People buying gluten-free foods in a bid to lose weight are just wasting their money, according to experts.
A study by Safe Food reveals three-quarters of the products in the category are high in fat, and 69 percent contain lots of sugar.
92 percent of people who buy gluten-free don't suffer from coeliac disease or gluten intolerance and almost 1 in 5 consider a gluten-free diet to be a healthy way to lose weight.
Dr Catherine Conlon, Director of Human Health & Nutrition, Safe Food said: “For those people who have a diagnosis of coeliac disease or those with a gluten-related disorder, avoiding gluten in their daily diet is an absolute must. However, we would have a concern that some of these snack foods have an unhealthy nutritional profile for everyone, whether or not they have a gluten-related disorder. Snacking on foods such as fruit and vegetables, unsalted plain nuts and gluten-free rice cakes and cheese, are healthier options for us all.”