Should I Try the Gluten-Free Diet for Better Blood Sugars?

In recent years, the gluten-free (GF) diet has become associated with weight loss and joined the growing collection of fad diets. But should you be following this diet to lower your blood sugar?

This diet eliminates all gluten-containing foods^[1]Diet Review: Gluten-Free for Weight Loss. (n.d.). Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Retrieved January 13, 2022, from … Continue reading.

What is Gluten?

Despite all the buzz around gluten, many people don’t actually know what it is.  Gluten is found in many carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta, and is often believed to be a carbohydrate.

But, gluten is not a carbohydrate.

It is a protein made up of gliadin and glutenin that binds and acts as a strong glue to hold nutrients together. This means you don’t need to avoid gluten to prevent your sugars from spiking.

Where to Find Gluten

Although gluten is a protein, it is found in many carbohydrate-rich foods, which is responsible for a lot of the confusion around the nutrient. Some common sources of gluten include:

• • Bread
  • Pasta and noodles
  • Beer
  • French fries
  • Pastries
  • Pies and cakes
  • Barley

Impact of Gluten on Blood Sugar

As a protein, gluten can help slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates in your gut. This delay in absorption of sugars from your gut can help prevent post-meal spikes in your blood sugar.

The Gluten-Free Diet and Health

Gluten is found in many baked and carbohydrate-rich foods. This means that following a gluten-free diet eliminates a lot of fun food such as cakes and pastries from your plate. This contributes to the illusion that this eating pattern is healthier than other diets.

But it’s not that straightforward.

Eliminating a particular ingredient or food group from your diet can increase your risk of nutrient deficiencies. The gluten-free diet eliminates many foods which contain important nutrients including,

• • B vitamins (vitamin B1, B2, B2, B9, and B12)
  • Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K)
  • Iron
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium

If you’re following a gluten-free diet or any other elimination diet, it’s important to chat with a Registered Dietitian to ensure you’re meeting all your nutritional needs.

Gluten-Free Diet and Weight Loss 

Although the gluten-free diet is believed to help us lose weight, the science doesn’t support this claim. Studies show that removing gluten from your diet doesn’t have any weight loss benefits^[2]The Surprising Truth About Gluten-Free Food and Weight Loss. (2020, December 23). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-surprising-truth-about-gluten-free-food-and-weight-loss/. 

Although some people lose weight when following the gluten-free diet, the weight loss isn’t from the lack of carbohydrates. 

How Weight Loss Occurs 

Eliminating a food group, or a particular nutrient from our diet doesn’t guarantee that we are going to drop a few pounds. In fact, we only lose weight when our bodies are in a calorie deficit. This means our bodies are burning more calories (energy) than we are eating). 

Like any other diet, weight loss on the gluten-free diet is a result of burning more calories than you’re consuming. 

In many cases, eliminating gluten from your diet causes a natural shift in the foods you eat^[3]The Surprising Truth About Gluten-Free Food and Weight Loss. (2020, December 23). Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-surprising-truth-about-gluten-free-food-and-weight-loss/. Instead of eating gluten-containing carbohydrates, your plate is filled with other foods such as fruits and veggies. This shift in food choices is what is responsible for the decrease in caloric intake, and weight loss. 

Cost of the Gluten-Free Diet

Following a gluten-free diet can put a big dent in your grocery budget. Surveys have found that gluten-free products roughly 2 x the the price of gluten-containing alternatives. 

There is some good news. If you have celiac disease, there are tax deductions. There are tax deductions available to Canadians diagnosed with celiac disease, to help offset the cost of gluten-free products. 

Who Should Try a Gluten-Free Diet?

Following a gluten-free diet won’t lower your blood sugars. So unless you have a gluten intolerance or celiac disease, there’s no need for you to follow a gluten-free diet for your diabetes. 

Other Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar

You don’t need to avoid all carbohydrates or follow a restrictive diet to lower your A1c. 

Building a balanced plate can help you lower your blood sugar while enjoying your favourite foods. You can also find articles on diabetes-friendly fruit and ways to stay cool this summer without spiking your sugars.