Nutrition and Diet Specialist Hülya Yiğit emphasizes that the perception created in the media in recent years that gluten-free packaged products and gluten-free flours are healthy does not reflect the truth and said, “This is more of a marketing strategy. Because most gluten-free products are made from processed flours. “Gluten-free wheat flour is more processed than regular flour.” said.
APPLYING A GLUTEN-FREE DIET IS MORE DIFFICULT THAN NUTRITION
Nutrition and Diet Specialist Hülya Yiğit noted that the latest research shows that gluten-free diets can show positive results in autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, autism and fibromyalgia, and said, “In today's conditions, implementing a gluten-free diet is financially and socially more difficult than a normal diet. Because reaching a healthy product requires extra effort. “If you are following a gluten-free diet, it will be much healthier to consume grains such as buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, which have high fiber content and do not naturally contain gluten, and legumes and their flours (such as chickpea flour) instead of potatoes, rice and gluten-free flours.” he said.
Yiğit stated that most gluten-free products are made from processed flour and said, “Gluten-free wheat flour is more processed than normal flour and is poorer in B vitamins, folic acid and fiber. Moreover, their glycemic index, that is, their rate of raising blood sugar, is higher than white flour. Additionally, more sugar and fat can be added to enhance the taste of gluten-free products. "For this reason, when purchasing these products, their labels should be examined carefully," he said.
