Whole30 and Gluten-free: What These Trends Tell Us about Our Diets

Diet trends come and go. They’re trends for a reason, but sometimes popular trends can stick around for a while. These diets cover quite a range in just how “tough” they are, with some requiring only a few moderate adjustments to the average daily routine and others asking for a complete overhaul of your diet and maybe even your lifestyle too.

Whether or not these diets work or how effective they are tends to depend on the person following them and how committed that individual is to the diet. We’ve decided to explore two of the more popular diet trends of the moment, what they are, how much they ask of you, and what they promise will change. It’s up to every individual to decide whether or not to try a diet trend, though we recommend speaking with a doctor or nutritionist before starting in order to determine how the diet will affect your health.*

The Whole30 ® Program

What is it?

The Whole30 ® Program focuses on the belief that certain foods are negatively impacting your health and lifestyle. It suggests that changing up the types of food you eat, as opposed to focusing on how many calories are in each food item or how much it weighs, will positively impact your life.

How much is required?

The program asks that you change up your diet for 30 days. From that point, you can decide whether it works for you and if you wish to continue. The Whole30 ® Program requires that you completely cut out added sugar (real or artificial), alcohol (including in cooking), grains, legumes, diary, MSG from processed foods, and “junk” foods.

What will happen?

Whole 30 ® focuses on what you eat and how it makes you feel versus how much weight you’re losing. Ideally, once those first 30 days pass, you should feel more energetic, and any digestive issues, along with allergies and skin problems, should no longer exist.

Gluten Free

What is it?

Gluten is a protein that is found in a wide array of food products. Those with celiac disease or a heightened reaction to gluten can experience cause stomach issues, rashes, headaches and more if they consume a food item or beverage that contains gluten. Cutting gluten out of your diet is a method that can be used to determine if you have a gluten sensitivity, or simply to see if a lack of gluten resolves any digestive issues.

How much is required?

Gluten is found in food products that are processed from wheat and grain. It’s commonly found in a lot of breads and cereals but can pop up unexpectedly in beverages, salad dressings, broth, sauces, seasonings and spices, and even processed products like veggie burgers. If you wish to cut gluten from your diet, you will need to review thoroughly which food items do and do not contain gluten.

What will happen?

If you do have a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, or suspect one, then cutting out gluten should resolve any negative symptoms from celiac disease.

*Disclaimer: Discussion of these diets is not intended approval of their use. This content is meant for educational purposes. We still advise to speak with a doctor or nutritionist prior to undergoing a diet, as well as further researching these topics for your own purposes.