Do you know what gluten really is? Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. These proteins help you build and maintain your muscle mass.

Many people choose to avoid gluten these days. Some people are gluten intolerant, meaning their bodies cannot digest this type of protein, so they need to avoid products containing gluten.

Others decide to go gluten-free because they feel it’s a quick route to weight loss. But is this really true? Avoiding gluten led to weight loss in the past because there weren’t a lot of gluten-free products around. This meant eliminating bread, pasta, crackers, cereal, and other kinds of starchy foods made form wheat, rye, or barley. The elimination of these foods meant people were eating more lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, so they naturally started to lose a little weight by going gluten-free.

Learn more about gluten and how it plays a role in your diet from registered dietitian Susan Bowerman. For more nutrition advice from Herbalife, check out Susan Bowerman's other videos on her playlist http://hrbl.me/HealthyLivingVIDEOS