| In our never ending fascination with all things diet | | | | The protein does affect some people, mostly |
| related, "gluten-free" has become what "low-carb" | | | | those who suffer from celiac disease. These |
| was not so long ago, the next "sure thing" in diets. | | | | people experience an immune reaction from |
| Today, all sorts of gluten-free products are being | | | | eating foods containing gluten. This condition is |
| promoted by surgically thin spokeswomen and | | | | thought to affect about one percent of the |
| even Chelsea Clinton's wedding cake was said to | | | | overall population. |
| be gluten-free. | | | | But, according to one marketing research firm, |
| In fact, it seems that the explosion in popularity | | | | almost 25% of adults in the U.S. are practicing |
| and interest seems to be fueled largely by | | | | avoiding gluten either partially, or altogether. In |
| celebrity interest. More than one actress speaks | | | | other words, the vast majority of folks avoiding |
| about being gluten-free in public and some even | | | | gluten are doing so out of choice and not |
| have it on their websites. | | | | necessity. |
| Unlike other true diet evil doers such as trans-fats | | | | Most medical professionals say that there's no |
| and cholesterol, gluten is not at all bad for your | | | | harm in avoiding gluten just as long as your diet is |
| diet. There are very few people whose systems | | | | balanced. Being completely gluten-free and still |
| cannot tolerate gluten and fashioning a completely | | | | nutritionally balanced can be challenging because of |
| gluten-free lifestyle is very expensive and very | | | | the lack of food choices. And be aware that a |
| difficult. | | | | product claiming to have no gluten may still |
| Also helping with the diet's popularity are the | | | | contain unhealthy levels of calories, salt, or other |
| many claims that being "gluten-free" makes you | | | | substances as well. |
| more active and dynamic. Among the claims that | | | | Regardless, the industry supporting the fervor |
| have received wide spread notice is the claim that | | | | continues to increase rapidly. In the United States |
| there is such a thing as a "gluten hang over". So | | | | alone, sales of food claiming to be gluten-free |
| far, medical research has not been able to | | | | have easily doubled in the last five years to more |
| substantiate such a condition. | | | | than a billion and a half dollars annually. |