Turns out those gluten-free eaters may be chowing down some unintended consequences.
A new study from the University of Illinois has found consuming a gluten-free diet may increase exposure to arsenic and mercury — toxic metals that can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological effects, according to a report in the journal Epidemiology.
Gluten-free products often contain rice flour as a substitute for wheat. Rice is known to bioaccumulate certain toxic metals, including arsenic and mercury from fertilizers, soil, or water, but little is known about the health effects of diets high in rice.
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Maria Argos, assistant professor of epidemiology in the UIC School of Public Health, and her colleagues looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey searching for a link.
People who reported eating gluten free had higher concentrations of arsenic in their urine, and mercury in their blood, than those who did not. The arsenic levels were almost twice as high for people eating a gluten-free diet, and mercury levels were 70 per cent higher.
“These results indicate that there could be unintended consequences of eating a gluten-free diet,” Argos said. “More research is needed before we can determine whether this diet poses a significant health risk.”
A gluten-free diet is recommended for people with celiac disease, but others often say they prefer eating gluten free because it reduces inflammation — a claim that has not been scientifically proven.
In 2015, one-quarter of Americans reported eating gluten free, a 67 per cent increase from 2013.
This article first appeared on OrganicBiz.
