(CNN) -- Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of "The View" and author of the new book, "The G-Free Diet," spoke Wednesday with Larry King.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck, of "The View," says Bristol Palin is an ideal choice to speak about teen abstinence.

Hasselbeck offers her thoughts on being the sole conservative on her show, Elizabeth Edwards dealing with her husband's infidelity, Bristol Palin being abstinence spokeswoman and her battle with celiac disease.

The following is an edited version of the interview.

Larry King: Were you surprised that "The View" made the most influential list of Time magazine?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck: I sure was. I think it's truly a tribute to what Barbara (Walters) has done and the show that she created along with Bill Geddie, our executive producer.

It's a great place for women to come to and listen -- men, as well. But, also, for us to get there every day and discuss everything from politics to motherhood and parenting.

But it was a shock. I think any time you receive an honor such as that, it's shocking. Watch Hasselbeck defend Bristol Palin »

King: As the definitive conservative in the group, do you feel like the outcast? Do you feel put upon?

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Hasselbeck: I never feel like an outcast there. If anything, I feel more included than ever. I mean, truly that is a table where respect is number one, in terms of we sort of have a vow to one another. And we couldn't come there every single day and talk about the things that -- that we discuss and have the debates that we do and get as fiery as we do and get back there the next day if there wasn't that respect at the table and true value for the others' opinion.

I mean the more we tend to disagree, I think the more we sort of dig deeper into that relationship.

King: So the anger doesn't carry over?

Hasselbeck: No. I wouldn't even classify it as anger. I think it's passion, and I think it's passion with purpose. You know, we do believe different things at times. Occasionally, we agree. It may not be that interesting when we do, but there is passion.

It is coming from different places, but we love that conversation. I love being able to hear someone else's opinion on a subject and maybe sort of, you know, push a button here and there and see what they think about what I have to say.

King also talked with Hasselbeck about Bristol Palin, the daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, being a spokeswoman for abstinence.

King: What do you make of that choice?

Hasselbeck: I think she's the perfect choice. She has a tangible, living example of what this new responsibility is in her life. I believe that there is a sort of sadistic giddiness on the part of some true radical leftists, who are laughing behind-the-scenes about Bristol Palin's situation.

Why are they so obsessed with her being a spokesperson for this? She's promoting a great thing -- abstinence. Find me something else that works 100 percent of the time.

King: Elizabeth Edwards has gone public about her pain about her husband's infidelity. Yesterday on this show, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, your compatriot, called John Edwards a dog. Do you agree?

Hasselbeck: You never understand the intimacies of someone's relationship with their spouse -- I mean or boyfriend, partner, etc. Those are places that only the two people truly understand.

I think we're also looking at a woman of incredible strength, having looked at cancer and battled through. I believe that nothing, truly, can compare to that. And, you know, it's unfortunate. I think this alleged affair and, you know, disturbance, even in terms of allegedly funding his mistress' foundation, is even more complicating the matter. The idea of another child in the mix (is) disturbing as well.

King: Elisabeth, Miss California USA Carrie Prejean -- first, the controversy over gay marriage statements and now scandal over semi-nude modeling photos of her. What do you think of the way she's being treated in the media?

Hasselbeck: Well, I think there's a very specific witch hunt going on here because she expressed her opinion. So now we're going to dig and throw fear into the heart of any person who may want to freely express their opinion in the United States of America. That seems like a big bullying scheme to me.

If she had answered the other way, would anyone have been searching for those photos? Would they want to vilify her or remove what she's been working for?

I don't understand the pageant well, and I don't know what her responsibilities were. Was she to represent the state of California in her opinions and was she to represent the opinions of a young woman who believed in her heart one thing?

That's her personal opinion. I'm not sure what her duties were or were to be.

I do know this, though. I'm not sure this investigation into any sort of photos or background or family members that they're pulling out of left and right would have even occurred if she had given an answer on the other side.

So it seems to me a bit of a bullying scheme, as I said before, and that disturbing. We should be able to have our opinions in this country and stand by them and at least be respected, at the very least.

Later in the interview King talked with Hasselbeck about her new book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide."

King: Now, (when) we think of gluten, we think of wheat, right?

Hasselbeck: Well, it's actually more than that. Gluten is a protein found in barley, oats, wheat and rye. It's more broad than most people actually think, so that is definitely a misconception out there.

This has been a decade-long process for me. I have celiac disease, and I say out of diabetes came that low glycemic index diet and out of my celiac disease, I found this all-star diet. I call it my "diet in the rough" because it is something that, even if I didn't have celiac disease, like many others, I would follow this diet.

You know, over 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with IBS, thyroid issues. I was having infertility problems. People suffer miscarriage after miscarriage, stillbirth. It eventually leads to intestinal cancer.

This is something that needs to be treated. But the diet is actually, yes, for people with celiac disease, for millions with food intolerance that is up like 25 percent in the past five years (and) for people who just want a healthy lifestyle. I mean I'm on this diet before I'm pregnant, during pregnancy and when I'm trying to get back in my bikini to, you know, strut around in the summer.

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