Medically necessary for some, optional for most — an honest look at gluten and inflammation.
For people with coeliac disease or a diagnosed gluten sensitivity, gluten-free eating isn't a lifestyle choice — it's medically necessary. For everyone else, the evidence that gluten itself drives inflammation is much thinner than commonly assumed.
| Dimension | Gluten-Free | THE FAD |
|---|---|---|
| Core rule | Eliminate all wheat, barley and rye | No elimination required unless you have a specific reason to |
| Who it's essential for | People with coeliac disease or diagnosed gluten sensitivity — medically necessary, not optional | General population lifestyle tracking — not designed around a specific diagnosis |
| Common misconception | That it's inherently healthier for everyone, regardless of gluten sensitivity | Ultra-processed gluten-free products can score just as poorly as their gluten-containing equivalents |
Many packaged gluten-free products replace wheat with refined rice flour, starches and added sugar to match taste and texture — meaning "gluten-free" doesn't automatically mean lower in the signals THE FAD's Food pillar actually tracks.
If you suspect a gluten sensitivity, get it properly evaluated by a doctor before eliminating gluten — testing for coeliac disease typically requires gluten still being in your diet.
The best way to understand the difference is to see what a real day scores.
Try the calculator