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Gluten-free diets have been having a moment for a while now, and not just for people with celiac disease. Walk down any grocery aisle, and you’ll see gluten-free labels on everything from bread to cookies to pasta. It’s easy to assume that if a product is gluten-free, it must be the healthier choice. But is that actually true if your body digests gluten just fine?
Today, we break down what the research says about going gluten-free when you don’t have a gluten-related condition, including some surprising downsides you might not expect.
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Ready to digest?
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |
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Written by Tim Snaith
February 17, 2026 • 1 min, 30 sec read |
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| Q: |
Should I go gluten-free even if I don’t have an intolerance? |
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| A: |
The short answer? Probably not, unless a doctor recommends it.
Gluten-free diets are medically necessary for people with celiac disease, nonceliac gluten sensitivity, gluten ataxia, and dermatitis herpetiformis.
Research on the benefits for everyone else is mixed. A small 2018 study found that a low gluten diet may help reduce self-reported bloating and change gut bacteria in positive ways. On the other hand, a 2019 research review didn’t find any significant benefits for people without gluten-related conditions, and suggested that any improvements people notice might be a placebo effect.
The bigger concern is what you might be missing out on. Gluten-free products often lack nutrients such as fiber, folate, iron, zinc, and magnesium. They can also have more calories, saturated fats, and sugars. On top of that, gluten-free products tend to be more expensive and harder to find. So if you don’t have a medical reason to avoid gluten, you may be spending more money on foods that are actually less nutritious.
If you’re curious about whether gluten is affecting you, talk with your doctor. They can test for celiac disease and other conditions. And if you do want to reduce gluten in your diet, a registered dietitian can help you do it without missing out on key nutrients.
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| Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.)
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| What we’re digesting |
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