As I was jogging along on the treadmill this morning, peacefully reading my new Runner’s World magazine and drooling over the pretty new running shoes, I caught a glimpse of a story coming on the news about the gluten-free diet.  The premise was “The New Diet Trend”.  I wish I could have heard the piece because it infuriates me when people call the gluten-free diet a “trend” and bill it as the new greatest weight lost plan.  I’ll get back to that in a minute, but first, I need to rant about the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes recommendation.  While I didn’t hear the story, I did read it on closed captioning and they were talking about safe foods….fruits, salads, corn, etc.

It is true, there is no wheat in Kellogg’s Corn Flakes.  There is, however, malt flavoring, which comes from barley, which is gluten.  I have tried to find the video online to share, but was unable to locate it.

Kellogg’s Corn Flakes^® cereal

Ingredients

MILLED CORN, SUGAR, MALT FLAVORING, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SALT, IRON, NIACINAMIDE, SODIUM ASCORBATE AND ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), VITAMIN A PALMITATE, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B12 AND VITAMIN D. TO MAINTAIN QUALITY, BHT IS ADDED TO PACKAGING.

This reinforces, more than ever, the need to always read labels.  It doesn’t matter if you have eaten the product for years.  It doesn’t matter if it says “gluten-free” on the front, as I have seen that claim on the front and the ingredient list on the back has listed wheat.  Only you are responsible for you. 

Now, back to the diet trend.  As I have said repeatedly on my blog – a diet is what you make it.  You can make it healthy, or you can make it unhealthy.  Can you lose weigh on the gluten-free diet?  Sure, just as you can lose weight on just about any diet out there.  There was even a guy who lost weight on “The Twinkie Diet”.

Okay, rant over.  Now I can get on with my Friday.