--- title: Is Gluten-Free Good For You? description: Unless you’ve been on a media-free diet, you probably saw Jimmy Kimmel Live’s hilarious “What is Gluten?” video, in which none of the gluten avoiders... canonical: https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-25T14:00:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T08:00:04.975Z article:section: Health og:title: The gluten-free craze is growing. Here's what you need to know. og:description: Unless you’ve been on a media-free diet, you probably saw Jimmy Kimmel Live’s hilarious “What is Gluten?” video, in which none of the gluten avoiders... og:url: https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49df437dc52fcd1f/698690833bc9992f0b1a3995/153411460.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5197 og:image:height: 2923 og:image:alt: What You Need to Know About Gluten og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The gluten-free craze is growing. Here's what you need to know. twitter:description: Unless you’ve been on a media-free diet, you probably saw Jimmy Kimmel Live’s hilarious “What is Gluten?” video, in which none of the gluten avoiders... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49df437dc52fcd1f/698690833bc9992f0b1a3995/153411460.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 5 Things You Need to Know About Gluten > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. 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Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. by [Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Health.com Contributor May 25, 2014 2:00 PM UTC  bakery bakerySoren Hald—Getty Images by [Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Health.com Contributor May 25, 2014 2:00 PM UTC Unless you’ve been on a media-free diet, you probably saw Jimmy Kimmel Live’s hilarious “What is Gluten?” video, in which none of the gluten avoiders interviewed could explain exactly what gluten is. The truth is, most of my gluten-free clients don’t really know what it is either, but they do know that they feel better when they avoid it. But there’s a problem: I noticed that some of the things people said in Kimmel’s video, like where they think gluten is found, were just plain incorrect. The video has more than 2 million views, so I thought it would be helpful to provide a primer. Here are five things you should know before starting a gluten-free diet, in order to reap the benefits and avoid the pitfalls. **Health.com:** [16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20501331,00.html?xid=Time-gluten-052014) **Gluten is a protein** Yup, gluten is a type of protein naturally found in wheat (including spelt, kamut, farro, and bulgur) and other grains, like barley and rye. But gluten also lurks in many products, like salad dressings, seasoning mixes, vitamins, and even lip balm, so eliminating it completely is a big commitment. I’ve met many people who say they are gluten-free, but in reality they’ve just eliminated wheat-based foods like bread, pasta, and bagels, because they think wheat is the only source. If you truly need to banish gluten altogether, you need to become a gluten sleuth. **Gluten isn’t in every type of grain** I’ve heard many people say that gluten is found in grains period, but that’s not the case. There are several grains that are naturally gluten-free, including rice, corn and popcorn, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, teff, and oats (as long as they haven’t been contaminated with wheat during processing). In other words, gluten-free and grain-free aren’t synonymous, and I don’t recommend the latter. Gluten-free whole grains are chock full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, and as long as you don’t overdo it portion-wise, including them in your diet can help you lose weight, and protect your health. Unfortunately the gluten-free craze has given all grains a bit of a black eye, but refined white pasta and quinoa aren’t even close to being in the same category from a nutrition perspective. **Health.com:** [6 ‘Bad’ Carbs That Are Actually Good for You](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20815445,00.html?xid=Time-gluten-052014) **Gluten-free foods can be processed, too** Some people are under the assumption that all processed foods contain gluten and no gluten-free foods are refined or processed, but that’s not accurate. Because gluten-free has exploded in popularity, there are more gluten-free products than ever, and many are highly processed, or made with refined versions of gluten-free grains, such as white rice. For the best nutritional bang for your buck, look beyond the words “gluten-free” on a package and read the ingredient list—it should read like a recipe you could recreate in your own kitchen. And if grains are included (some gluten-free products are made with other starches, like potatoes or beans), they should be whole, which means they haven’t been stripped of their fiber and nutrients. **Health.com:** [11 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Belly Fat](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20807507,00.html?xid=Time-gluten-052014) **Avoiding gluten may help you feel better, even if you don’t have Celiac disease** People who have Celiac disease must completely eliminate gluten, because consuming even small amounts triggers symptoms, including belly pain and bloating. This happens because in people with Celiac, gluten causes the immune system to damage or destroy villi, the tiny, finger-like outgrowths that line the small intestine like a microscopic plush carpet. Healthy villi absorb nutrients through the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, so when they become damaged, chronic malnutrition occurs, which is typically accompanied by weight loss and exhaustion. In people with this diagnosis, avoiding gluten is the only way to reverse the damage. However, people who test negative for Celiac may also benefit from going gluten-free if they’re experiencing a condition called gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity. While it’s not the same as Celiac disease, consuming gluten can cause bothersome side effects in many people, including flu-like feelings, bloating and other gastrointestinal problems, mental fogginess, and fatigue. Unfortunately at this time, there is no widely accepted test for gluten sensitivity, and the symptoms may be related to other issues, including stress, so it’s not black and white. If you think you may have a gluten sensitivity, avoid gluten and monitor how you feel. **Health.com:** [25 Fattening Foods You Should Never Eat](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20307363,00.html?xid=Time-gluten-052014) **What you eat when going gluten-free is as important as what you don’t** A lot of people who go gluten-free focus on getting rid of foods, but to balance your diet and ensure that you’re taking in a broad spectrum of nutrients, it’s also important to emphasize what you do eat. As I noted, there are several nutrient-packed whole grains that are naturally gluten-free. So if your old standby side dish was pasta, replace it with something like whole grain rice (brown, red, black, or wild), quinoa, or roasted organic corn. Fresh veggies and fruits, beans, lentils, and nuts are also gluten-free, so if you used to nibble on crackers, pretzels, or cookies, trade them for wholesome snacks, like veggies with hummus, berries with nuts, or roasted chickpeas. One of the key benefits of adopting a gluten-free diet is that it’s an opportunity to reinvent the way you eat. Take it on it by seeking out superfoods, so in addition to getting rid of gluten, you’ll also be embracing a wide variety of nutrients that will help you look and feel your best. _Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health’s contributing nutrition editor. Her latest New York Times best seller is_ S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches_._ [_This article originally appeared on Health.com._](http://news.health.com/2014/05/19/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten?xid=Time-gluten-052014) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/"},"headline":"5 Things You Need to Know About Gluten","datePublished":"2014-05-25T14:00:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T08:00:04.975Z","description":"Unless you’ve been on a media-free diet, you probably saw Jimmy Kimmel Live’s hilarious “What is Gluten?” video, in which none of the gluten avoiders...","url":"https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/","keywords":["Diet & Nutrition","Food & Drink","protein","Gluten","gluten free","celiac disease"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49df437dc52fcd1f/698690833bc9992f0b1a3995/153411460.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Health.com","jobTitle":"Contributor","url":"https://time.com/author/health-com/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt49df437dc52fcd1f/698690833bc9992f0b1a3995/153411460.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"What You Need to Know About Gluten","caption":"What You Need to Know About Gluten","creditText":"Soren Hald—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/dietnutrition/","name":"Diet & Nutrition"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/109157/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-gluten/","name":"5 Things You Need to Know About Gluten"}}]}] ```