Low Mineral Intake in the Gluten-Free Diet?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck - Gluten-Free

The Gluten-Free diet, a medical necessity for those with Celiac Disease, is gaining popularity among the general population.  In part, this trend has been fueled by the popularity and support of the gluten-free diet among celebrities such as Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), Zooey Deschanel, and The View's Elisabeth Hasselbeck, for example.

On a cautionary note, a research study from the UK suggests that the gluten-free diet may be deficient in some important minerals and dietary fiber [1].

From the study authors:

Individuals consuming a strict GFD (gluten-free diet) generally had similar intakes of energy and nutrients to those of comparison populations, but a higher proportion of carbohydrate intake was obtained from nonmilk extrinsic sugars and intakes of nonstarch polysaccharides were low. Compared with the UKWCS sample, female patients adhering to a GFD had lower intakes of magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium and folate. In male patients, intakes of magnesium and selenium were particularly low.

Summary:

The study authors found that the gluten free diet was high in sugar, low in minerals such as iron, zinc, manganese, selenium, magnesium, and folate, and low in dietary fiber.


References:

1. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2010 Aug;32(4):573-81. Epub 2010 Jun 4.