So does wheat live up to its claims?

Will avoiding wheat help me lose weight? There’s actually very little evidence to show that cutting out wheat, alone, will lead to weight loss. There are no good studies in nutrition showing that sticking to just a gluten free diet leads to weight loss. Studies of the Paleolithic diet (inherently gluten-free) show reductions in weight loss - however, many of these studies have small sample sizes and are uncontrolled and are therefore, not the best types of studies. It is not be surprising that a Paleolithic diet, replacing grains with very high in fiber and protein foods (both satiating) would lead to weight loss, as these studies all show the Paleo dieters consumed fewer calories as well. It’s an unpopular opinion but calories count.

Going gluten-free is not going to automatically lead to weight loss. In the past, cutting out gluten meant a reduction in a lot of your food options, many of them processed and lacking in fiber (non-whole wheat). Being gluten-free would force you to prepare your own foods - a great thing when you’re controlling what you are eating, and the fiber/calories in it. But now, so many options are gluten-free- cakes, cookies, pretzels - and many of these contain very simple starches and sugars that are not great for your waist. It’s one thing to cut out gluten, and replace that with vegetables and higher protein foods. That will likely lead to weight loss because those foods are more satiating, and you will eat less calories. As of now, there is no scientific evidence to show that there is anything special about gluten-free diets that will lead to more weight loss than other diets that are also reduced in calories. If you are including wheat in your diet, it should be whole-wheat as often as possible - refined wheat and grains, without that filling fiber, and often accompanied by added sugars/oils, may not be great for your waist line!

Doesn't wheat sabotage weight loss - more than just the added calories?!? A simple Google search about cutting out gluten leading to more weight loss generates a number of claims from ‘natural health websites’ about gluten’s effect on weight gain. However, many of these articles refer back to one study done in rats that was published in 2013 in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry - the study showed that rats fed diets without gluten gained less weight than diets that contained gluten. It should be noted that rats in both diet groups were placed on high fat diets that led to weight gain - this paper more so points to ways that gluten can worsen the metabolic profile in overweight rats; it does not have any implications for individuals losing weight, or for normal weight, healthy individuals consuming whole grains as part of their diet. Because the study was done in rats, and human data does not suggest a need to exclude gluten from the diet during weight loss, few conclusions can be drawn from this research. No clinical recommendations in humans should ever be based off one study in rats.

But isn’t wheat making my IBS worse? There was an original study that came out showing that gluten-containing diets worsened symptoms of IBS. The same group that did this study then went and re-did the study, but with a different design/treatment. They showed that it’s actually not the gluten in wheat (the individuals consuming gluten actually reported the least symptoms!) but actually other components of wheat, and many other foods. These components are small carbohydrates that can be easily fermented in your gut and cause some individuals gastrointestinal distress, called FODMAPs. A diet low in these, called a low FODMAPs diet, has actually become quite popular, has a lot of research backing it, and even got it’s own label in Australia! So yes, wheat may be making your IBS worse, but so are many other things that contain FODMAPs, like garlic, onions, broccoli, and apples.

So why should you eat wheat? Assuming you haven’t been diagnosed with Celiacs Disease or Gluten Sensitivity, whole wheat can be a health-promoting part of your diet. Studies that supplement the diet with gluten and wheat fiber have shown humans to have reduced triglyceride (fat) levels, as well as oxidized low-density lipoproteins, "bad fat," (this can lead to plaque development in the arteries), lower blood pressure, and improve immune function. Whole wheat is particularly high in a special type of fiber called oligofructose. This kind of fiber has been shown to help reduce blood glucose and fat levels, reduce body weight, improve mineral absorption, and feed our healthy gut bacteria. A recent, small study of 10 individuals in the British Journal of Nutrition actually showed that a gluten-free diet lead to reductions in the number of beneficial healthy bacteria, and increased the numbers of pathogenic (bad) bacteria. See our post on Gut Bacteria to learn more: http://the-sage.org/post/76193506185/re-health-and-gut-bacteria

At the end of the day, if you suspect that gluten is harmful to your health, contact your healthcare provider and discuss your symptoms. You can be tested for a wheat or gluten allergy. You can also determine if you are sensitive to wheat by eliminating it from your diet for a short period of time (about 1 month) and seeing if your symptoms go away. If you are going to exclude wheat or gluten, make sure you are replacing it with fiber-filled foods. A majority of individuals, however, have no reason to exclude wheat from their diet, and can benefit from it - whole wheat is readily available, cheap and full of fiber/nutrients. And paired with some healthy fats, lean proteins, and plenty of veggies, it can make a great meal! Watch out for this week’s article on MythBusting Gluten-Free Diets to learn more!

Kevin Klatt, Nutritionist + Assistant Site Manager