lose weightA new research paper has been published to look at our relationship with gluten free food and if it really can help you to lose weight. With hundreds of diets out there, and as many celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga claiming that their gluten free/ carb free/ fasting diet helps them to keep in shape, it is impossible to know what really works.

The statistics

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, spelt and rye and a person suffering from celiac disease or gluten sensitivity must follow a gluten free diet. Around 1% of Americans have celiac disease, which is an auto-immune disease triggered by gluten, and another 6% have gluten sensitivity. Between 2006 and 2010 reported sales of gluten free products grew by 30% every year, partly due to more efficient diagnosis of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, but largely due to the perceived benefits of following a gluten free diet and celebrity endorsements. Moreover, a survey of 2000 gluten free people on their perception of the diet showed that 50% followed the diet to feel better, 26% to lose weight and 24% because of celiac disease or sensitivity to gluten.

And of course we would all like a quick fix, a magic key that will help us to lose that last few pounds, or even the first few pounds. We have to rely on researchers and agencies reporting on the research to give us the truth. So what he truth? The truth is, there is no quick fix.

The study

The new paper, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, refutes claims that a gluten free diet can aid weight loss and improve health, saying that there are no health benefits for a healthy adult following a gluten free diet.

Contrary to previous claims about the health benefits of a gluten free diet, researchers found that there were no health benefits for a normal healthy person skipping gluten. In fact, the research also suggested that we need gluten to support heart function, the gut and immune system. The study also looked at the weight loss claims of cutting out gluten, but found no supporting evidence that low gluten can help weight loss; in fact they found the opposite in many individuals as gluten free food often contains much higher levels of fat and sugar.

At Weight Loss Mexico we don’t claim there are any quick fixes or easy ways out. Losing weight is hard work, and keeping it off means that you have to keep working at it for ever. But it will be worth it. If you would like to talk about the weight loss packages we have then fill in the contact form on the left of your screen for a prompt response from one of our trained, U.S. based nurses.