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GLUTEN-FREE ESSENTIALS
WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat (wheatberries, durum, emmer, semolina, spelt, farina, farro, graham, wheat and einkorn), rye, barley and triticale – a cross between wheat and rye. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. Gluten can be found in many types of foods, even ones that would not be expected.
IS GLUTEN BAD FOR ME?
Gluten isn’t inherently bad for most people. We have consumed gluten for as long as people have been making bread. For centuries, foods with gluten have been providing people with protein, soluble fiber and nutrients.
Gluten in itself, especially gluten found in whole grains, is not bad for healthy people whose bodies can tolerate it. However, grains like wheat are often stripped down to make processed foods such as snack crackers and potato chips. These refined products have very little resemblance to the actual wheat plant, which is actually highly nutritious. They tend to contain things like white rice flour and starches, but not whole grains.
Many people who adopt a gluten-free diet but still eat processed foods find they continue to have weight gain, blood sugar swings and other health issues. So it’s not the gluten in foods that’s causing their health issues, but the sodium, sugar and other additives in processed foods
WHO SHOULD GO GLUTEN-FREE?
Anyone can choose to go gluten-free. Many people who show no symptoms of being intolerant still choose to eliminate gluten from their diet. People with these specific ailments benefit most from a gluten-free diet :
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Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that causes damage to the small intestine in people who consume gluten.
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Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (gluten intolerance), which is gastrointestinal irritation caused by gluten in people who don’t have celiac disease.
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Wheat allergy, an allergy to wheat, but not to all grains or to gluten itself.
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Gluten ataxia, a rare neurological autoimmune disorder that causes your body to attack parts of your brain in response to gluten.
Choosing a gluten-free diet is a personal choice for many different reasons. Below is additional information regarding this diet & if it is right for you.
