For sufferers of celiac disease, going “G-free” can literally be a lifesaver. A wheat allergy, whereby the intestine will slowly destroy itself if the disorder is left undiagnosed, celiac disease effects roughly 1 in every 200 people worldwide. But for those without this deficiency, the choice to go gluten-free is a hotly debated issue. Dieting fads, aided through our obsessive celebrity culture, has led us to the demonising of this little protein. As public enemy number one, stomping out gluten from ones diet has become a global obsession in the western world. However, some argue that gluten is in fact not your number one enemy.

Those who eliminate gluten from their diet often report improvements in their overall wellbeing. However, this effect is somewhat deceptive, as it is often due to other changes in dietary habits. For example, one wishing to avoid gluten does not have the option to eat takeaways or fast food – heavily processed sustenance. They must rigorously plan their meals, so not only are they made more aware of their eating habits, but they are also eating fresh ‘real’ foods. People who are going G-free also report noticeable weight loss, creating an automatic assumption that gluten is correlated with weight gain. However, this is simply due to the fact that they are eating fewer carbs, found in things like breads, pastas and beer – all foods which also happen to contain gluten.

In fact, gluten is by no means related to weight gain. Rather it is the high amounts of refined carbs (bad carbs) which increases ones weight. That’s not to say carbohydrates should be cut completely from ones diet, as they are an essential source of fibre and B-vitamins. Rather, one should look to whole grains for their fibre fix, as these contain ‘good carbs’ essential more maintain a healthy digestive system.

So in short, unless you suffer from a digestive disorder, going G-free may not be the best option for you. There are plenty of other ways to maintain a healthy weight through both diet and supplements. A Gluten free lifestyle is extremely difficult to follow while also maintaining energy levels and nutritional needs. So do not just mindlessly jump onto this fad as your gluten free stint will become a very short lived one, and you will more than likely find that you will not experience any significant weight loss. You do not have to go the whole nine yards, do a little research in some gluten free recipes and see if the effort involved is really your thing. It is the meticulous planning which going gluten free involves which benefits in weight loss, as people become a lot more aware of their dietary habits.