Gluten-free doesn't have legs

[Larry Bruce]

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/On-...s-trend-expert (WFS)

Now you know

[Alan Siebuhr]

Originally Posted by Larry Bruce

http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/On-...s-trend-expert (WFS)

Now you know

Seems to be more of an economic standpoint rather than a nutritional standpoint. And I don't know if I agree with it.

[Kevin Benson]

I think the primary argument is that the expected long-term demand for GF foods is well below the current supply. Unless companies can find a way to increase demand, the market should self-correct and likely go back to the way it was just a few years ago; i.e. little to no GF foods in normal grocery stores, limited selection in "natural" grocery stores, and with the majority of products available online.

It would be interesting to see a nutritional study done on something like this. Absent people with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, is it healthier for the average person to substitute gluten-free breads, cereals, etc. for traditional stuff. I think that'll be the test that may help or hurt the GF industry. If they can grow demand by non-celiacs then I think the market can continue to grow.

My sister-in-law talks about trying GF all the time to lose weight, but I have a sneaking suspicion that she weighs 275lbs because her diet is 90% processed/refined carbs, 4% fat, and maybe 1% protein. And her hobbies are watching TV and taking naps. I don't think swapping out her 3 bowls of captain crunch in the morning for a GF substitute is going to yield any meaningful results.

[Larry Bruce]

Originally Posted by Kevin Benson

I think the primary argument is that the expected long-term demand for GF foods is well below the current supply. Unless companies can find a way to increase demand, the market should self-correct and likely go back to the way it was just a few years ago; i.e. little to no GF foods in normal grocery stores, limited selection in "natural" grocery stores, and with the majority of products available online.

It would be interesting to see a nutritional study done on something like this. Absent people with celiac disease or other gluten sensitivities, is it healthier for the average person to substitute gluten-free breads, cereals, etc. for traditional stuff. I think that'll be the test that may help or hurt the GF industry. If they can grow demand by non-celiacs then I think the market can continue to grow.

My sister-in-law talks about trying GF all the time to lose weight, but I have a sneaking suspicion that she weighs 275lbs because her diet is 90% processed/refined carbs, 4% fat, and maybe 1% protein. And her hobbies are watching TV and taking naps. I don't think swapping out her 3 bowls of captain crunch in the morning for a GF substitute is going to yield any meaningful results.

I don't mind gluten free products except for the price and the taste for the most part. If if the taste goes up and price come down enough, I would treat them like any other food product. But it's insane that people are buying $10 boxes of cookies to give to kids because they are gluten free, but still contain gobs of sugar. Like you're saying.

Obviously some people are sensitive. The tennis player Nole Djokavic could not make it through tough matches without having breathing difficulties until kicking the gluten. Now he can afford as much of it as he likes
But seriously, I don't know if this was a physiological or a psychological effect. At the highest levels of performance a little improvement in either could account for the difference.

I'm not sure if a study has been done. It usually comes out in the nonintervention population studies, if enough people eat a certain way some kind of correlation can be established. Will look around and see....

I agree that it's largely from an economic point of view. But at the same time I think we're being naive to think that we aren't considering gluten-free because of the marketing and economic forces in play. The nutritional bandwagon aspect is an effect of its marketing.

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Given that humans have been eating wheat for thousands of years, it strikes me as very unlikely that the "typical" (non-sensitive) person will see any benefits whatsoever by dropping gluten.

Wheat tolerance, like lactose tolerance, would have given those groups that had it a survival advantage. Natural selection would therefore tend to increase prevalence of the trait.

Katherine

[Kevin Benson]

Originally Posted by Katherine Derbyshire

Given that humans have been eating wheat for thousands of years, it strikes me as very unlikely that the "typical" (non-sensitive) person will see any benefits whatsoever by dropping gluten.

Katherine

I think any benefit to going GF would come from not trying to replace the breads, cereals, etc. with the current array of GF products. All you end up doing is swapping one processed refined carb for another.

When I learned of my mild gluten senstivity about 5 years ago, I cut it out completely and dropped about 30lbs in a couple months.

[Mara Rozitis]

Originally Posted by Kevin Benson

I think any benefit to going GF would come from not trying to replace the breads, cereals, etc. with the current array of GF products. All you end up doing is swapping one processed refined carb for another.

Yeah, that. Even the few celiacs I know go crazy on all kinds of processed garbage, thinking it's perfectly fine because it's gluten free. And then they whine and howl that there aren't enough restaurants that serve gluten free stuff. If they prepared their own food and used restaurants and gluten free baking/crackers/etc. as a once-in-a-while treat I think they would be much healthier. As it is, they are truly just swapping one kind of processed crap for another.

[Daniel Dean]

Originally Posted by Kevin Benson

I think any benefit to going GF would come from not trying to replace the breads, cereals, etc. with the current array of GF products. All you end up doing is swapping one processed refined carb for another.

Thirded. I've seen ingredient lists on GF foods that were nutritionally abysmal.


That said, GF has legs for me. I have had eczema/dermatitis issues for years. Two months ago I decided to go completely GF for a month and it disappeared completely. I have since experimented with adding back in some gluten foods and with the exception of very limited beer consumption I break out every time.

[Kevin Benson]

Originally Posted by Daniel Dean

I have had eczema/dermatitis issues for years. Two months ago I decided to go completely GF for a month and it disappeared completely. I have since experimented with adding back in some gluten foods and with the exception of very limited beer consumption I break out every time.

I'm in the same boat. I don't have the stomach issues a lot of people have with gluten, but it makes everything else flair up; skin, eyes, seasonal allergies, etc.

I can maybe get away with the equivalent of 1-2 slices of bread every few weeks, anything more than that and I'm regretting it.