Why You Should Really Stop Feeling Bad About Eating Carbs

by Paige Exell January 4, 2017

For some reason, there is this strange idea out there—perpetuated by the media—that us girls can’t indulge in a good carb-heavy snack from time to time. And while high-profile stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz and Victoria Beckham attribute their healthy lifestyles to a gluten-free diet, it doesn’t always inspire us. In fact, it can make the carb-obsessed lady within us feel slightly ashamed of herself. The truth is, there’s really no harm in indulging in pasta, pizza or other gluten-y bites (just try not to have a collection of takeout boxes piling up). If you’re going to do it, enjoy it—guilt-free!

Plenty of us are eager participants in the gluten-free craze, praising ourselves for making the virtuous decision to shun its supposedly fattening offspring. So much so that most of the people who reach for gluten-free products don’t have celiac disease or even sensitivity to wheat. Peter H.R. Green, MD, director of the Celiac Disease Centre at Columbia University, told WebMD that “many people may just perceive that a gluten-free diet is healthier,” when in fact, it isn’t. “For people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is essential. But for others, unless people are very careful, a gluten-free diet can lack a wide range of important nutrients like B vitamins, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and fiber, while containing more sugar,” he says. And why take that risk unless you genuinely have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? According to Celiac Central, only about 1 per cent of the population is actually sensitive to the protein, which is found in wheat and other grains.

As a part of an apparent backlash against the anti-gluten fad, Instagram account Girls With Gluten is celebrating carb-loving gals with photos of women (celebs included) stuffing their faces with everything from burgers to pizza and ice cream cones. Because, why not have your cake and eat it too? Check out our favourite carb-loving celebrities. Warning: may induce hunger.