• Gluten-free diets have gained popularity in recent years.
• A strict gluten-free diet is a medical necessity for certain people, like those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
• People who do not medically need to be on a gluten-free diet should continue eating gluten, or they may risk nutritional deficiencies.

Gluten—the protein found naturally in certain grains—has inadvertently become a bad word in the nutrition space in recent years.

Grocery store shelves and restaurant menus continue to expand their gluten-free options, and many people (celebrities, athletes, maybe even your relatives) are opting for gluten-free diets, which are often deemed as healthier or a cure-all for a variety of complaints, like gastrointestinal issues, skin problems, and weight management.

Strict gluten-free diets are a medical necessity for certain people, like those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance—but for the average person, does going gluten-free have any real health benefits? Here’s what registered dietitians want you to know.

What Does It Mean to Be Gluten-Free?

A gluten-free diet eliminates any food or food products that contain the wheat protein, gluten.

Gluten is found in certain grains, such as wheat, barley, and rye, as well as other foods, including soy sauce, flour, beer, pastries, and some seasoned rice mixes, snack foods, and soup mixes.

Grains allowed on a gluten-free diet include corn, quinoa, rice, gluten-free flours, millet, and teff.

Many other nutritious foods are naturally gluten-free, including fruits and vegetables, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes; unprocessed meats, fish, and poultry; and most dairy products.

Research shows that many adults think that a gluten-free diet is healthier, and 25–30% of the adult population follows a gluten-free diet.

People follow gluten-free diets whether they have a medical necessity for them or not. They may feel they are healthier, think they have a gluten intolerance and want to try eliminating gluten to see how they feel, or simply because other people close to them are going gluten-free.

What Is Celiac Disease?

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system, specifically the small intestine. Gluten—a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye—triggers the disease, and can cause damage to the small intestine, which can lead to long-lasting digestive issues and nutritional deficiencies.

When Is a Gluten-Free Diet Necessary?

Gluten-free diets are medically necessary for people with Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten. A gluten-free diet—ultimately avoiding gluten entirely—is the only known treatment for celiac disease.

Some people who are gluten intolerant, or have what’s known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity, may also benefit from a gluten-free diet, according to Megan Huff, RDN, LDN, a gluten-free food blogger. Although there isn’t a clear definition for gluten intolerance, it occurs in people who do not have celiac disease, but still feel ill after consuming something that contains gluten.

There are other conditions that, while they don’t necessitate going gluten-free, may still benefit from reducing sources of gluten in their diets.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, also known as Hashimotos’ disease, is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid, leading to damage. Research has shown that a gluten-free diet may provide symptom relief or delayed progression for some with the disease.

“There has been some research that shows a gluten-free diet may help lower thyroid antibody levels,” said Alyssa Pacheco, RD. “However, the results have been inconclusive, so it’s not recommended for everyone with this condition.”

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is another condition for which some individuals find symptom improvement when gluten-containing foods are avoided. A small study published in 2016 found that following a gluten-free diet for six weeks could reduce IBS severity in some people.

However, gluten may not be the main issue for people with IBS—those with the condition are sensitive to short-chain carbohydrates called FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), which are poorly absorbed by the intestines, causing digestive distress.

“If someone with IBS does not tolerate gluten-containing foods, it’s generally because of the type of FODMAPs that it contains, rather than the gluten,” said Pacheco. This is where a low-FODMAP diet can come into play for IBS, which eliminates FODMAPs and then slowly re-introduces them to determine a person’s trigger foods.

What Is a Celiac Disease Rash?

Going Gluten-Free Without a Medical Reason

Even for people on a gluten-free diet out of necessity, the meal plan must be carefully planned out, ideally by a physician, so a person doesn’t run into nutritional deficiencies.

“[The] diet may be lacking in fiber, B vitamins, and folate due to decreased consumption of whole grains,” said Huff. “If you eat a lot of processed gluten-free products, [the] diet will be higher in fat and added sugars, which can increase the risk of chronic disease.”

That means that people who don’t need to go gluten-free may be giving up vital nutrients unnecessarily. In addition to getting less dietary fiber, iron, zinc, and potassium, people who follow a gluten-free diet also may not get the recommended daily servings of grain products.

Gluten-free diets are also pricey: Research shows that gluten-free bread and bakery products are about 267% more expensive than breads that contain gluten; gluten-free cereals can be as much as 205% more money than typical cereals.

There’s quality of life to consider too. “Unnecessary food restriction can decrease an individual’s quality of life,” said Pacheco. “People often feel stressed or anxious about social situations and not being able to eat the same food as their peers.”

If you do decide to try a gluten-free diet, with or without medical necessity, it’s important to speak with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider for a personalized plan to make sure you’re getting all necessary nutrients—they may even suggest a multivitamin.

But overall, experts recommend against following a gluten-free diet if you don’t medically need it. “Don’t go on [the] diet if you don’t need to,” said Huff. “Gluten is nothing to be afraid of, it is merely a protein found in certain grains.”

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