Have you also decided to eat gluten-free or lactose-free? It has its risks

In recent times the idea has spread that the and lactose are “unhealthy nutrients”.

The result of this bad reputation has led many people to make the decision to eliminate them from their diet without being told by any specialist.

Specifically, the lactose-free diet is the type of exclusion diet most followed by the Spanish population. It is estimated that 25% of Spaniards have a lactose-free diet and 64% extend this habit to their family nucleus. A decision that would not be justified from a scientific point of view in 61% of cases.

Something similar happens with gluten. 8% of Spaniards state that they follow a gluten-free diet, and 70% extend it to their families. However, this exclusion would not have scientific justification for 72% of the cases.

They often coincide

So it is estimated that 61% of the subjects who follow a lactose-exclusion diet and 72% of the subjects who do so with gluten could be doing so without the elimination of these components being sufficiently justified from the point of view scientist.

The possible relationship between those who follow gluten-free and lactose-free diets is also revealed:

• 79% of those who avoid gluten also exclude lactose.

• 56% of those who adopt a lactose-free diet do the same with gluten.

These practices -which derive from a growing concern for well-being, health self-care and food quality- have been collected in the first report on food exclusion published in our country:

• “Trend of food exclusion in the Spanish population”, carried out by and .

To carry it out, data from 3,150 surveys have been collected aimed at finding out the motivation and objective of food exclusions, whether the change in the dietary pattern is justified from the scientific point of view and, otherwise, if it entails a health risk. human.

Lactose restriction is not medically justified in 61% of cases.

Other diets that exclude food

The study also includes other diets that exclude the consumption of certain foods. Among them are:

• The flexitarian diet (7%), characterized by a low intake of meat, but which prioritizes white and lean meat

• The vegetarian (4%), which excludes meat and fish, but may allow dairy and eggs

• The vegan (0.8%) that does not admit any food of animal origin.

This type of dietary pattern sometimes responds not only to health issues but also to personal convictions and/or a specific lifestyle.

What are the reasons for exclusion?

When respondents are asked what reasons have led them to exclude certain foods, nutrients and ingredients, up to 40% acknowledge that it has been a self-prescribed decision, derived from personal reflection.

If the decision is due to a health problem, 32% have gone to a family or general doctor, followed by other health professionals such as a specialist doctor (18%) or dietician-nutritionist (17%).

For its part, the influence of the family represents 17% and the media also have an important weight (37%).

In general, the concern about eliminating foods considered less beneficial for health from the diet mainly affects women and the middle-aged population, who, in general, are more aware of taking care of their diet and physical condition.

As he affirms doctor russolilloPresident of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“It must be remembered that, in the event of a suspected disease or symptom, or in the event of any doubt that a food may be making us feel bad, you should go to the doctor, who will carry out both a clinical assessment and the necessary complementary tests to establish the diagnosis. And if you need individualized dietary treatment, contact a dietitian-nutritionist or a doctor specializing in endocrine and nutrition”,

Concern about eliminating foods considered less beneficial for health from the diet mainly affects women.

“Less Healthy” Foods and Nutrients

Food, nutrients and ingredients perceived as “less healthy” are, at the same time, the most totally or partially excluded, both by the people surveyed and by their family environment.

In this list they stand out:

• Palm oil.

• Hydrogenated or trans fats.

• Additives.

• Sweetened drinks.

• Sugary drinks.

• Drinks with alcohol.

• Cookies, pastries and sweets.

At first glance, not taking any of these products is something that any healthcare provider would recommend. But as nutrition specialists point out, the case of additives is curious.

These ingredients are FDA-approved, rigorously tested, and many of them serve to improve food safety. And despite this, they are perceived as “bad” and avoided by 7 out of 10 people.

In this sense, nutrition experts believe that “food education work for the population would be necessary to explain the role that additives play in preserving food, as well as to provide transparent information on their level of safety.”

Healthy people need a balanced diet that contains all the nutrients in the body.

Consequences of exclusion diets without health advice

The experts of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics emphasize that:

• “Healthy people need a balanced diet that contains essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body and to prevent diseases associated with dietary habits.”

For this reason they insist that the decision to stop including any food or ingredient in our diet…