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Whole Plant Foods, Not Fads, Best for Heart Health

Magazines and news articles often jump from one “superfood” or fad diet to the next, but not all nutrition advice is backed up by substantial evidence. In this review, researchers analyzed the scientific support for various trending “heart healthy” foods and diets. Eating berries, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, leafy green vegetables, and plant-based diets are all strongly linked with better heart-health based on numerous studies. On the other hand, coconut oil, palm oil, eggs, juicing, and southern diets are linked with potential harm. Additionally, the researchers found no support that gluten-free diets are beneficial for people without gluten related disorders. The authors conclude that “Evidence-based healthy dietary patterns are high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts in moderation, although some may include limited quantities of lean meats (including poultry and seafood), low-fat dairy products, and liquid vegetable oils.”
Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2017 March 7;69(9):1172-87.

Eating Gluten at an Early Age Not Related to Celiac Disease in Most High Risk Children

Celiac disease, which effects an estimated 1% of the population, is an autoimmune disease that requires strict, lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. Eating gluten early in life for certain at-risk populations has been suggested to increase celiac disease risk, but there has been little evidence to support this notion. To better understand this relationship, scientists analyzed data from 715 children at high risk of developing celiac disease. The children, from 5 European countries, were randomly assigned how much gluten to eat from 4 or 6 months through 10 months of age. Findings show that gluten intake showed no relationship with celiac disease development risk over the next 6 years, except in children with a specific genotype (HLA-DQ2.2/-DQ7).
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2017 February 22;105(4):890-896. (Crespo-Escobar P et al.) 

Gluten Free Diet Has No Effect on Non-celiac Athletes

A common belief among athletes is that going gluten-free might help performance. To investigate this popular belief, Australian scientists randomly assigned 13 competitive cyclists without celiac disease to a 7 day gluten containing diet or a 7 day gluten free diet. The cyclists then went through a 10 day washout period, before trying the other diet, serving as their own controls. There was no significant difference in time trial performance of the athletes on either diet, nor were there significant differences in markers of inflammation or intestinal injury.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. 2015 Dec;47(12):2563-70.

Gluten Free Foods Are Not Healthier

While most whole grains are naturally gluten free (like quinoa, millet, and rice), many gluten-free packaged foods are made with refined, starchy flours, such as potato flour or white rice flour. To see how gluten free products stack up, researchers analyzed the nutrition on over 3200 food products in Australia, comparing the health of gluten free items to items containing gluten. Gluten free products were found to have significantly less protein across all major food groups, and gluten free pasta was found to be significantly less healthful than regular pasta (based on the Australian government’s “Health Star Rating”). Other than that, the researchers found no significant health differences between gluten free (GF) and gluten-containing products, concluding that “the consumption of GF products is unlikely to confer health benefits, unless there is clear evidence of gluten intolerance.”
British Journal of Nutrition. 2015 Jun 29:1-7. [Epub ahead of print]. (Wu JH et al.)

Early Infant Feeding and Celiac Prevention

At the Medical University of Warsaw, researchers participating in an international project investigating early-life factors that may prevent celiac disease in genetically-predisposed people found several factors that may be involved. Although evidence is still limited, the scientists advise avoiding both early (before 4 months) and late (after 7 months) introduction of gluten; it also seems that introducing gluten while the infant is still being breast-fed may be protective.

Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2012 August 21. [Epub ahead of print] (Szajewska et al.)

Buckwheat Enhanced Gluten-free Bread a Healthier Gluten-free Alternative

Researches from the Polish Academy of Sciences recently published a study suggesting substituting some or all of the corn starch in many traditional gluten-free bread recipes with buckwheat flour. In addition to providing higher levels of antioxidants, B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, the study indicated that swapping 40% of the corn starch for buckwheat flour also increased its “overall sensory quality” when compared to the gluten-free bread used in the control. Although recipes were tested with anywhere from 10-40% buckwheat flour, the conclusion clearly points to the 40% buckwheat flour results as having the most nutritional benefits for celiac sufferers.
International Journal of Food Science and Technology, October 2010; 45(10):1993–2000. Epub August 25, 2010.

Amaranth Offers Advantages for Gluten Free Baking

Many gluten-free products are low in nutrients, and offer technological challenges to food processors. Scientists at the Research Center for Food and Development in Hermosillo, Mexico, experimented with amaranth, a food with a long culinary tradition in Mexico. They found that bread formulation with 60-70% popped amaranth flour and 30-40% raw amaranth flour produced loaves with an even crumb and higher volume than most gluten-free breads, and that cookies formulated with 20% popped amaranth flour and 13% whole grain popped amaranth also worked out well. Both foods offered acceptible dough functionality without some of the additives often needed in GF foods, and the final foods had a very high nutritional value.
Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, August 24, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

Naturally Gluten-Free Grains May Be Cross-Contaminated

A Polish team from the Instytut Zywnosci in Warsaw analyzed 22 gluten-free products and 19 naturally gluten-free grains and flours, for gluten content. Gluten content in the products ranged from 5.19 to 57.16 mg/kg. In the inherently gluten-free grains and flours, no gluten was detected in rice and buckwheat samples, but was detected in rice flakes (7.05 mg/kg) in pearl millet (27.51 mg/kg) and in oats (>100 mg/kg). ?(Poland)
Rocz Panstw Zaki Hig. 2010; 61(1):51-5. ??

Meanwhile, in the U.S., Tricia Thompson, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant specializing in gluten-free diets, arranged for gluten-testing of 22 retail samples of inherently gluten-free grains, seeds, and flours. She found contamination of 20 to 2925 ppm in seven of 22 samples, putting them over the proposed FDA limit of 20 ppm, with lower levels in some others. Both articles point to the importance of gluten-free certification even on foods that are naturally gluten-free, such as millet.?(USA)
Journal of the American Dietetic Association. June 2010; 110(6):937-40.

Oats May Boost Nutrition Profile of Gluten-free Diets

Two recent studies out of Scandinavia show that adding oats to a gluten-free diet may enhance the nutritional values of the diets, particularly for vitamins and minerals, as well as increasing antioxidant levels.  Researchers asked 13 men and 18 women with Celiac disease to follow a gluten-free diet with the addition of kilned (stabilized) or unkilned oats.  After six months, the addition of stabilized oats resulted in an increased intake of vitamin B1 and magnesium, while the unkilned oats increased intakes of magnesium and zinc.  In the second study from Scandinavia, the addition of gluten-free oats allowed people on gluten-free diets to achieve their recommended daily intakes of fiber, as well as increasing levels of a particular antioxidant called bilirubin, which helps the body eliminate free radicals as well as protect the brain from oxidative damage.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, January 2010; 64:62-67, DOI:10.1038/ejcn.2009.113 and
The European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, December 2009; e315-e320

Gluten Free Diet Decreases Good Gut Bacteria

Although most whole grains are naturally gluten free, many gluten free diets are devoid of these prebiotic, nutrient powerhouses. In an effort to see how eliminating gluten effects the gut microbiome, Spanish researchers assigned ten healthy adults (average age 30) to a gluten free diet for one month, and measured the changes in their gut microbiome. In just one month of eliminating gluten, the good bacteria in their gut significantly decreased, and some harmful bacteria (like E. Coli) increased, although not significantly. This research suggests that those on a medically prescribed gluten free diet should take care to consume foods that are associated with good gut bacteria, such as gluten-free whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
British Journal of Nutrition. 2009 Oct;102(8):1154-60. (De Palma et al.)

More Protein, Minerals, Fiber in Quinoa

Anne Lee and colleagues at Columbia University’s Celiac Disease Center found that the nutritional profile of gluten-free diets was improved by adding oats or quinoa to meals and snacks. Most notable increases were protein (20.6g vs 11g) iron (18.4mg vs 1.4mg, calcium (182mg vs 0mg) and fiber (12.7g vs 5g
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, August 2009; 22(4):359-63. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Sorghum is Safe for People with Celiac Disease

Up to one percent of the U.S. population (and about ½% worldwide) is believed to have Celiac Disease, an autoimmune reaction to gluten proteins found in wheat, barley and rye. While sorghum has long been thought safe for celiacs, no clinical testing had been done until researchers in Italy made a study. First, they conducted laboratory tests; after those tests established the likely safety, they fed celiac patients sorghum-derived food products for five days. The patients experienced no symptoms and the level of disease markers (anti-transglutaminase antibodies) was unchanged at the end of the five-day period.
Clinical Nutrition. 2007 Dec;26(6):799-805. Epub 2007 Aug 24

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