mostly on highly-processed gluten free foods, many of which tend to be higher in fat, calories and sugar than their gluten-containing counterparts.” Ansel agrees, and adds, “Gluten free foods also tend to lack fiber that fills us up and can help us manage our weight.”

Begun recommends a gluten free diet only for those who have been diagnosed by a physician to have celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or another gluten-related disorder. She also recommends that they include plenty of fresh, wholesome, nutrient-dense foods including gluten free whole grains, including quinoa, brown and wild rice, amaranth and sorghum, and to seek out fortified gluten free products.

For the rest of us, a healthful diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy and lean protein foods, limited added sugars and solid fats, and regular, consistent, enjoyable exercise seems to be the ticket — albeit not the trendiest one — to a healthier heart and a more toned, slim physique.

Related:

Too good to be healthy? Not these treats!

Secret superfoods you’re already eating

Popcorn as healthy as veggies? Depends on how you pop it

More by Elisa Zied:

Sweet and toxic: Is sugar really ‘poison’? 

How to enjoy your daily meat without killing yourself

Elisa Zied is a New York registered dietitian and contributor to msnbc.com. To follow, pin, like, or learn more about Elisa, visit www.elisazied.com. 

Gluten free Recipes with Bill & Sheila

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