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"Body-conscious celebrities and their diet gurus are saying good-bye to gluten, dairy, and sugar. Their self-control is impressive. But is it necessary?\\n\\n\\n\\nWith food, Americans have a penchant for extremes. Hot-dog-eating contests. Deep-fried Oreos. Portions the size of Nebraska. We crowd our plates with patriotic values of consumerism and largesse. But a few new radical diets have taken on a lofty appeal of their own. Intended for people with legitimate health concerns, gluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free diets have gone mainstream, promising to improve the complexion, brighten the mood, increase alertness, detox the body, and last but certainly not least, help you shed pounds. It seems like a lot to ask of the food you eat\u2014or, more specifically, don't eat.\\n\\n\\n\\nThese restrictive plans require intense commitment, which, in a strange twist, might be part of their draw. \\\"Avoiding a food group altogether can seem easier than trying to eat it in moderation,\\\" says Lisa Young, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University and the author of *The Portion Teller Plan* (Three Rivers Press).\\n\\n\\n\\nBut austerity isn't the only reason such extraordinary measures are gaining traction. Many devotees are attracted by celebrity enthusiasm (Kim Kardashian recently tweeted, \\\"Gluten free is the way to be\\\"). Others \\\"will latch onto any trend to prove that they're in the know,\\\" says Young. Of course, these plans don't guarantee weight loss. \\\"Some people undoubtedly lose weight, but it's not a given,\\\" says Andrea Giancoli, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. So, is the effort-per-pound ratio worth it? We found out.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n \\n\\nGluten-Free Diet\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __The Skinny:__ Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Translation: It's in practically everything. For starters, bread, pasta, cereal, and crackers, plus beer, some salad dressings, soups, and soy sauce. Gluten-free adherents learn to love alternative grains like amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, and rice, but only those with a wheat allergy or, more seriously, \\u00adceliac disease must strictly comply. When they eat gluten, it sets off an immune reaction that damages the lining of the small intestine, causing diarrhea, gas, bloating, and other symptoms: irritability, muscle cramps, skin rashes, anemia, plus a risk of developing intestinal cancer. (A blood test and an intestinal biopsy can confirm a celiac diagnosis.) Celiac disease affects about 3 million people in the U.S., but far more\u2014as many as 20 million\u2014have gluten sensitivity; bread or pasta leaves them bloated, foggy, depressed, and headachy. \\\"Some people eat gluten safely for 20, 30, or 40 years, then suddenly develop a problem,\\\" says Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Since no reliable sensitivity test is yet available, the only way to determine whether your malaise is gluten-related is to try the diet and see if you feel better\u2014which should be apparent within a few days.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Benefits:__ Those with celiac or pronounced gluten sensitivity will see the most improvement. \\\"Brain fog, bloating, and headaches should go away immediately,\\\" says Fasano. \\\"Many people feel remarkably better.\\\" Some look better, too, since gluten sensitivity can trigger an inflammatory response that leads to acne, rosacea, or eczema, according to Fredric Brandt, a cosmetic dermatologist in Miami and New York City. But if you don't have true gluten sensitivity, you're not likely to notice any changes to your mood, skin, or gut.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Drawbacks:__ You could pack on the pounds. \\\"It used to be that a gluten-free diet almost assured weight loss, because there were very few alternatives except for fruits and vegetables,\\\" says Susan Bowerman, Director of Nutrition Training at Herbalife, International. But thanks to the gluten-free trend, there is now a glut of G-free muffins, pies, cakes, and pizzas. Some of these substitutes are more caloric than their standard counterparts, because manufacturers use corn or potato starch to add texture. Another problem? Avoiding gluten can set you up for a vitamin deficiency, since wheat is rich in thiamine and other Bs, says Cynthia Kupper, executive director of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America. \\\"B vitamins are important for the health of your hair, skin, brain, and nerves,\\\" she says. \\\"So you may pay a price if you're not careful.\\\" The other way you'll pay: G-free foods can cost two or three times as much as conventional ones.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Bottom Line:__ *The gluten intolerant now have a greater variety of appealing choices than ever. Everyone else: Skip the diet and count your blessings.*\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \\n\\nDairy-Free Diet\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __The Skinny:__ Swearing off dairy entirely is harder than it sounds. It means avoiding not only milk, cheese, yogurt\u2014and did we mention cheese?\u2014but also \\u00adunexpected foods, like energy bars, sausage, and baked goods. More than 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant: They lack enough enzymes that help digest lactose, the sugar in dairy products, so it stays in the belly. There, bacteria devour it with unpleasant results, like diarrhea, gas, and cramping. Still, most people don't need to go totally dairy-free, according to Giancoli: \\\"They often can tolerate a little dairy, and many can eat hard cheeses because they have less liquid whey, and, as a result, lower lactose. Yogurt is often OK, too, because the bacteria predigest some of the sugar.\\\" An easy test for lactose intolerance: Chug a glass of milk on an empty stomach and see how you feel over the next few hours. But the recent championing of dairy-free diets is driven by several other factors: politics (animal welfare), simplicity (skipping your daily latte seems like an easy way to cut calories), and weight loss. When Mark Bittman published two blog entries last July explaining how giving up dairy cured his chronic heartburn, he says he received about 1,300 comments from readers claiming that eating no dairy had alleviated everything from migraines to nasal congestion. \\\"Those effects aren't rooted in science, but there is some \\u00adanecdotal evidence,\\\" says Young.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Benefits:__ If you have lactose intolerance, you're going to feel a whole lot better, fast. And you may even be able to zip your jeggings. Less gas! A flatter belly! And even if you don't deflate, your heartburn or headaches could clear up. Your skin might, too, says Brandt: \\\"Hormones in milk increase the level of androgens in your body, and that triggers the production of oils that clog pores.\\\" Moreover, the sugar in dairy products causes the body to release insulin-like growth factor, which triggers inflammation and breaks down collagen and elastin. So ditching dairy may help stall the signs of aging for a while longer.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Drawbacks:__ We've said it before, but it bears repeating: Weight loss is not guaranteed. Some studies have shown that people who eat dairy actually weigh less than those who don't. \\\"Then again, if you're cutting out ice cream and cheese, you may eat fewer calories, so you could lose weight,\\\" says Bowerman. \\\"It depends on what you eat instead of dairy products. Milk alternatives like almond and soy milk are only slightly lower in \\u00adcalories\u2014and milk contains important nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D. If you remove dairy from your diet, you need to eat plenty of leafy greens and possibly take a D supplement to make up for it.\\\"\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Bottom Line:__ *Those who can't tolerate lactose\u2014or don't want to consume animal products\u2014can easily do without dairy. If you don't have a diagnosable problem but find that you feel better without the stuff, you're probably safe disavowing this sacred cow, too. Just don't do so expecting to lose a dress size.*\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \\n\\nSugar-Free Diet\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __The Skinny:__ Getting sugar out of your diet is a little like getting pollen out of your air supply. Sugar is in ketchup, barbecue sauce, granola, cereal, flavored yogurt, sports drinks, instant oatmeal, and energy bars. But if you limit obvious sources, like soda, \\u00adcandy, and anything at the bakeshop, along with most processed foods, you can go a long way toward reducing the 156 pounds of the stuff each of us consumes on average per year. Although friends who want to split the cr\u00E8me br\u00FBl\u00E9e might object, no nutritionist will. Some scientists actually go so far as to call sugar poison, an idea that has gained widespread popularity among the organic-eating, Prius-driving set in the past few years. \\\"They may not be that far off,\\\" admits Jana Klauer, a New York City physician and the author of *The Park Avenue Nutritionist's Plan* (St. Martin's Press). \\\"Sugar can contribute to mood swings, weight gain, and, over time, insulin resistance, and there's almost certainly an addictive quality for some people. They have one bite and it opens the floodgates; all they want is more.\\\"\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Benefits:__ If you're a sugarholic, cutting it out will make your mood more stable, since sugar causes glucose\u2014and energy\u2014to spike, then plummet, and you'll reduce stress on your body and skin. \\\"Glucose can trigger enzymes that break down tissues, including the collagen and elastin in your skin,\\\" says Jessica Wu, a Los Angeles dermatologist and author of *Feed Your Face* (St. Martin's Press). As for your waistline, you'll slim down so long as you don't overdo it on savory foods.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Drawbacks:__ It's not easy to pull off\u2014and you eliminate an undeniable element of pure pleasure from your diet. Anti-sugar advocates claim they're sated by the sugar in, say, a peach, but try convincing someone who's just eaten a chocolate bouchon.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  __Bottom Line:__ *Those indomitable souls who choose to go sugar-free will likely see some sweet results when they step on the scale. But if you can't bear to take it that far, merely cutting back can be good medicine\u2014and aid in weight management\u2014too.*\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n \\n\\nThe Paleo Diet\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  *The paleo diet consists of foods that can be hunted, fished, or gathered. The idea: If cavemen didn't eat it, we shouldn't either. Nutritionists like it because it removes empty calories, but getting prehistoric has drawbacks, too. Lisa Sasson, Clinical Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University, weighs in.*\\n\\n\\n\\nPros:\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __You probably won't get hungry.__ Protein takes longer to digest, and the fiber in fruits and vegetables is filling.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __You're more likely to meet the recommended 9 to 12 servings of fruits and vegetables every day__\u2014which means you'll get lots of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __You're cutting out processed foods__ high in sodium, sugar, and preservatives.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __You'll probably lose weight__ because your choices are so limited.\\n\\n\\n\\nCons:\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __You could miss out on key nutrients__ (and satisfying foods)\u2014calcium and vitamin D from dairy, B vitamins from grains.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __If you get your protein from red meat,__ you could consume too much saturated fat\u2014a heart-health risk.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n  \u2022 __No alcohol.__ 'Nuff said.\\n\\n \\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n\\n#### See Also\\n\\n- [The 10 Biggest Weight-Loss Mistakes](http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/health/2013/10-biggest-weight-loss-mistakes)\\n\\n\\n- [15 Weird Weight-Loss Tricks That Work](http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/health/2012/15-weird-weight-loss-tricks)\\n\\n\\n- [Eat More of These 9 Foods and Weigh Less](http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/health/2008/eat_weigh_love)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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