“TL;DR: Gluten, a protein in wheat, barley, rye, and some oats, is found in foods like bread, pasta, beer, and pastries. Approximately 1–2% of people have coeliac disease, and 0.5–13% may experience non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, fatigue, and autoimmune issues. While gluten does not directly cause cellulite, its inflammatory effects and potential to cause water retention or poor circulation can indirectly contribute in sensitive individuals. Fatigue from gluten sensitivity may also reduce activity, further promoting cellulite. However, the carbohydrates in gluten-containing foods are a more significant factor in fat accumulation, a key aspect of cellulite. Alternatives like rice, quinoa, and gluten-free oats, alongside increased vegetable and protein intake, can help manage gluten sensitivity. Probiotics and prebiotics may also reduce sensitivity, but gluten remains a secondary, indirect contributor to cellulite.”
Gluten and cellulite
Does gluten cause cellulite?
What is gluten and which foods contain it?
How does gluten affect health?
Can gluten cause cellulite?
What can be done about gluten sensitivity?
Gluten and cellulite: frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Does gluten cause water retention?
Does bread cause cellulite?
Does gluten cause inflammation?
Can gluten-free oats cause inflammation?
Does gluten cause acne?
Which are the foods that cause gluten intolerance?
Is gluten intolerance real?
Does gluten cause inflammation in everyone?
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Is gluten a cause of cellulite?
A lot of people at the clinic ask this question, “Should I go on a gluten-free diet to prevent/reduce cellulite?”
As always with cellulite, the answer is not a straightforward ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Let’s have a look.
What is gluten and which foods contain it?
Gluten is a structural protein naturally found in some cereal grains:
Wheat (including spelt)
Barley
Rye
And some types of oats
Typical foods that contain gluten are:
Bread
Pasta
Beer
Gluten-free oats
Pastries and cakes
Hidden sources of gluten in processed foods
Gluten makes up 80% of the protein in wheat. Since bread contains 9% protein, about 7.2% of bread is gluten.
Wheat gluten is composed of mainly two types of proteins: glutenins and gliadins. Of those two, gliadins are the most offending proteins for health, in sensitive individuals.
How does gluten affect health?
1–2% of the general population suffers from coeliac disease, the most severe reaction to gluten. Another 0.5–13% of the general population can suffer from non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Gluten can impair the intestinal barrier and can cause inflammatory, autoimmune or other immunological reactions to affected people, even ones without celiac disease. These reactions include, among others:
Abdominal pain
Bloating
IBS
Headache
Migraine
Foggy brain
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia
Asthma
Allergic rhinitis
Depression
Autoimmune diseases
Can gluten cause cellulite?
The main aspect of cellulite is fat accumulation and gluten does not contribute enough calories to directly cause cellulite.
In fact, the carb (starch/sugar) calories contained in bread, pasta, pastries and beer and much more important contributors to cellulite.
However, given that inflammation and water retention/poor circulation are important aspects of cellulite, gluten sensitivity can to some extent contribute to cellulite.
Furthermore, fatigue can indirectly cause cellulite, due to the reduction in activity levels and basal metabolism.
So, in summary we can say that gluten sensitivity can be an indirect factor for cellulite development on people susceptible to gluten intolerance, especially in combination with carbohydrate derived calories in gluten containing foods.
What can be done about gluten sensitivity?
Thankfully, there are plenty of non-gluten starch options available, including rice, corn, quinoa, gluten-free oats, buckwheat, potatoes and many others.
You could also consider increasing protein intake (pulses, meat, fish etc) and most importantly increasing vegetable and salad intake, to make up for the loss of carbohydrate-rich food groups that contain gluten.
Gluten sensitivity can also be reduced with probiotics, prebiotics and other nutritional interventions.
But the main thing to remember is that gluten is not a primary contributor to cellulite. It is more a secondary, indirect contributor, and that the main cellulite producing factor contained in gluten-rich foods is the starches / carbohydrates in those foods, when consumed in high quantities.
Gluten and cellulite: frequently asked questions (FAQs)
We hope it is now clear regarding gluten and cellulite.
Below are some straight, quick answers to the most common questions related to this subject, to clarify finer points and add more detail.
Does gluten cause water retention?
Gluten itself doesn't directly cause water retention in most people. However, for individuals with gluten sensitivity, gluten can trigger inflammation that can lead to water retention. It can also trigger, bloating that might feel like water retention.
Does bread cause cellulite?
Bread contains a high amount of carbohydrates (49%), which when consumed in excess can definitely contribute to both overweight and cellulite. Bread also contains gluten (7%) which, as mentioned above, can indirectly contribute towards cellulite.
Does gluten cause inflammation?
Yes, as mentioned above, gluten can cause an immune reaction to sensitive people which can result in inflammation and symptoms like abdominal pain or brain fog.
Can gluten-free oats cause inflammation?
Gluten-free oats would not obviously cause a reaction due to gluten but they can still cause inflammatory reactions to other components contained in oats, such as avenins, which are structurally similar to gluten and may trigger inflammation in a small number of sensitive people. Studies suggest that about 5-10% of celiac patients may react to avenins, potentially causing mild gut inflammation due to immune activation.
Oats also have fiber (beta-glucans) and phytic acid, which can irritate the gut or cause inflammation in some cases, particularly if consumed in large amounts or by those with pre-existing gut issues, such as IBS.
Does gluten cause acne?
For people with celiac disease or those with gluten intolerance, gluten can trigger inflammation or gut issues that might indirectly worsen acne in some cases. However, gluten itself is not a major cause of acne.
In fact, dietary factors other than gluten, like high-glycemic foods (e.g., refined carbs) or dairy, have a stronger link to acne in research, as they can increase insulin levels and sebum production.
Which are the foods that cause gluten intolerance?
Typical foods that contain gluten are can can cause gluten intolerance are bread, pasta, beer, gluten-free oats, pastries, cakes, as well as hidden sources of gluten in a multitude of processed foods.
Is gluten intolerance real?
Yes, gluten intolerance is real, though it’s often misunderstood. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is a condition where people experience symptoms like bloating, fatigue, or brain fog after eating gluten, without having celiac disease or a wheat allergy.
Studies suggest 0.6-6% of people may have NCGS, but the exact cause isn’t fully understood—possibly involving the immune system or gut microbiome.
Diagnosis is tricky since there’s no specific test; it’s usually confirmed by ruling out celiac disease and wheat allergy, then observing symptom relief on a gluten-free diet.
Some skeptics argue symptoms might stem from other food components (like FODMAPs) or psychological factors, but research supports NCGS as a distinct condition for many.
Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, is separate and affects about 1% of the population.
Does gluten cause inflammation in everyone?
Of course not. As mentioned above, only 0.6-6% of people, according to statistics suffer from gluten intolerance.
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