With so many celebrities reporting they’re losing weight on a gluten-free diet, it’s easy to see why a misconception exists surrounding the diet and its medical purpose. The latest issue of Redbook,a popular women’s magazine, looked to experts for answers about the trend of going gluten-free for weight loss.

Not surprisingly, the experts did not recommend eliminating gluten in order to shed the pounds. Author and dietitian Rachel Beller noted she recently worked with a client who gained 16 pounds after going gluten-free. Redbook chimed in stating that gluten-free alternatives are often more calorie dense.

Registered dietitian Ashley Koff was also interviewed for the article and discouraged people from switching to the gluten-free diet without a medical reason to do so. She explained that some of the packaged gluten-free food contains less fiber than gluten-containing ones, and that they are often missing key nutrients (such as vitamin B and iron).

See what else the dietitians had to say about the gluten-free diet from Redbook online.

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