Not necessarily, writes Janet Helm at WebMD. Although demand for gluten-free foods has spiked recently due to a widespread, faddish belief that gluten-free diets are the key to weight loss, ignoring the overall nutritional value of gluten-free foods can come at dieters’ peril. In some cases, particularly with diets that rely on heavily refined gluten-free products, gluten-free dieting can actually lead to weight gain, as many commercial gluten-free baked and other goods compensate for the lack of gluten with additional sugar and fat. Though some naturally gluten-free foods including fruits, vegetables and whole grains are quite nutritious, products specifically marketed as gluten-free are not inherently healthy for those without gluten sensitivity health conditions.