If you don’t already know someone, you’ll undoubtedly come across someone who is allergic to gluten. People with Ciliac’s Disease, for example, must eliminate all traces of gluten from their diet or risk damage to their small intestine. It is estimated that this condition affects 1 in 100 people worldwide. For others, sensitivity to gluten can cause inflammation and other digestive issues, which encourages them to stay away from the group of proteins commonly found in bread wheat.
The Gluten-Free diet has become so popular that many Americans now see it as a trend rather a serious dietary restriction. Today, as many as one in five Americans remove gluten from their diet because they believe it to be healthier. So how has this affected the gluten-free market? Despite the large number of people voluntarily removing gluten from their diet, these “lifestylers,” are not the ones that are upholding the market. According to Confectionarynews.com, the majority of gluten-free sales are driven by those with a real necessity for these types of products.
Make no mistake, the influx of lifestylers has certainly driven up sales in the gluten-free sectors. This trend is reminiscent of the organic snack trend that has been revolutionizing the snack industry.
Is it possible that the gluten-free trend is so big that it is influencing people to consider their health in other aspects of their diets? Maybe it’s the other way around. Perhaps there is a meta trend of people becoming more aware of the chemicals they are introducing to their bodies that is causing these health trends in the snacking sector.
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