Should you stop eating gluten? Probably not. Only a small percentage of people have celiac or other gluten sensitivities and can truly benefit from a gluten-free diet.

Even if you suspect that you are susceptible to gluten or wheat, it's important to talk to a doctor before eliminating these foods."There's only one cure for celiac disease, and that's to have a gluten-free diet. But it's not a good idea to just start a gluten-free diet. If you are off gluten for an extended time period, you could have a false misdiagnosis," said Denise Frey, RDN, LDN, a clinical dietitian at Blue Mountain Health System.She noted that eliminating gluten will solve your problems in the short term, and will allow your body to begin healing but won't allow doctors to properly diagnose the problem and seek long-term solutions."It's important to maintain your diet until you go through the proper channels with your doctor," she added. "Take good records of what your symptoms are and what kinds of foods you're eating."If you're told to eliminate gluten from your diet, new U.S. labeling laws should help. As of last month foods using the phrase "gluten free" must have less than 20 parts per million per serving.Wheat is a common allergen and will continue to be listed on all food labels.Other ingredients to avoid include wheat, barley and rye derivatives, including einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamult, wheat starch, bran, germ, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein, and barley and rye triticale.Be aware that many foods that contain gluten are fortified with important vitamins and nutrients, including calcium, iron, foliate, riboflavin and thiamin."If you're eating gluten-free products, you may want to check with your doctor about whether you need supplements," she said.To be successful with a gluten-free diet, plan ahead. Prepare meals ahead of time, plan meals that your family or friends will eat that still meet your dietary needs. If your lifestyle includes lots of time socializing over food, find new ways to socialize or bring gluten-free foods to share."There are a lot of healthy foods to choose from for celiac," said Frey. "It's important to be aware of what you're eating, and to educate yourself."Will I lose weight?It's a common misconception that gluten-free foods are somehow healthier, noted Frey. But gluten-free foods are only "healthier" if you are truly sensitive to wheat, barley or rye."There are better ways to lose weight than choosing a gluten-free diet," she said. "To lose weight is all about the calorie control. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, and for most people losing weight isn't about an autoimmune disorder or a wheat allergy."If you do embrace a gluten-free diet, realize that many foods are naturally free of gluten. Fruits, vegetables, plain meats (not breaded) and fish and alternative grains such as oats, millet, quinoa, buckwheat, corn and rice are all safe to eat if you're sensitive to gluten.Baked goods and crackers, cookies, pretzels and more are available in gluten-free varieties, with a catch. To make up for the texture and taste that gluten adds, many food companies add more sugar and fat and thus more calories. Simply swapping traditional foods for their gluten-free counterparts won't make a difference unless you truly need to eliminate gluten."I think that's the part that everybody forgets," said Frey. "It's more important to look at the overall picture of what you're eating, and how much you're eating. It's still really about calories when you want to lose weight."