Is a gluten-free diet healthy in pregnancy?
Yes, but you should make sure you really need to be gluten-free before avoiding gluten while pregnant.
Gluten-free diets are quite trendy right now, and with the huge majority of people avoiding gluten not actually having celiac disease, it’s important to make sure any dietary restrictions that you are following are actually necessary while you are pregnant. Gluten is found in foods like pasta, breads, and some medicines and vitamins. If you have truly been diagnosed with celiac disease, then you should definitely avoid gluten. Women with celiac disease are often helped by seeing a dietician during pregnancy to make sure they are getting the right amount of nutrition from alternative gluten-free sources. Otherwise, avoiding gluten is unnecessary and could lead to missing out on good sources of fiber and healthy nutrients.
Reviewed by Dr. Jen Lincoln, April 2020
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