By Jane Barthelemy.
Gluten-free is big business now. Every grocery has a gluten-free aisle filled with tempting treats like gluten-free chips, and gluten-free chocolate cookies. But why do doctors say they expect people to gain weight on a gluten-free diet? Weight gain is associated with carbs and sugars. As I read ingredient labels in the gluten-free aisle, it becomes clear that our food manufactures have swapped out gluten for highly processed refined carbs and sugars. Empty calories. And if you eat them you’ll gain weight for sure. So unfortunately most of these new gluten-free products may defeat your healthy purpose. Enjoy your food, but just don’t be fooled by the hype. To illustrate my point, check out this surprising comparison of homemade vs. store-bought gluten-free brownies!

2 delicious gluten-free brownies. Which will you eat?

#1 is my Homemade Paleo/Gluten-free Brownie.
Ingredients: Shredded coconut, eggs, chicory root sweetener, almond butter, cacao powder, coconut butter, carob powder, coffee powder, salt, water, pure vanilla extract.

#2 is French Meadows Gluten-free Fudge Brownie.
Ingredients: GMO Beet Sugar, Rice Flour, GMO Canola Oil, Egg Whites, Eggs, Cocoa, Brown Sugar, Tapioca Starch, GMO Potato Starch, Xanthan Gum, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Natural Chocolate, Flavor, Salt.

Which one is Best? Surprise!
#1 – My gluten-free brownie has only 3.2 grams carbs. That’s super-low. And zero sugars! It has 3.6 grams protein per brownie. Hooray! That’s because it uses low-carb shredded coconut, chicory root sweetener, and almond butter, that won’t raise blood sugar or cause bloating. Plus it tastes yummilicious! Click for the recipe.
#2 – French Meadows brownie has 23 grams carbs and 13 grams sugar! Too high! And only 2 grams protein. Very low. That’s because it uses beet sugar and brown sugar, both glycemic sugars. It uses the highest-carb flours including rice flour, tapioca, and potato starch. This brownie contains at least 2 GMO ingredients: GMO beet sugar, and GMO canola oil, which cause intestinal bloating. Many of these ingredients are in the top 10 triggers list for gluten inflammation. Sorry, this is one brownie to avoid.

For more information on the best gluten-free flours, see my article: Gluten-free Flours, Best & Worst for Weight Gain.

The moral: Beware of high-carb, high-sugar processed gluten-free foods.
And don’t be fooled by health claims of gluten-free products.