As the director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, Green heads one of the few centers in the country devoted solely to diagnosing people with celiac disease. He’s also the author of the new book Gluten Exposed, which makes the case that for the vast majority of us, eating gluten—the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye—is just fine. In fact, you’re probably better off with gluten than without it. We all know someone who swears that their headaches/low energy/wild mood swings/cravings/stomach issues/weight problem was solved by eschewing gluten. But for the average person, there’s zero proof that going gluten-free helps with any of this stuff, Green says. The claim that eating gluten-free (GF) improves energy? A recent study of endurance athletes (without celiac disease) found that the diet didn’t actually improve the athletes’ energy or strength or help reduce their levels of inflammation. And if a GF diet isn’t boosting their performance, chances are that it won’t help yours, either. MORE: Should You Drop Dough On Gluten-Free Flour? What about gluten fogging up your brain? That’s another myth. “Before people with celiac disease get diagnosed [and start eating gluten-free], they have mild cognitive impairment that’s about the same as being severely jetlagged. It has to do with inflammatory mediators in their blood,” Green says. But for the rest of us? There’s no evidence that gluten causes mood issues or has any impact on brain function, he says. As for weight loss? Sorry, there’s nothing inherently bad about gluten that’s causing you to pack on the pounds. Any weight that people lose on a GF diet is likely the result of eating fewer high-carb foods overall—not eating less gluten. In fact, if you were to go gluten-free and replace all of your conventional bread, pasta, and baked goods with GF alternatives, you’d probably gain weight. “Manufacturers have to add in more things to counteract the loss of flavor and texture from the gluten. And some of those replacement items are calorically dense,” says Green. Still, personal experience can be pretty powerful. So, what if you’ve tried eating gluten-free—and really do notice a difference? “There are some individuals who feel better on a gluten-free diet, and they might have some sensitivity that we haven’t defined yet,” Green says. Or you might have a diagnosable problem that you just don’t know about. One of the major downsides of going gluten-free on your own (as opposed to under your doctor’s orders) is that your GF diet might actually be masking an entirely different condition, like a sensitivity to FODMAPs. “It may mask another condition,” says Green. “If you’re going to pick a diet that treats a specific condition, you should be tested for that condition first.” MORE: The New Reason Why Going Gluten-Free Won’t Help You Lose Weight And if you have a totally clean bill of health—and still feel better without the gluten? Chalk it up to the placebo effect, Green says. Just like how study participants who unknowingly receive sugar pills sometimes still report an improvement in their symptoms, the mere belief that a gluten-free diet is good for you might be enough to make you feel good. If that’s the case, and you want to stick with what works, just make sure you’re doing gluten-free the right way. If you’re swapping wheat-based foods for packaged gluten-free options, you might be missing out on important vitamins, minerals, and fiber. So consider working with a dietitian to find clean, nutrient-dense alternatives to the starchy stuff you’re cutting out, like sweet potatoes, quinoa, or brown rice instead of gluten-free white bread or processed cereal.
