Wheat It and Weep: Should You Go Gluten Free?

Written By Hopelessly Yellow

October 14th, 2025

Photo: Libby Zufi

Writer: Silvia Foss

Editor: Rachel Jubenville

I come from a very health-conscious family. Often, this meant taking extra supplements, or meticulously flipping over every box in the grocery store to compare ingredient quality. One ingredient that has sparked a great debate within modern media is gluten. While it's often looked over, it’s likely in most of your daily meals. Bread? You bet. Twizzlers 5? Believe it or not, also yes. 


Recently, many decorated athletes and celebrities, including Jennifer Anniston and pro tennis player Andy Murray, have openly dissuaded gluten in diets. So, is the trouble of avoiding this sticky protein beneficial?

What Science Says About Gluten

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, known for giving bread that irresistible, chewy texture. In some cases, gluten is the villain:

  • Celiac disease 7: This autoimmune disorder created by an abnormal gene that causes gluten to damage the small intestine. One crumb of cake can trigger symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, etc.

  • Gluten Sensitivity 2: Unlike celiac disease, the cause of gluten sensitivity is not understood. It can cause similar symptoms to celiac, yet often in a less extreme capacity. 

For those without a gluten sensitivity, Dr. Sabrina Cenni 15, an expert on gluten immunology from the Department of Experimental Medicine at the University of Campania in Naples, Italy, found that gluten can still trigger immune and gut changes. Such changes can cause a condition called leaky gut which essentially increases one’s intestinal permeability. Leaky gut allows more toxins to enter the blood stream, manifesting a number of symptoms. Cenni’s study also found that the effects of gluten on leaky gut were proven to be stronger in individuals with celiac (Cenni et al., 2023). 

On the contrary, while going gluten free may help to relieve a “leaky gut”, healing your gut microbiome is a much larger task. For both celiac and non-celiac individuals, a gluten-free diet resulted in a decrease in beneficial bacteria and drastic increase in unwanted gut bacteria (Cenni et al., 2023). It is believed that gluten free products are typically lower in fiber and prebiotics, which encourages a healthy gut microbiome. 

Patients with IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) reported reduced symptoms with gluten avoidance; however, controlled trials gave mixed results, and further research is required to conclude that a gluten-free diet is effective for these individuals (Cenni et al., 2023). 

There’s no strong scientific evidence to suggest avoiding gluten is beneficial for people without any gluten sensitivity. If you think you may have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, it’s always best to talk to your doctor first before drawing conclusions 4. After consulting a doctor, you can monitor symptoms of a gluten-free diet for several weeks to see if any symptoms change. Some people without any gluten-sensitivity say they simply feel better without it in their diets. The key is making sure you’re keeping a balanced diet. For example, replacing whole-grain bread with highly processed “gluten-free” cookies and chips is not an equal replacement in your diet. 

Cooking Gluten-Free: Tips and Recipes

If you’re curious about trying a gluten-free diet, or just looking for new recipe ideas and tips, look no further! I’ve been eating predominantly gluten-free my whole life. At first, cooking this way can feel limiting, but over time you learn staple recipes and go-to substitutions that return the enjoyment and freedom of cooking.

Substitutions for key glutenous ingredients: 

  • Flour: In my opinion, this is the hardest swap to make! I’ve found mixed flours work similarly to glutenous flours because they contain a mix of starches that offer different qualities to baking. They usually include a base flour for added lightness and a binder for structure. My favorite flours to use are King Arthur's Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour and Measure for Measure Flour 6. 

  • Grains: Barley, wheat and rye all contain gluten. There are solid substitutes for these, such as quinoa, buckwheat, rice, millet, or corn.

  • Ingredients to look out for: Some ingredients vary in gluten content, so it’s especially important to check the label for commonly forgotten ingredients: vanilla extract, oats, soy sauce, and many more.

Recipes to try: 

  • Banana bread 11: Banana bread and similar banana based recipes like banana pancakes make great gluten free treats. The typical dry nature that follows a gluten-free recipe can be easily countered with over-ripe bananas. 

  • Cheesecake 10: Because cheesecake typically only contains gluten in the crust, it’s an easy switch to sub-in gluten free graham crackers.

  • Stir-Fry 3: This recipe is already gluten free for the most part, the only major change is using a different thickening agent for the sauce. I find that corn starch works well. 

  • Gnocchi 8: Have you ever wanted to try your hand at making pasta? Now is the time. Making gnocchi will surprise you with how quickly it can come together. It already has a gluten-free base, potato, so it’s very easy to make your own gluten free version.You can pair it with your favorite gluten free flour! 

Silvia’s favorite GF snacks: 



Works Cited

  1. Blue Diamond. (n.d.). Nut Thins® | Gluten-Free Crackers | Blue Diamond. Blue Diamond Almonds. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.bluediamond.com/brand/nut-thins/ 

  2. Cleveland Clinic. (Not Listed). Gluten Intolerance: Symptoms and Treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21622-gluten-intolerance 

  3. Collins, E. (2021, March 19). Gluten-Free Chicken Stir-Fry. Meaningful Eats. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-chicken-stir-fry/ 

  4. Gluten Intolerance Group. (n.d.). What You Need to Know About Gluten Sensitivity. Gluten Intolerance Group. https://gluten.org/2021/12/27/what-you-need-to-know-about-gluten-sensitivity/#:~:text=There%20are%20no%20tests%20or,on%20a%20gluten%2Dfree%20diet.&text=Gluten%20sensitivity%20is%20not%20an,no%20test%20for%20gluten%20sensitivity. 

  5. GRANDA, B. (NA). TWIZZLERS Twists Strawberry Flavored Candy, 32 oz big bag - Front of Package. Hersheyland. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.hersheyland.com/products/twizzlers-twists-strawberry-flavored-candy-32-oz-big-bag.html 

  6. King Arthur. (n.d.). Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour | King Arthur Baking. King Arthur Baking Company. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour 

  7. Mayo Clinic. (2025, July 30). Celiac disease - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/celiac-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20352220 

  8. My GF Guide. (2025, May 17). Homemade Gluten Free Gnocchi Recipe. My Gluten Free Guide. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.mygfguide.com/gluten-free-gnocchi/ 

  9. Oreo's. (n.d.). Gluten Free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, Family Size. OREO. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.oreo.com/products/oreo-gluten-free?Size=1+Pack 

  10. Palin, M. (2019, September 4). Gluten-free Cheesecake Recipe. My Gluten-free Kitchen. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://mygluten-freekitchen.com/gluten-free-cheesecake/ 

  11. Roberts, A. (n.d.). Gluten-Free Banana Bread. Mama Knows Gluten Free. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/easy-gluten-free-banana-bread/ 

  12. Snyder's. (n.d.). Gluten-Free Mini Pretzels. Snyder's of Hanover. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://snydersofhanover.com/gluten-free-mini-pretzels/ 

  13. Trader Joe's. (n.d.). Gluten Free Pumpkin Streusel Muffins. Trader Joe's. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/gluten-free-pumpkin-streusel-muffins-074619 

  14. Trader Joe's. (n.d.). Products. Trader Joe's. Retrieved October 1, 2025, from https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/gluten-free-multigrain-bread-062146

  15. Cenni, S., Sesenna, V., Boiardi, G., Casertano, M., Russo, G., Reginelli, A., Esposito, S., & Strisciuglio, C. (2023). The Role of Gluten in Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Review. Nutrients, 15(7), 1615. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071615 



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