New research casts some doubt on a gluten-free diet’s presumed health benefits. In a large study involving nearly 200,000 health professionals in the United States, scientists found that participants who ate the least amount of gluten actually had a somewhat higher risk of developing diabetes over time. The investigators speculate that going on a low-gluten diet reduces the intake of dietary fiber, which helps ward off type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Lauri Wright, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics comments, “Unless you have celiac disease, focusing on the quality of your carbohydrates—rather than gluten avoidance—is the way to go.”
American Heart Association, March 2017