Gluten: A Fad or a Fix?
When you walk through the supermarket, it seems like you can’t avoid foods labeled “gluten-free” or magazines featuring celebrities like Oprah, Kim Kardashian, and Miley Cyrus, all touting the benefits of their gluten-free diet. But what’s the deal with gluten, and why is everyone suddenly going gluten-free?
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale, meaning it’s in foods like pasta, bread, crackers, baked goods, pizza, and cereals. Gluten can also hide in unexpected places such as self-basting poultry, vegetables in sauces, or even cosmetics. It’s hard to escape gluten unless you’re actively avoiding it.
Why Avoid Gluten?
If you have celiac disease, you absolutely need to avoid gluten. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where gluten triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine’s villi, making it difficult for the body to absorb essential nutrients. People with celiac disease may experience abdominal pain, bloating, skin rashes, cramps, and malnutrition.
But what about those who don’t have celiac disease but still experience acne, eczema, or other skin rashes? This new phenomenon is called gluten intolerance, and it’s treated the same way as celiac disease—with a gluten-free diet. Though gluten intolerance doesn’t cause damage to the small intestine, it can cause skin irritation and worsen conditions like acne and eczema.
What Does a Gluten-Free Diet Look Like?
A gluten-free diet focuses on fresh meats, fruits, vegetables, and naturally gluten-free grains like rice, corn, quinoa, and beans. Gluten-free foods are those that contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. To make gluten-free versions of bread and starches, ingredients like rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca flour are used instead of wheat-based flour.
How Gluten Affects Your Skin
Recent research has shown that acne and eczema can be sensitive to gluten and high-starch diets. Some individuals experience a reduction in breakouts and skin irritation when switching to a low-gluten or gluten-free diet. If your skin isn’t improving with standard acne or eczema treatments, it might be time to explore how gluten could be affecting your skin.
Talk to a Dermatologist
If you suspect that your skin issues could be related to gluten intolerance, talk to Dr. Talakoub about how changing your diet could help. A simple change to a gluten-free diet may improve your skin’s health and reduce irritation caused by gluten.
