Should I use gluten-free flour?

[MeSarah]

I've been hearing a lot about the benefits of going gluten-free for weight loss and I came across gluten-free flour. Does anyone know if it would it be healthier and better for my weight to bake with this and other gluten-free ingredients? Will it really alter the taste of foods?

[KraftMan]

I don't see any point to going gluten free unless your doctor tells you to. For most people it doesn't cause any harm. It's just rough on people with allergies and sensitivities like celiac.

[Lady Greenfairy]

I agree with KraftMan, I don't see much of a point to using it either unless you or someone you cook for has got a sensitivity to gluten or celiacs disease. You can watch how much gluten you eat by cutting back on some of the carbs that you eat but there is no point in cutting it entirely from your diet. Plus, be careful with a lot of pre-packaged gluten products, they tend to be high in sugar and fat because if they are taking out the gluten they need to replace it with something.

[MeSarah]

Thanks for your opinions. For some reason I'm always confused about gluten because it always gets such a bad rap. I never know if staying away from it for people who don't have allergies is a fad or not. I think I'll just stick with my regular ingredients. Gluten-free stuff is more expensive anyway.