Even though their children do not need to eat gluten-free foods for health reasons, some parents buy these foods because they think they are healthier. A new study finds they are not nutritionally superior and says research shatters “the myth” that they are.
Charlene Elliott is a Professor and Canada Research Chair in Food Marketing, Policy and Children’s Health at the University of Calgary. She compared 374 food products marketed to children and found that 88 per cent those labelled gluten-free could be considered to have poor nutritional quality due to high levels of sugar, sodium and/or fat. Many of these foods also had lower protein levels.
“This makes it challenging for parents of children with gluten intolerance, and it also has implications for parents who mistakenly believe that gluten-free will confer health benefits,” said Elliot in a statement on the university web page.
In choosing foods for their children, evidence suggests parents should not believe claims that gluten-free food products are nutritionally superior. (iStock)
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