I'm seeing that gluten-free products have become way more common and cheaper over the last few years. My son doesn't have confirmed celiac disease but he has quite a bit of bloating and gas. Is it worth investing in these products or are they just more expensive anyway?
Before you spend money on gluten-free products, it makes sense to have a conversation with your kid's doctor about what's causing the symptoms - bloating and gas can come from so many things that it's easy to panic and change everything for no reason. If it turns out gluten really is the culprit, then these products have become much more affordable and the price difference has dropped a lot compared to five or six years ago, so it's no longer a budget nightmare. Now, if you're not sure, try cutting out other things first (dairy, too much fiber, that habit of eating too fast) and see if anything changes.
Don't start buying gluten-free products without first figuring out whether it's actually gluten or something else entirely. Bloating and gas have a thousand causes - lactose, fructose, too much fiber, eating too fast, even stress. If you jump straight to gluten-free products, you're throwing money away and he'll keep having the problem because that's not where the issue is.
The best thing would really be for him to get tested or have a doctor evaluate him, even if it's just a quick appointment. Celiac disease is specific, but there are other sensitivities. If it really is gluten, then it's worth it because these days there are decent brands and prices have dropped a lot - they used to cost double. But if it's something else, those products won't make any difference at all.
If you want to try without blowing your whole budget right away, start by cutting gluten at home - rice, potatoes, meat, fruit - instead of buying expensive substitutes. After a week or two, you'll see if it improves. Then, if you notice a change, invest in the supermarket products you actually need. But first, get a diagnosis.
The point is: gluten-free products being cheaper doesn't mean that's the solution for your son. I agree it makes sense to rule out other causes first (lactose, intolerances to other carbohydrates, even stress and meal timing), but I'd also recommend asking your doctor for a specific test for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity before anything else - some kids even get negative results on standard tests but still react to it. If they later confirm it's gluten, then yes, prices have dropped quite a bit and it's worth it; if it's something else, you won't waste money on the wrong products.
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