On gluten, sugar and carbohydrates

By Tracy Satov MS, RD, September 14th, 2012

Tracy’s answer
No! Many people get disillusioned with the claims on a label. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It enhances the flavour, and texture, to most baked goods.
According to the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations, a gluten free food must not contain wheat (including spelt and kamut) or oats, barley, and rye. People who suffer from celiac disease or gluten intolerances need to be on a gluten free diet. Therefore, manufacturers have used other grains to substitute wheat. However, these other grains still contain carbohydrates.
Now you can find gluten free products in all the supermarkets. Even Dominos Pizza has introduced a gluten free crust! I would, however, warn anyone who does suffer from celiac disease that cross contamination may occur as both regular crust and gluten free are made in the same facility.
Foods that are naturally gluten free but yet still contain carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables, lentils and honey. Foods that are gluten free and carbohydrate free are meats, fish, seafood, nuts and seeds.
By definition a food that is labeled “sugar free” must contain less than 0.5 mg/serving of sugar (as in the form of sucrose). However, it may contain other types of sugars like molasses, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar alcohols (like mannitol, and xylitol). These types of foods still contain carbohydrates.
People trying to follow a low carbohydrate diet to lose weight should not be fooled by this label as these products still contain calories, sugar, and fat.
I always remind my clients that if something is too good to be true, then it probably is. Substituting gluten free crackers and pasta for the original will still add on the pounds.
Unfortunately for weight loss nothing is for “free” and there’s always a price to pay. Eating gluten free to shed the pounds will only shrink the inches from your wallet and not your waist!
 
Here’s to eating well
Tracy