The gluten-free trend keeps growing. But is it all just hype? Does gluten sensitivity really exist? Are more people being diagnosed with celiac disease? Is modern wheat the problem or could it be genetic engineering? Here we unravel the facts. Wheat—and the main protein it contains, gluten—has been cited as a cause of weight gain, “brain fog,” skin rashes, joint pain, headaches, tiredness, allergies, gas, intestinal distress, irritable bowel syndrome, depression and, in the case of celiac disease—where the immune system goes haywire and attacks the body—even death.

Key Takeaways:

• In the beginning, it seemed like a trend — or worse — a fad. Then came replacement bread and pasta that looked and tasted like cardboard.
• Ignoring the demand for gluten-free options means missed opportunities that can’t even be measured.
• A lot of the world cuisines that have shaped Richmond’s culinary identity lend themselves well to gluten-free menu items, like Vietnamese and Thai, with their abundance of rice noodles and rice-paper wraps.

“A lot of the world cuisines that have shaped Richmond’s culinary identity lend themselves well to gluten-free menu items, like Vietnamese and Thai, with their abundance of rice noodles and rice-paper wraps.”

http://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/food-trends/gluten-free-grows