An increasing number of Maritimers are choosing to take gluten out of their diets. For those with celiac disease it is a necessity, but is going gluten-free always healthy?

As a nutrition consultant, Wendy McCallum helps clients work toward their health and dietary goals. Lately she has seen an increase in the number of people looking to go gluten-free.

Many of her clients have gluten or wheat sensitivities and feel better without it, while others are hoping to shed pounds.

While cutting out gluten can help, McCallum says it doesn’t guarantee weight loss.

“Going gluten-free is not the golden ticket,” she says. “If you don’t do it right, you’re probably not going to see a difference at all on the scale.”

Whether or not you’re ‘doing it right’ largely depends on the gluten-free choices you make.

“A lot of the products on the market that are gluten-free are just replacing wheat and gluten oats, or gluten products with potato starch, corn flour, cornstarch, very low fibre replacements,” says registered dietitian Nicole Marchand.

Marchand says many gluten-free cookies, crackers, and cereals contain these ingredients and lack nutritional value.

“You can end up having the same amount of calories and increasing your blood sugar the same as if you were using wheat,” says Marchand.

Foods with high-fibre, gluten-free grains can be a healthier alternative and are often more nutritious than white breads, pastas, and other products that contain gluten.

“Start with focusing on some of the non-gluten whole grains and putting those into your diet on a more regular basis, like brown rice,” says McCallum. “Experiment with quinoa, use oats more often.” 

If you choose to rid your diet of gluten, read labels carefully. Gluten is used as afiller in many foods and can be found in some unexpected places.

“Sausage casings could have gluten, spices might have gluten, so meats are definitely a big one that people just wouldn’t assume you’d have gluten,” says Marchand.

Dairy products, such as yogurt, can also have hidden gluten. It’s also important to note that wheat-free and gluten-free aren’t necessarily the same thing; something that is wheat-free could still contain gluten.

“If you want to be able to maintain it for a period of time, maybe even for life, then moderation is always better,” says McCallum.