Gluten-free has gone big time, but why so popular?

LaParis

Banned
Gwyneth Paltrow gushes over gluten-free. Chelsea Clinton's wedding cake was baked without it. The new Old Spice guy avoids the ubiquitous protein to help stay buff. In fact, odds are good you too have tried — or at least encountered — a product with the gluten removed.

Because gluten-free is what low-carb was a decade ago: The "it" diet discussed on daytime talk shows, promoted by hyper-slim actresses and adopted by masses. Grocery aisles are stocked with the likes of gluten-free pasta, crackers, cereal and beer.

Americans are enthusiastically exiling a dietary staple that wasn't even in most people's vocabulary a decade ago.

But why?

Unlike some other dietary boogeymen like trans-fats, gluten is not inherently bad to eat. Only a small percentage of people can't tolerate the protein, which occurs naturally in wheat, barley and rye. Plus, banning gluten from your diet can be really hard.

Not only is gluten an essential element of traditional breads and pastas (it's the protein that gives them their structure), it often is used as a thickening agent in processed foods, such as ketchup and ice cream. And cutting out gluten is no guarantee of weight loss.

The fad seems to be partly fueled by the celebrity factor: Paltrow talks it up on her website, Clinton stirred online chatter this summer when she ordered a gluten-free cake for her big day, and the muscular guy on the funny Old Spice commercials recently told Jay Leno gluten is one of the things he cut from his diet.

Then there are the claims that going "G-free" makes you feel more energetic.

Continued at this link. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100916...DeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDZ2x1dGVuLWZyZWVo
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Isn't marketing amazing????

Hey, they convinced most of America that tap water from a bottle was better than
from your sink......

Promoting gluten free will be...uh...a piece of cake!

LOLOLOLOL!

(My favorite was when the "flavored, carbonated" water hit the shelves and people
bought the clear sodas and STILL said they were drinking water. ha ha ha!)

I am very very cynical about fads, marketing of many questionable theories and products, etc etc, so apologies in advance if I get on my soap box.
(Which is phosphate free, colorless, scentless, hypoallergenic, and GREEN, dammit!!)
;)
 

Adillo303

*****
Gold Site Supporter
Kimchee said:
Hey, they convinced most of America that tap water from a bottle was better than
from your sink......

I bought a 1 pt 7 oz bottle of water the other day. $2.00 for the bottle. That is about $10.50 a gallon. NYC tapwater is tested annually and is safe enough to dring that filtration is not needed.
 

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
some people actually cannot tolerate gluten.
other people think they can't.
other people suspect they can't because 'I felt bad'
some doctors don't know the difference.

is it me or is virtually everyone alive coming down with new and improved allergies and intolerances?

it's like "peanut free zones" - without a single question there are people who are mildly to fatally allergic to peanut products - or even peanut smells. however what I see is 8 out of 10 'mommies' have decided since the kid was within 5 miles of a peanut and the kid sneezed, the kid has a fatal peanut allergy.

how did the human race survive so long? with everybody being allergic to essentially everything . . . .
 

vyapti

New member
I've wondered this as well. I've read a little about sensitivity but no actual medical claims, at least for those not sensitive to it. I eat tons of the stuff. I think its a healthy protein source.

how did the human race survive so long? with everybody being allergic to essentially everything . . . .

I do think allergies are on the rise. . . and wonder if there's been a time in human history where exercised less and we've eaten worse.
 

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
4 those intolerant 2 gluten, quite feasible 4 proper digestion-
otherwise, anoher food-fad
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
So far, the gluten-free section at my local super market consists of very few items.
However, when going to larger stores like Meijer and Kroger.. good grief, yes.. I can see where this may be a fad of the day, just like the dozens of others that have come and gone over the last 20-30 years.
Remember the 'lite' craze? That drove me NUTS! LOL!
 
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