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Federico Juarez
Monica Rodriguez
ENGL 1302 164 FL21
10/24/2021
Is a gluten free diet best for you

Dunn, Caroline, et al. “Consumer Perceptions of Gluten-Free Products and the

Healthfulness of Gluten-Free Diets.” Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior: Supplement,

vol. 46, no. 4, 2014, p. 185

In this article Dunn states that “57% of participants agreed that gluten-free diets were

used to treat medical conditions, 32% believed that they were prescribed for weight loss” (2). In

addition, this finding is a result on how the public perceives or the knowledge they have on what

a GFD is. She goes on to state that many people believe that a GFD can improve your overall

health, improve your digestive health, improve your diet and improve skin/complexion. Dunn

states, “excluding gluten from an otherwise healthy individual's diet would improve overall

health (31%), improve digestive health (35%), improve the diet (32%), and improve

skin/complexion (21%)” (2). In addition, according to her findings 37% of people agreed that

gluten-free foods were healthier than foods that contained gluten.

This article will help the argument that a GFD is a healthy and safe diet to follow to help

improve your life overall. Furthermore, the findings indicated that “consumers have beliefs about

the healthfulness and potential positive impact of gluten-free diets” (2). This study goes on to

elaborate on the focus that “Gluten-Free” foods taste the same if not better than their gluten food

counterparts. Dunn states that gluten-free food labels impact consumers' perceptions of overall

likeability leading the consumer to purchase said “gluten-free” food item.

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El-Chammas, Khalil, and Elaine Danner. “Gluten-Free Diet in Nonceliac

Disease.” Nutrition in Clinical Practice, vol. 26, no. 3, 2011, pp. 294–299.

In this article El-Chammas el at states that a GFD is commonly recognized as a treatment

for celiac disease but not only is it used for that purpose but is used for many other medical

conditions. It is also used for the following conditions including dermatitis herpetiformis,

irritable bowel syndrome, neurologic disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes mellitus, and HIV-

associated enteropathy. It goes on to state that, “The strength of the evidence for the use of a

GFD in these nonceliac diseases varies, and future research may better define the benefits of a

GFD for those conditions” (1). For years many now a GFD has helped increase the overall

lifestyle and lives of people suffering from many different medical conditions. Furthermore, it

goes on to state that a GFD is the number one medical option to maintain and control celiac

disease and IBS (Irritable Bowl Syndrome).

This article will help the stance of the argument that a GFD is the best option for you

regarding if the diet is good for you. Adding that a GFD has been used as a treatment option for

years now and for many different type of medical conditions. As a suffer of IBS (Irritable Bowl

Syndrome) the treatment of a GFD is key to maintaining your stomach health. Gluten can cause

painful bloating and fullness that is not fun to deal with at all. In addition, firsthand this

treatment option has helped not just my overall health improve but saw a huge improvement in

my stomach bloating and fullness as well. As a person following this diet it can said that this

treatment option is one that can be easily followed which preparation and focus it can very much

be achieved.
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Funda, David P, et al. “Gluten-Free Diet Prevents Diabetes in Nod Mice.”

Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews, vol. 15, no. 5, 1999, pp. 323–327.

In this article Funda findings “showed that gluten-free diet both delayed and to a large

extent prevented diabetes” (1). In addition, the study states that if never exposed to gluten that it

can prevent and delay type 1 diabetes. Gluten is known to be a huge contributor to many

illnesses especially diabetes. The study goes one to show the life quality of mice with diabetes

and no diabetes exposed to gluten were shockingly different. The mice exposed to gluten with

diabetes had high sugar levels than the mice with no diabetes. In addition, mice on the gluten-

free diet developed diabetes later compared to those on the standard diet (1). Furthermore, this

finding goes to show that eating gluten can overall affect your health in a negative way. It can

lead to diabetes and many other medical conditions.

This article will help with the argument that living a GFD is a good diet option with

helping the prevention of diabetes or other medical conditions. This article goes on to state that

following a gluten free diet can help prevent or prolong getting diabetes. Also, maintaining a

GFD can help with keeping and maintaining your sugar levels at a safe and healthy balance. The

evidence concludes that a GFD can help or prevent diabetes will staying on the diet can help you

live a healthy and improved life. The argument will be supported by all the evidence and

findings from this study. Some might be skeptical to this finding but with most testing to be done

in the coming future this is a great first step to helping bring an end to diabetes and more

findings what a GFD can do for many more medical conditions or used as treatments in the

future.
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Howard, Lisa. Healthier Gluten-Free : All-Natural, Whole-Grain Recipes That Get Rid of

the Refined Starches, Fillers, and Chemical Gums for a Truly Healthy Gluten-Free Diet. Fair

Winds Press, a Member of Quayside Publishing Group, 2014.

In this article Howard states that following a GFD can lead to a truly healthier life and

can improve your overall lifestyle. She goes one to state that many gluten-free foods are

delicious and can taste even better than foods containing gluten. She starts off her article with the

title, “Welcome to a Healthier, Happier, Gluten-Free Life!” (8). She goes on to state that

maintaining a GFD is easier now than before with so many groceries store selling gluten-free

products now, many restaurants adding gluten-free dishes to their menus, and many gluten-free

recipes online now (8). In addition, in this article she adds many of her own favorite gluten-free

recipes that can be made in the comfort of your own home. She adds “time to awaken your taste

buds to new flavors and improved health” (8). Her stance on GFD is that it is easily achieved and

maintained with all the resources out there now that can help stay on the diet.

This article will help the argument that a GFD is the best option for you regarding a diet.

With all the resources and options out there now maintaining a GFD can be easily done and

stayed on top of. Many restaurants and grocery stores now a days have many gluten-free

products and dishes on their menus to help those on a GFD. In addition, there are many recipes

online now and many cookbooks focused on gluten-free foods. In today’s world it is easier to

look up what is gluten-free and what is not. Thanks to the growing community of people on GFD

it has expanded the knowledge and understanding of the diet. Also, thanks to social media and

the online web it is easier to access gluten-free recipes and products that you can order.
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Bascuñán Karla A, et al. “Celiac Disease: Understanding the Gluten-Free Diet.”

European Journal of Nutrition, vol. 56, no. 2, 2017, pp. 449–459

In this article Bascunan, states that following a gluten free diet is a treatment that is

highly successful. In addition, she states that “a balanced GFD should be based in a combination

of naturally gluten-free foods and certified manufactured gluten-free products” (7). Through out

her article she introduces the idea that following a gluten free diet can help your overall health

especially those who suffer from celiac’s disease and/or other medical issues. She goes on to

state that a GFD (Gluten Free Diet) is huge way to better your quality of life, but with that being

said she adds that many people tend to be overweight on a GFD, “Overweight/obesity frequency

has increased among celiac patients, so weight gain deserves attention during follow up” (1).

Furthermore, a GFD can improve your overall help but not followed properly can cause an

increase in weight leading to becoming overweight.

Regarding this article being used in the argument if a Gluten Free Diet is a great diet, it

can be argued that yes it can help improve your overall health but if not followed properly it can

lead to weight gain or becoming overweight. This article gives much depth and background

knowledge on the argument that a GFD is a great diet to follow or not. It poses some difficulties

to follow, “Although this treatment is highly successful, following strict GFD poses difficulties

to patients in family, social and working contexts, deteriorating his/her quality of life” (1). Yes, a

GFD may help you improve your diet and overall health, but it may not be the most consumer

friendly and easy on the wallet. Gluten free foods depending on where you live or located can be

more expensive to purchase than gluten foods. Especially a working family can find it difficult to

stick to the diet. In addition, a GFD takes much preparation and prep work before hand for it to

be successful.
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Davis, William. Wheat Belly : Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight, and Find Your Path

Back to Health. Rodale, 2014.

In this article Davis states that excess fat has nothing to do with gluttony, sloth, or too

much butter: It's due to the whole grain wraps we eat for lunch (1). In other words, we are

consuming to much gluten which in part plays a huge role in rising obesity rates in our country.

In addition, this concludes that being on a GFD can help you maintain a healthy weight and keep

you away from many illnesses and medical conditions. He also finds that after witnessing over

2,000 patients regain their health after giving up wheat, Davis reached the disturbing conclusion

that wheat is the single largest contributor to the nationwide obesity epidemic—and its

elimination is key (1). Adding to the fact that gluten is the huge contributor to the ever-growing

obesity epidemic that’s spreading across the world.

This article will help in the argument that a GFD is a good diet option. In addition, the

findings show that gluten is one of the main elements in the ongoing obesity epidemic this

country is facing. This diet can help maintain a healthy weight and live an overall healthy

lifestyle as well. Furthermore, the diet can help lower body fat and keep your stomach fat lower.

Silvester, J A, et al. “Living Gluten-Free: Adherence, Knowledge, Lifestyle Adaptations

and Feelings Towards a Gluten-Free Diet.” Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, vol. 29,

no. 3, 2016, pp. 374–382

In this article Silvester et al states that a gluten-free diet (GFD) requires tremendous

dedication, involving substantive changes to diet and lifestyle that may have a significant impact

upon quality of life (1). The study aims to assess dietary adherence, knowledge of a GFD, and

the emotional and lifestyle impact of a GFD. In addition, he states that yes, a GFD might be good
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for your overall health but common knowledge of the GFD is the main factor as to why many

people stay away from or don’t follow it due to lack of knowledge. In most recent years more

and more individuals are choosing a GFD with other goals in mind, including weight loss,

achieving a healthier lifestyle, or managing conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or

autism (1). GFD are becoming a huge factor in combating illnesses and medical conditions.

This article will help with the argument that a GFD is a good diet for you to follow. Not

only is it helping people all over the world with medical conditions it is become more accepted,

and more knowledge of the diet is being found every day. In addition, this diet is becoming the

go to diet to help lose or maintain weight. The access to many resources on the topic of this diet

can be found everywhere today.

Panagiotou, S, and M D Kontogianni. “The Economic Burden of Gluten-Free Products

and Gluten-Free Diet: A Cost Estimation Analysis in Greece.” Journal of Human Nutrition and

Dietetics, vol. 30, no. 6, 2017, pp. 746–752.

In this article it states that “Adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD) demonstrates various

difficulties, including the high cost of the diet” (Panagiotou 1). This is the number one factor

when deciding whether to follow a GFD is the cost on purchasing all the gluten-free foods and

products. This study goes on to present and confirms “the higher cost of Gluten-Free food

compared to their conventional equivalents leading to a weekly economic burden for people on a

gluten-free diet” (1). Gluten-free foods tend to be significantly higher in price than conventional

gluten foods which resulting in more of an economic burden on people already worried about

bills, mortgages and rent. This study goes on to state that, “Compared with conventional food

products, all supermarket gluten free products, were more expensive by 22–34%” (1). This

would increase that weekly burden of gluten free products to increase by “$12 to $28 per week”
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(1). This amount can be higher or lower depending on how often people shop and purchase

items.

This article will help in the argument that gluten-free diets are not a good option for you.

As it may have overall health benefits it will not benefit your wallet. It is stated that an GFD will

be expensive to maintain. With all the purchases weekly to maintain the diet it will become an

overall expensive diet to follow. Like the article stated that following a GFD will increase your

weekly spending on products that need to be gluten-free and many of these items are more

expensive than their gluten counterparts.

Hurwitz, Sarah. “The Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet and Autism: Limited Return on

Family Investment.” Journal of Early Intervention, vol. 35, no. 1, 2013, pp. 3–19.

In this article Hurwitz states that despite its popularity, there is limited evidence in

support of the diet (1). This means that there is not enough studies or evidence out there that a

GFD is good for you or has any health benefits at all. “The studies reviewed, eliminating gluten

and casein from the diet did not have the dramatic measurable decreases in autistic behaviors that

the theory predicted. Three of the studies reported no positive effects of the diet and two of these

are especially convincing because they compared children’s behavior on the diet with blinded

gluten and casein trials and found no differences” (14). The study proves GFD did not improve

health on the ones being studied in the experiment.

This article will be used in the argument that a GFD is not good for you or has no overall

health improvements in one’s health. This study concludes that an autistic individual did not see

any improvements to their health in a span of a year. The debatable will continue whether a GFD

can be used as a treatment for medical conditions so as we see in this experiment it did not
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conclude that it is a reliable treatment option for autism. Hurwitz states that “Recommendations

are that families should invest time and resources in more robustly supported interventions and

limit a GFD to children diagnosed with celiac disease or food allergies” (1). So that being said a

GFD should be the only treatment option for celiac disease or food allergies.

Infobase and Ivanhoe Broadcast News (Firm), directors. Gluten Free Isn’t Always Good.

Ivanhoe Broadcast News, 2019

In this video is states that not all gluten-free food is always good for you. It states that to

avoid gluten-free food if you can. “People are spending more money on healthy food” (Ivanhoe)

which makes the craze for gluten free foods a popularity right now. With it becoming more

mainstream people tend to lack the knowledge of the ever-growing market of gluten-free foods

and products. Ivanhoe goes on to state that when gluten is cut out completely your chance of

getting chronic disease rises and cutting out whole grains are beneficial to protecting against

diabetes, heart and cardiovascular disease and even cancer (1). She also states that main gluten-

free foods have more processed ingredients. She lastly states “if you don’t have a medical reason

to avoid gluten, you shouldn’t” (1).

This article will help in the argument that a GFD is not a good option as a diet due to it

not having many or nonmedical benefits. It states that there is not enough evidence at all to

support that a GFD has overall health benefits and help protect against diseases. By removing

gluten from your diet that it can actually make you more vulnerable to illness and sickness.