Gluten-free products often unhealthier than gluten: Consumers assoc.

Special gluten-free products are not always a healthier alternative to regular products, consumers association Consumentenbond reports. A study done by the association revealed that gluten-free products often contain more fat, sugar and/or salt and less fiber than similar products with gluten, ANP reports.

The association compared the ingredient lists of five gluten-free A-brand products to similar products containing gluten. The results told a scary tale.

Wasa's gluten-free crisp bread contains six times more saturated fat and twice as much salt as the whole grain variety. Knoopmans gluten-free pancake mix is twice as salty as the 6 grain pancake mix. And Peijnenburg gluten-free contains per 100 grams 30 kilocalories more than the ordinary Peijnenburg breakfast cake, according to the Consumentenbond. All the gluten-free products tested also contain less fiber than their gluten counterparts.

Gluten-free products are not only often unhealthier, they also tend to be much more expensive. For example, Albert Heijn's gluten-free stroopwafels cost 37 cents apiece, while the gluten versions cost 11 cents, according to the association.