One of the very first pieces I did here on the P.W. site, in November of 2018, was about one of the new trends of the day, the demonization of gluten. Since then, gluten free diets have become a popular option, and glute-free foods have proliferated. This is very good news for folks with Celiac’s disease. But now, in 2025, is there more evidence that gluten free living is healthier for the average, non-gluten sensitive folk?

Food scares are not a new thing. People have been demonizing one food or another for as long as there have been picky eaters on this planet. And opportunistic people have taken advantage of hearsay and testimonial, often without the benefit of facts or science, to make a lot of money at the expense of people who just want to feel better about what they put in their bodies.
Such as…?

Margarine, thanks for asking…
Margarine was first commercially produced in the USA in 1875. It was quickly labeled (libeled) as an unnatural and fraudulent substance and came under the hostile attention of the US butter lobby (it just makes me laugh to write “U.S. Butter lobby”). Legislation was enacted to prevent margarine being visually mistaken for butter. It was colored bright pink in some states, and white in many others. The State of Missouri actually passed laws forbidding the manufacture, sale, and even the possession of margarine with intention to sell.
In 1989 a lobby group persuaded the media that a pesticide used on apples (Alar) was carcinogenic and killing our children. The media blitz was huge and soon that pesticide was removed from the market. But real research showed that, in fact, one would have to drink 13,000 litres of apple juice a day to increase the risk of cancer.
Canada is still suffering from our first and only case of ” Mad Cow Disease.” Since it was discovered, one case was also found in the U.S. Experts at the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found the risk of contracting vCJD (Mad Cow Disease) from tainted beef is “as close to zero as you can get”. According to the USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service, clinical studies show there is virtually zero risk of getting vCJD.
Soy is a popular food for vegans and people who are trying to find an alternative source for protein aside from dairy and meat. A rumor has been making its way around for several years now. It essentially claims that eating soy can greatly raise your estrogen levels and decrease your testosterone. I had a co-worker warn me against using soy protein in my post workout smoothies. However, despite the claims that have been floating around for a while now, there is no real evidence to back any of them up. There is one case where an older man with multiple health issues was found to have a few noticeable effects, but he was drinking three entire quarts of soy a day. The bottom line  is that no reasonable consumption of soy is likely to have any serious or lasting effect on male hormone levels.

Which brings me back to…Gluten.

Let’s start with a definition, shall we? Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and various other grains. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Gluten can be found in many types of foods.

Conditions which make people sensitive to gluten include;

Celiac disease — an autoimmune disorder in which gluten triggers an immune system response and leads to symptoms, including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, fatigue and weight loss. People with Celiac’s can also damage their small intestine by consuming gluten.

Gluten ataxia– another autoimmune disorder, which affects nerve tissues and causes problems with muscle control
Wheat allergy– which also involves an immune system response to gluten causing congestion, breathing difficulties or other symptoms.

Nonceliac gluten sensitivity– which causes some of the same symptoms as celiac disease, but does not actually damage the small intestine.

Currently the worldwide percentage of people with Celiac’s is about 1.5%. Wheat allergy worldwide is estimated to be approximately 1%. Gluten ataxia between 0.1 & 0.5 %. Which leaves Non celiac gluten sensitivity. There are tests for this type of sensitivity, but often people simply self-diagnose themselves as gluten sensitive. Issues that are named as being related to gluten sensitivity include;

Stomach upset
Irregular bowel movements
Headaches and migraines
Brain fog
Fatigue
Depression, anxiety and other mood disorders
Joint pain and muscle cramps
Rheumatoid arthritis
Tingling and numbness in the extremities
Skin problems like acne, eczema, or unexplained rash
Infertility

Wow. That’s a lot. And, Several studies suggest that many if not most people who believe they’re gluten sensitive don’t react to gluten at all. According to a recent study, people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and self-reported gluten sensitivity who were on a non gluten diet were given isolated gluten — instead of a gluten-containing grain like wheat. The Isolated gluten had no dietary effect on the participants. That’s one, study with a small participant group, granted. Yet there’s still not much evidence that gluten is harmful to anyone outside of that tiny percentage of the population who are actually allergic to it. And a recent study of the nutritional contents of gluten-free foods showed they provided no additional health benefits over their gluten-packed equivalents yet cost about twice as much. Daniel Leffler, the director of clinical research at the Celiac Center in Boston, told Harvard Health: “People who are sensitive to gluten may feel better, but a larger portion will derive no significant benefit from the practice.”
Am I saying that your intolerance of gluten is all in your head? Nope, research could eventually find a reason why gluten affects people who don’t suffer from Celiac’s and the other listed, science-backed issues. If it makes you feel better, go ahead and eat gluten free. But you probably won’t find me in the gluten-free section of your local grocery store. I’ll be in the dairy isle…
…looking for the pink margarine.
Talk later,
Bob