Neither Gluten Nor Lactose: The Fad Diet

This new habit of not including gluten or lactose, can be part of the routine of those who chose to eliminate the extra pounds. A factor that is unusual, since it is not only a diet for those who suffer from celiac disease or lactose intolerance, but also for people who are very concerned about their physical appearance.

Eating without gluten or lactose is no longer a prescription for diet therapy, which aims to include and exclude foods to treat a disorder or illness to improve health. It’s a fad diet that goes against all paradigms.

What is lactose and gluten?

Let’s define them in a very practical way, so you can easily understand. As for lactose, we refer to the sugar in milk. This means that an individual suffers from lactose intolerance when he has lost the enzyme that is responsible for digesting it: lactase.

When this occurs, the following symptoms may arise:

• vomiting
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal pain and swelling (more pronounced in some people than in others).

Now gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, oats, rye and all their derivatives. Consequently, the symptoms of gluten intolerance are very similar to the previous case.

The difference is that the villi in the intestine, which are in charge of absorbing food, gradually deteriorate. If so, it is necessary to eliminate it from the diet in a hurry. In this sense, individuals who suffer from these disorders should investigate which products contain these components.

 When can we talk about gluten and lactose intolerance?

For those people who wish to integrate more than a fad diet into their lives, and for those who cannot ingest these elements because their health is compromised, it is necessary to clarify what it means to suffer from these disorders.

Our intention is for you to be able to identify what happens in your body so that you can define and understand what really happens in your body.

In both cases, the reactions take place in the small intestine, one of the most important organs in the digestive process. As for lactose, the entire gastrointestinal system suffers when there is a deficiency of the enzyme lactase.

On the other hand, with gluten, there is something more than an intolerance. It is an allergy that leads to a reaction in the immune system. In this disorder, the protein cannot be sent to the bloodstream or cells. This is why the microvilli in the small intestine deteriorate.

Is it really dangerous to follow this fad diet?

Being guided by the restrictions of this diet, without being lactose intolerant or having celiac disease is not dangerous, since these nutrients are not essential for the body.

However, the unwarranted elimination of lactose from the daily diet can make it much more difficult to digest in the future.

On the other hand, it may be that following this gluten-free or lactose-free eating plan causes considerable weight loss. This is not due to the effects of its components. It is a healthier diet as flour and sugar are eliminated.

Against a generalized diet

Gabriel Oliveira, an endocrinologist, who directs the Andalusian Society for Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (Sancyd) , told Malaga daily La Opinión daily that eating without gluten or lactose is a decision that should only be made by those affected by these nutrients .

He pointed out that this is a fad diet that doesn’t make any sense. He explained that dairy products have numerous benefits and that they should be part of a balanced diet, just like gluten. Defines this trend as “an expensive practice that is part of a big global business” .

Having explained this, it is essential to be aware of the importance of taking care of your health. Even though it’s been clear that you won’t be in danger if you eliminate lactose and gluten-containing foods, it’s advisable to resort, rather than a fad diet, to a balanced and healthy diet.