Since sixty years, the gluten-free diet (GFD) is the only therapeutic option for patients with celiac disease or dermatitis herpetitormis to normalize symptoms and prevent complications. In recent years, the use of a gluten-free diet is rapidly growing because of presumed effects on well-being and control of body weight. GFD is becoming a popular health choice for everybody.In the present review, evidence-based indications for a gluten-free diet are stressed, the need for profound dietary counselling and education of the patient is underlined, problems and pitfalls of the implementation of a gluten-free diet in daily practice and possible side effects of long-term gluten-free diets are mentioned. New methods to control adherence to a gluten-free diet and aspects of nutritional quality of commercial gluten-free products are discussed in detail.