PROCESSED FOODS are the real culprit. All this gluten-free craze is going to do is encourage otherwise gluten-tolerant people to buy expensive GF cakes, cookies, pasta, condiments, etc. All of which are still loaded with sugars and preservatives.

They are not seeing the bigger picture.

Ugh, those dieticians who commented in the article are morons.

EDIT: The gluten-free trend is akin to the sugar-free one. Just because there isn't any "sugar" in it (replaced by sweeteners or sugar alcohols), doesn't mean it's healthy and that one can binge on Snack Wells' devil's food cake cookies! Grrrr!

Honestly, people get all "peoplez be eating the gluten-free for trendiness, what trendsters! I'm no hipster, I do it for the health".

I say, this is a good thing. So what if they are still eating processed food, it takes baby steps to change your eating and I think that a lot of people cutting out gluten may be able to show themselves how much better the feel without gluten in their diet. I think that the trajectory of the organics and gluten-free movements are opening up doors in preparation to move towards a more whole-foods based diet, which is excellent. Dietitians and paleohackers a like call these people sheep, for completely different reasons, and I think they are both missing the point. People are cutting out GLUTEN, something we KNOW a huge portion of the population is completely intolerant to. When has that become a bad thing? The ball starts rolling with a push, and I've met so many people who have tried going gluten free on a whim and have experienced increased clarity, better skin, less digestive troubles, and a flat stomach for the first time in their life- and that is JUST with removing gluten, even if it is partially replaced by a less harmful, but still pretty useless, alternative grain.

As someone who was 40 before she finally figured out how horrible gluten was for her health I only can say that if any young person figures it out for themselves and saves them from 20 years of ill health and unnecessary medical procedures and misdiagnoses and bad treatment from medical professionals, then Miley did a major service. Good for her.

"Rachel Begun, a registered dietitian and food industry consultant, told Today's Health that only those who have been diagnosed with a gluten-related disorder should go on a gluten-free diet."

–Really? Why Rachel?

"People who go gluten-free may gain weight if they rely mostly on highly-processed gluten free foods, many of which tend to be higher in fat, calories and sugar than their gluten-containing counterparts."

–The types of foods most people would replace with has nothing to do with gluten, and it's effects Rachel.

"There’s absolutely no evidence that a gluten-free diet promotes weight loss," Ansel explained. "However, there is data that indicates that following a gluten-free diet can result in a diet that's low in key nutrients -- especially iron, zinc and B vitamins such as folate and niacin

–Really? Is that so Karen? Sources for iron http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html Sources for zinc http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/ Sources for folate http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/folate-HealthProfessional/ Sources for niacin http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-niacin-vitamin-B3.php

Morons!

I'm mixed on issues like this.

We all heard about paleo from someone else before trying it, but decided for ourselves to continue after seeing results. I won't knock someone for trying gluten-free after hearing about it from someone like Miley as long as they continue with it for legitimate reasons.

Judging by the comments on the link, people are just as dumb as I thought. Why is the automatic assumption that by cutting gluten, you have to buy expensive gluten free replacement crap?

"It's so expensive to eat gluten-free. I had to take a meal to a girl in my church after she'd had a baby, and she has celiac disease. A tiny frozen pizza was $11!! Cookies were $5 for this tiny bag. It cost me almost $30 for her whole meal."

Why is this girl eating gluten free pizza and cookies for a meal??