Eating Gluten-Free Without a Medical Reason? You are making a mistake.

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Eating Gluten-Free Without a Medical Reason?

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Eating "gluten-free" when there's no medical need to do so won't boost your heart health -- and might even harm it, a new study warns.

Gluten-free diets have soared in popularity in recent years. But, shunning gluten has no heart benefits for people without celiac disease, and it may mean consuming a diet lacking heart-healthy whole grains, according to the quarter-century study.

"For the vast majority of people who can tolerate it, restricting gluten to improve your overall health is likely not to be a beneficial strategy," said study leader Dr. Andrew Chan.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. People with celiac disease -- less than 1 percent of the U.S. population -- have an immune system reaction when they eat gluten, triggering inflammation and intestinal damage. They also have an increased risk of heart disease, but that declines after they begin eating a gluten-free diet, according to background information in the study.

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So, the researchers then adjusted their findings for intake of refined grains. "It appeared that those individuals who consumed the lowest levels of dietary gluten had a 15 percent higher risk of heart disease," Chan said.

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