Devotees Of Gluten-Free Lifestyle Unmoved By Nutritionists’ Advice

According to market researchers, fewer than ten percent of U.S. consumers are allergic to the protein gluten, found in wheat, barley and rye. Only one percent suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder marked by a serious digestive reaction to gluten. Yet 25 percent of consumers have sworn off gluten – thanks to hype from marketers and celebrities – creating a $6 billion a year market. Nutritionists say avoiding gluten is not harmful to people without celiac disease, but it is a waste of money. If a person doesn’t have celiac disease and isn’t gluten-sensitive, they say, go ahead and eat that bread. But that advice does not convince those without gluten sensitivity or celiac disease who swear their gluten-free diet has changed their lives.