{"id":2749,"date":"2011-09-27T06:00:14","date_gmt":"2011-09-27T10:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/candostreet.com\/blog-parents\/?p=2749"},"modified":"2011-09-26T22:09:17","modified_gmt":"2011-09-27T02:09:17","slug":"who-is-buying-gluten-free-products-why","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/candostreetny.com\/blog-parents\/who-is-buying-gluten-free-products-why\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Buying Gluten-Free Products and Why?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"gluten=free<\/a>A trip down the cookie aisle, with a stop in the baking, and in the pasta sections of your local supermarket and you will see a variety of newly added gluten-free products.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h1>\n

While it is great to see that children and adults with Celiac disease can now enjoy products usually made with wheat, it doesn’t explain the amount of new, gluten-free products now hitting our grocery shelves. Given that only about 1% of Americans have Celiac disease, we have to assume that a whole lot of people, that don’t need to buy gluten-free, are consuming these products.<\/p>\n

Peter H.R. Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, told WebMD, “The market for gluten-free products is exploding. Why exactly we don\u2019t know. Many people may just perceive that a gluten-free diet is healthier.”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

For people with Celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is essential.\u00a0 “Those who don’t have Celiac disease,” adds Dr. Green, “Need to be careful, as a\u00a0 gluten-free diet can lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber.”<\/p>\n

Before going gluten-free, know that doing so means giving up many common and nutritious foods.\u00a0Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten also shows up in many whole grain foods related to wheat, including bulgur, farro, kamut, spelt, and triticale.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

While gluten doesn’t have special nutritional benefits, many whole grains that contain gluten are rich in vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber. Studies show that whole grain foods, as part of a healthy diet, may help lower risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and some forms of cancer.<\/p>\n

While there are a few whole grains don\u2019t contain gluten, including amaranth, millet, and quinoa, they are far less common than gluten-containing grains and harder to find.<\/p>\n

So, if you don’t need to be on a gluten-free diet, stick to your usual sources of whole grains to meet your dietary requirements.<\/p>\n

Source:<\/p>\n

WebMD Feature: Sept 2011<\/p>\n

By Peter Jaret<\/a><\/p>\n

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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