Miley Cyrus Slammed for Gluten-Free Diet

Miley Cyrus may have encouraged her fans on Twitter to try a gluten-free diet, but nutritional experts feel otherwise.

On Sunday, the "Can't Be Tamed" singer denied rumors she's battling anorexia and seemed to explain her recent weight loss as a result of a food allergy.

"For everyone calling me anorexic, I have a gluten and lactose allergy," the 19-year-old actress tweeted. A gluten-free diet excludes foods containing gluten, a protein found in wheat. "It's not about weight — it's about health. Gluten is crap anyway!"

Cyrus then told one fan: "Everyone should try no gluten for a week! The change in your skin, physical and mental health is amazing. You won't go back!"

Not so fast!

Rachel Begun, a registered dietitian and food industry consultant, told Today's Health that only those who have been diagnosed with a gluten-related disorder should go on a gluten-free diet.

In fact, Begun said "People who go gluten-free may gain weight if they rely mostly on highly-processed gluten free foods, many of which tend to be higher in fat, calories and sugar than their gluten-containing counterparts."

Karen Ansel, also a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agreed.

"There’s absolutely no evidence that a gluten-free diet promotes weight loss," Ansel explained. "However, there is data that indicates that following a gluten-free diet can result in a diet that's low in key nutrients — especially iron, zinc and B vitamins such as folate and niacin.” 

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Cyrus isn't the only star who goes gluten-free with their diet. Elisabeth Hasselbeck has suffered from Celiac's disease and wrote The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide to help others.

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