LIFESTYLE NEWS - People who eat a gluten-free diet may be at risk for increased exposure to arsenic and mercury - toxic metals that can lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer and neurological effects.
This is according to a report in the journal Epidemiology.
Why are gluten-free diets popular?
A gluten-free diet is recommended for people with celiac disease, an out-of-control immune response to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.
Although less than one percent of people have been diagnosed with celiac disease, many people have said they prefer eating gluten-free because it reduces inflammation - a claim that has not been scientifically proven.
The problem with gluten-free food
Gluten-free products often contain rice flour as a substitute for wheat.
So why is rice flour an issue?
Well, rice is known to bioaccumulate certain toxic metals, including arsenic and mercury from fertilisers, soil, or water. However, little is known about the health effects of diets high in rice content.
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 between gluten-free diet and biomarkers of toxic metals in blood and urine.
They found 73 participants who reported eating a gluten-free diet among the 7 471 who completed the survey, between 2009 and 2014.
