An increasing number of people are choosing a diet low in gluten, even though they are not allergic to the nutrient. This trend has sparked a public debate about whether or not to recommend low-gluten diets for people without allergies. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, among others, have now looked into this.
In an intervention study of healthy Danish adults, an international team of scientists shows that a low-gluten but high-fiber diet changes the community of gut bacteria and reduces gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating and is linked to modest weight loss. The changes in gut comfort and body weight relate to changes in the composition and function of the gut bacteria.
The researchers undertook a randomized, controlled, crossover study of 60 healthy middle-aged Danish adults with two eight-week interventions that included a low-gluten diet (2 g gluten per day) and a high-gluten diet (18 g gluten per day). day), separated by a washout period of at least six weeks with a regular diet (12 g gluten per day). The two diets were balanced in calories and nutrients, including the same amount of dietary fiber. However, the fiber composition clearly differed between the two diets.
Based on their observations of altered patterns of food fermentation of the gut bacteria, the researchers conclude that the effects of a low-gluten diet in healthy people may not be due primarily to reduced gluten intake itself, but rather to a change in dietary fiber composition by reducing fiber from wheat and rye and replacing it with fiber from vegetables, brown rice, corn, oats and quinoa.
The current study suggests that even some healthy people prefer a low-gluten diet to combat intestinal problems or obesity.
