Contents:
- Medical Video: What Really Happens To Your Body When You Go Gluten Free
- The relationship between a gluten free diet and an increased risk of heart disease
- Not everyone is suitable or has a gluten free diet
Medical Video: What Really Happens To Your Body When You Go Gluten Free
A gluten-free or free diet is a diet that limits food intake containing gluten protein which is usually found in wheat or jali (barley). Special gluten free diets are only intended for people who have Celiac disease and autism, but have recently become a trend among the general public. Many believe that because this gluten-free diet can prevent the risk of heart disease in people who have Celiac disease, the effect will also be the same for people in general. In fact the opposite is true.
If you are healthy and do not have Celiac disease or autism then carelessly apply this gluten-free diet to your daily life, the risk of your heart disease will actually increase. What is the reason?
The relationship between a gluten free diet and an increased risk of heart disease
A recent study conducted at Columbia University, New York, analyzed data on more than 110,000 people in America. Every four years, participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about the type of food they ate. The researchers collected data from 1986 to 2010, and they estimated the amount of gluten consumption based on the questionnaire. Then the participants were grouped based on the amount of their gluten consumption, with the lowest consumption amount of 3 grams of gluten per day and the highest consumption amount of 10 grams of gluten per day.
During the study, 352 cases of heart disease per 100,000 people per year were found in the group that consumed the least gluten. Meanwhile, as many as 277 cases of heart disease every 100,000 people per year in the group that consumes the most gluten.
After adjusting for several risk factors, the researchers stated that there were no significant differences between these two groups. However, when they compared the amount of intake and type of grain as a source of gluten, they found that people who consumed more gluten had a 15 percent lower risk of developing heart disease.
They found that gluten intake can affect the risk of heart disease, but it is not directly related to the amount of gluten consumed, but is related to the intake of whole grains, such as whole wheat and cereal as a source of gluten.
Although the amount of gluten consumption may not be directly related to the risk of heart disease, people who undergo a gluten free diet tend to consume fewer types of whole grains, and this can cause an increased risk of heart disease.
Not everyone is suitable or has a gluten free diet
Those who are indeed required to run a gluten free diet because of certain conditions are advised to consult a doctor and nutritionist, because foods that contain gluten are commonly eaten foods, and some of them are included as staple foods. By eliminating these types of foods, food choices for those who undergo this diet are limited. It is feared that if you do not consult, you will be easily deficient in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are often found in foods containing gluten.
Because of this, a gluten free diet is not recommended for people without celiac disease or gluten allergies. If we limit consumption to certain types of food, there is always a possibility of a deficiency in a nutrient that can benefit the body. A gluten-free diet can also cause a deficiency of fiber and vitamin B. Ideally, if you do not need to avoid gluten because of medical indications, it is better to keep eating whole grains to get benefits for heart health.
