By Helaina Thompson
For three years, my significant other has worked as a baker, and for the two of those years we’ve known one another, I’ve happily devoured hand made sourdough loaves, artisanal pizzas, and multilayered cakes — all of which were made with, and would not be the same without, gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat that comes together to promote structure and elasticity in baked goods. Without gluten, bread dough loses its chewiness and cakes lack moisture.
On nights after we’ve shared a pizza, my baker beau and I will transport our full stomachs to the couch, where we, more often than not, turn on “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” Lately, we’ve watched as Kourtney Kardashian, the eldest sister, adopts a six-week gluten-free, dairy-free diet to “tone up and get bikini body ready.”
Kardashian’s latest diet, shared by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham, is a mere illustration of a nationwide trend: disowning gluten. Only 1 percent of Americans have celiac disease, according to the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, and anywhere from 0.5 to 13 percent of the population suffers from gluten sensitivity. Yet 18 percent of consumers report buying gluten-free food products, and one-third of Americans say they want to reduce their gluten intake.
The University of Iowa has made recent efforts to accommodate students who desire gluten-free cuisine. Last week, The Daily Iowan reported new coolers in residence-hall cafeterias will contain “gluten-free items such as bagels, brownies, and spreads.” Students with celiac disease will gladly embrace these changes. So will a number of their gluten-tolerant peers, à la Kardashian, simply looking to participate in the gluten-free fad diet.
A healthy gluten-free diet can be very difficult to maintain. Gluten-free diets often lack the fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in whole grains. Many processed gluten-free foods add more sugar and fat to seem more appetizing. And those products come at a higher cost: Gluten¬free foods are 242 percent more expensive than regular products, according to the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research.
It is important to keep in mind that notions of holistic health are not entirely determined by diet choices, especially when one makes these decisions based on the popularity of a specific diet choice. Just as every human being’s body is unique, so are the various needs and dietary requirements. There is a time for following trends, but when debating what people put into their bodies, it is often best to follow one’s own path or the one recommended by a doctor or nutritionist.
One counter-trend to restrictive eating appears to be a cluster of food bloggers, most famously Jordan Younger of the Blonde Vegan, admitting their diets had transitioned into actual eating disorders. Any diet that involves food restriction — whether that be dairy, meat, or gluten — has the ability to trigger an eating disorder, experts warn. Trying a gluten-free brownie at the Burge Marketplace shouldn’t raise any immediate red flags, but food anxiety is something people should be mindful of.
Watching as my boyfriend mixes, shapes, then bakes his dough into crusty, round loaves of bread, I can’t help but think Kardashian and the like are truly missing out on the goodness of gluten. My best diet advice? Eat what you want, in moderation. My best relationship advice? Date a baker.