There is a divide in opinion when it comes to Gluten, but the truth is that some people may unnecessarily be cutting it out of their diet! With all of the information on the topic it can be hard to know what is best for you. So, today let’s talk about gluten to see if your health could benefit from addressing your consumption. 

Intolerance or Allergy?

If you are intolerant to gluten then you will likely experience some kind of discomfort when you consume it. This will usually be in the form of bloating or a stomach-ache. However, if you are allergic to gluten – a condition known as coeliac disease – then your symptoms will likely be more severe.

A test will be able to determine if you are allergic to gluten, but it is not always so easy to diagnose an intolerance. This means that as many people can’t pinpoint it as the source of issues they may be suffering from, such as the aforementioned bloating or aching in the stomach, then they will continue to eat it.  It is also important to remember that this condition exists on a spectrum and an individual’s sensitivity can change at any time.

Gluten Confusion

The gluten confusion has arisen as people who are neither intolerant or allergic have removed gluten from their diets deliberately for the purported health benefits. A couple of years ago it began to seem trendy to follow a gluten free diet, and this fuelled the confusion regarding this food. 

Concerned About Gluten?

If you have concerns about consuming gluten, or you believe you are suffering from an allergy or an intolerance, then the first thing you should do is to get tested. If the test shows an allergy then you should ideally eradicate all gluten immediately. If the test is negative then it doesn’t necessarily mean that gluten is a problem, and as I mentioned before you may still be suffering from an intolerance. Try cutting out gluten for a month and see if your digestive complaints are soothed. If you do not notice any measurable difference then another food group may be to blame and you can continue your investigation through the process of elimination!

Keeping a food diary is a great way to always be on top of what you are eating and will help you to figure out which foods are causing a problem.

If you have seen my new wellness for women membership site – Truly Julie – then you will know that I am on a mission to inspire and motivate women to become healthier and happier – and I would love it if you would join me on this journey as we keep moving through 2017!