Only a small percentage of the population actually needs to avoid gluten, yet millions have jumped on the trend. Here’s what science says about the risks and benefits of going gluten-free.

Gluten is a protein-rich substance made from wheat flour mixed with water and washed to remove starch and soluble materials.

When it comes to clean eating, few subjects stir as much debate as gluten. What started as a medical necessity for some has ...

But many more unlikely foods, such as ice cream, soup and yoghurt may also contain wheat or other gluten-containing grains and I'm afraid the only way to check this is to pore over labels.

All the non-gluten-containing grains are not fortified, whereas wheat flour is fortified with folic acid, B vitamins, and iron. So, it's not unusual for someone on a gluten-free diet to be folate ...

Wholegrain wheat, barley and rye contain the bran, germ and endosperm of the grain and therefore contain gluten. They are high in nutrition, including fibre, iron, B vitamins and calcium.

Gluten, a storage protein in wheat grains, is found in wheat flour-based ... decided to compare gluten-free products and their gluten-containing counterparts sold by the same manufacturer.

Food is only gluten-free if it contains less than 20 ppm gluten ... “Using alternative grains like teff, quinoa, lentils… without resorting to additives like gums and binders was our priority.