A gluten-free diet has gained popularity in recent years. Besides many people unnecessarily adhering to a gluten-free diet, this can have adverse health consequences.
Gluten-Free
We are always looking for scapegoats, even in a diet. It’s much easier to pinpoint one culprit as the cause of all evil than to acknowledge the complex interaction of numerous factors. In the past, it was primarily fat; nowadays, sugar often takes the blame.
Gluten also fall into that category. Somewhere, someone proclaims, “Gluten is bad, mmkay,” and worldwide, people banish gluten. In the past, all you needed to do was lease a Prius to arrogantly stroll through life. Nowadays, apparently, a Tesla is required for that. But I digress.
Gluten are a group of proteins found in some grains like wheat. About 1% of the population may experience intestinal damage from consuming gluten, while 5 to 10 percent may have a sensitivity to gluten [1]. Effects of this can include bloating and diarrhea.
Nevertheless, for example, in the U.S., an increasingly higher percentage of people are trying to eat less gluten or go gluten-free. A whopping 30%, much more than the number of people who might actually prevent any symptoms by doing so. Those who unnecessarily avoid wheat also miss out on essential nutrients like fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamin B6 [3].
It is therefore advisable to consult whether there is any reason in your case to eat less or no gluten at all. Especially if substitutes turn out not to be entirely harmless.
Less Gluten, More Arsenic and Mercury
Arsenic and mercury are metals that have toxic effects on the body. Rice has the property of absorbing these metals from the soil. High intake of rice is therefore associated with higher levels of arsenic and mercury in the body. In a Chinese region where rice is extensively grown and consumed, and where there is a lot of mercury in the soil, this leads to dangerously high levels [4]. However, at normal levels of rice consumption, this should not pose a danger.
However, people who want to eat gluten-free often use substitutes that often contain rice. Recent research now shows that they have higher levels of arsenic and mercury in their blood [5]. American researchers analyzed data from 7,471 participants in a large population study. Of these, 73 had indicated that they ate gluten-free. They were found to have twice as much arsenic in their urine and significantly more mercury than others. Although these levels do not yet pose a health risk, they were higher than normal values.
The health impacts at this level of exposure are unknown, But people should be aware of what they are eating. They are potentially consuming much more rice than they realize.
-Dr. M. Argos, University of Illinois, Sciencedaily
So, “if it doesn’t harm, it doesn’t harm” may not apply here.
References
- Brouns FJPH, van Buul VJ. (2013). Effects of wheat consumption on our health. 2013;68(2):7–10.. Dutch Journal for Nutrition & Dietetics68 (2): 7-10 .
- npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/percentage-of-us-adults-trying-to-cut-down-or-avoid-gluten-in-their-diets-reaches-new-high-in-2013-reports-npd/
- livescience.com/36863-gluten-free-diet-healthy.html
- sciencenews.org/blog/science-public/mercury-surprise-rice-can-be-risky
- Bulka, Catherine M. MPH; Davis, Matthew A. PhD; Karagas, Margaret R. PhD; Ahsan, Habibul MD, MMedSc; Argos, Maria
The Unintended Consequences of a Gluten-Free Diet. Epidemiology ahead of print.
