Healthy People Following Low Gluten Diet Have Less Intestinal Discomfort Says Study

The researchers at the University of Copenhagen have found that people who are already healthy and follow a low gluten and high fiber diet can experience less bloating and intestinal discomfort. This further leads to a moderate weight loss as well due to the high fiber diet. For these findings , a study was conducted on 60 middle aged Danish adults and their low gluten, high fiber diet was observed for several weeks.

High Fiber Low Gluten Diet

“We demonstrate that, in comparison with a high-gluten diet, a low-gluten, fibre-rich diet induces changes in the structure and function of the complex intestinal ecosystem of bacteria, reduces hydrogen exhalation, and leads to improvements in self-reported bloating. Moreover, we observed a modest weight loss, likely due to increased body combustion triggered by the altered gut bacterial functions,” explains the leading principal investigator of the trial, Professor Oluf Pedersen, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at University of Copenhagen.

“More long-term studies are definitely needed before any public health advice can be given to the general population. Especially, because we find dietary fibres — not the absence of gluten alone — to be the primary cause of the changes in intestinal discomfort and body weight. By now we think that our study is a wake-up call to the food industry. Gluten-free may not necessarily be the healthy choice many people think it is. Most gluten-free food items available on the market today are massively deprived of dietary fibers and natural nutritional ingredients. Therefore, there is an obvious need for availability of fibre-enriched, nutritionally high-quality gluten-free food items which are fresh or minimally processed to consumers who prefer a low-gluten diet. Such initiatives may turn out to be key for alleviating gastro-intestinal discomfort and in addition to help facilitating weight control in the general population via modification of the gut microbiota,” concludes senior lead investigator, Professor Oluf Pedersen.