It seems like everyone nowadays is on the gluten-free bandwagon, with supporters of the diet decrying gluten as the harbinger of digestive unrest, cancer, obesity, acne and a number of other nasty ailments.
In response, the Global Gluten Free Food Market is growing at a quick pace, projecting a CAGR of 11.45 percent from now through 2018, according to a recent TechNavio report. These foods, which cover everything from bakery products, to dairy and condiments, typically replace wheat with cornstarch, potato starch or rice flour.
But it seems like more and more people are taking up a gluten-free approach to life more for the trendiness, rather than any real knowledge of how it impacts health.
Seriously. Jimmy Kimmel recently caught a few nutritionistas red-handed, when the self-proclaimed health nuts and shunners of all things gluten couldn’t even describe what exactly gluten is.
Note: There is a small percent of the population (about one percent of Americans) that legitimately suffer from celiac disease, which is an immune response to gluten that can cause major damage to intestines and eventually other internal organs. It has no cure, but can be managed through diet (hence, gluten-free). However those with celiac account for a stunningly small percent of folks who have elected to go gluten-free.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a complex protein found in wheat, rye and barley that gives bread its chewy texture.
Nutritionists, scientists and doctors are weighing in on both sides of the gluten debate. There seems to be some accordance that a diet low in gluten is actually beneficial (because, in general, stuffing your face with bread at every meal isn’t so healthy), probably because less gluten-based products in a diet makes more room for fresh veggies and lean protein.
However, many healthcare providers have spoken out against replacing gluten with overly processed, gluten-free products. Even William Davis, author of Wheat Belly has cautioned against replacing one evil with another.
But demand begets supply, and the gluten-free craze has given rise to a huge number of products that the masses are snapping up in droves.
According to TechNavio analysts, it’s a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“The easy availability of gluten-free food products in retail stores, supermarkets, and food malls is one of the major factors driving the growth of the market. The conventional sales method has a huge market presence and includes grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchandisers, and club stores, which allows it to tap a huge consumer base. This results in wider and easier availability of gluten-free food products, which is fueling their demand,” say senior analysts.
Will Whole Foods Be the New Gluten-Free?
These overly processed gluten-free foods come with a laundry list of unpronounceable ingredients, and while they may not contain gluten, they certainly aren’t the best for overall health. Instead, many nutritionists are starting to extol the benefits of a diet packed with whole, naturally healthy foods.
These are unprocessed foods that are free from synthetic preservatives. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and made without any hormones, antibiotics, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils or trans fats and have low fat, sugar, and sodium content.
Luckily, naturally healthy foods make up the biggest segment of the Global Health and Wellness Food Market, which is growing at a CAGR of 5.49 percent from 2013-2018.
In a market that’s at the mercy of the latest celebrity endorsement, it’s anyone’s game as to whether gluten-free is here to stay or not. In the meantime, check out TechNavio’s reports on the Global Gluten-Free Food Market and Global Health and Wellness Food Market for more insights and trends affecting growth in these areas.
