Nowadays, everyone seems to be hopping on the gluten-free diet fad despite not suffering from coeliac disease, with many believing it leads to a healthier lifestyle.
However, medical professionals are warning those who haven’t been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance to not cut the ingredient from their diet.
Claiming that those without a wheat allergy or gluten sensitivity can actually be missing out on vital nutrients, Dr Norelle Reilly from Columbia University Medical Centre in New York said gluten-free products can be high in fat and sugar.
In her publication published in The Journal of Paediatrics, Dr Reilly said that there is no evidence to suggest that avoiding the ingredient is in anyway beneficial.
“In fact, the opposite may be true in certain cases, particularly when the diet is followed without the guidance of an experienced registered dietitian or physician,” she wrote.
She said: "The gluten-free diet should be recommended judiciously, and patients self-prescribing should be counselled as to possible financial, social and nutritional consequences."
