We hear more and more about gluten, and it's usually negative news. Should we rightly eliminate it from our daily diet to improve our health? Can a gluten-free diet benefit everyone? You will learn this and many other facts about gluten from reading our blog. It's worth a read!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- What is gluten?
- Products containing gluten
- Who is a gluten-free diet for?
- Celiac disease
- Gluten allergy
- Gluten intolerance
- How to recognize if gluten is harmful?
- What can you eat on a gluten-free diet?
WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is the term used for proteins found in grains such as wheat and its varieties (spelt, durum, etc.), rye, triticale, and barley. It is these proteins that give dough its stickiness, elasticity, and help it rise properly. Gluten owes its name to these bonding properties, derived from the English word "glue."
Gluten is present not only in bread and grain products but also in many other types of processed foods – from cold cuts to sauces and bouillon cubes. It is added to some products because it is a good carrier of flavors. People on a gluten-free diet should therefore pay great attention to labels and look for products marked with the crossed grain symbol, which ensures that during the production process, there was no contact with food containing gluten.
WHICH PRODUCTS CONTAIN GLUTEN?
Gluten-containing grains can be easily excluded from the diet; the problem arises when gluten is added to products not related to grain. These include processed meats, sweets, medicines, dietary supplements, spices, yogurts with added grains, breading in ready-made meat dishes, soy sauce, ready meals, and many others.
People suffering from celiac disease, who cannot consume gluten, should choose food manufacturers who use warnings about possible gluten contamination during the production process. If a manufacturer uses a raw material containing gluten, they must provide such information on the label of the finished product! However, if they consciously do not use gluten, but there is a risk of contamination, e.g., during packaging, providing this information is voluntary and only constitutes good manufacturing practice.
Products containing gluten include:
- bread,
- pasta,
- bran and sprouts of the mentioned grains,
- certain groats (e.g., semolina, bulgur, couscous, pearl barley),
- cakes,
- cookies,
- salty snacks and other baked goods,
- grain coffee,
- beer,
- breakfast cereals,
- yogurts, sausages,
- soy sauce
- cold cuts,
- delicatessen products,
- mayonnaise,
- mustard,
- canned vegetables,
- marinades,
- chocolate,
- chips,
- spice mixes,
WHO IS A GLUTEN-FREE DIET FOR?
For most people, gluten is safe, and there is no need to eliminate it from the diet. Despite many studies, gluten has not been shown to be a direct cause of obesity. This compound is only harmful in specific medical cases: celiac disease, gluten allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). For healthy individuals, giving up gluten is not recommended, as an improperly balanced diet can lead to significant nutritional deficiencies.
CELIAC DISEASE
Celiac disease is considered the most significant health problem treated with a gluten-free diet. It is a genetically determined autoimmune disease (where the body produces antibodies against its own tissues). It is estimated to affect 1% of the population and most often activates when grain products are introduced into an infant's diet.
Antibodies triggered by celiac disease cause inflammation within the intestines, which gradually damages the mucosa. The surface area of the intestine through which nutrients can be absorbed decreases, leading to digestive problems, which are the most burdensome consequence and symptom of this disease.
In infants, the course of celiac disease usually leads to damage to the functioning of the digestive tract, causing diarrhea, mouth ulcers, weight loss, and growth problems. In adults, skin changes and nervous system reactions, such as migraines, lack of concentration, or depression, are more common.
If ignored, celiac disease can result in infertility, osteoporosis, or intestinal cancer. Currently, the only effective treatment method is the categorical elimination of gluten from the diet. It is worth remembering that celiac disease and gluten allergy, although often confused, are not the same medical conditions.
GLUTEN ALLERGY
One of the most common food allergies is gluten allergy. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of people struggling with food reactions also react negatively to this compound.
The allergy results from an increase in gluten-specific antibodies that force the body to react. This all happens within a few to several dozen minutes after consuming the allergen. Depending on the individual, one symptom or several may appear simultaneously.
Typical symptoms of gluten allergy include: vomiting, diarrhea, skin changes (hives, atopic dermatitis), mouth ulcers, swelling of the lips or tongue, bronchospasm and breathing problems, watery runny nose, or finally, anaphylactic shock.
In children, symptoms can occur even after consuming small amounts of this protein. In adults, tolerance is around 10 g of consumed gluten.
To diagnose a gluten allergy, typical skin tests and measurements of allergen-specific IgE antibody concentrations in the blood are performed.
NON-CELIAC GLUTEN SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity or gluten intolerance is discussed when, despite excluding food allergy (IgE antibody levels within the norm) and celiac disease, symptoms appear after consuming gluten. In the course of this disorder, non-specific and diverse symptoms are observed. These may include: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, anemia, chronic fatigue, depression, mood swings, nausea, heartburn, and a gurgling sensation in the abdomen.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity may coexist with other autoimmune or neurological diseases (e.g., Hashimoto's, epilepsy, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis), and a gluten-free diet can improve the general health of these patients.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE IF GLUTEN IS HARMFUL?
Today, more and more patients are mistakenly diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Many of them likely suffer from gluten/wheat sensitivity, and the only effective way to treat their ailments is a gluten-free diet. To establish a diagnosis, a visit to a doctor and appropriate tests are necessary. It is worth remembering that eliminating gluten from the diet is a method of treatment, not a trend. A properly managed diet will bring far more benefits than taking more medications.
If you observe some of the following symptoms, it is worth looking into gluten-free nutrition. You can very easily check if this diet is for you by eliminating gluten for two weeks. If you observe an improvement in well-being, it is possible that gluten is the cause of your health problems.
- abdominal pain
- rash, eczema
- headaches
- feeling of constant fatigue
- confusion
- diarrhea,
- bloating
- constipation
- anemia
- numbness and pain in limbs
- weakness/fainting
- burning in the esophagus
- nausea and vomiting
- gurgling in the intestines
- glossitis (inflammation of the tongue)
WHAT CAN YOU EAT ON A GLUTEN-FREE DIET?
A gluten-free diet involves the complete exclusion of products containing gluten grains or their ingredients from the menu. To provide a source of carbohydrates, grain products must be replaced with their gluten-free substitutes.
Remember that the absence or presence of gluten does not differentiate a diet into healthy and unhealthy. Other food choices also count. For a gluten-free diet to be properly balanced, fruits and vegetables, fish, and milk, which naturally do not contain gluten, should be included.
Although by choosing a gluten-free diet we lose the possibility of enjoying many products, you can still enjoy bread or pasta made from gluten-free grains or pseudo-grains.
Naturally gluten-free grains include:
- oats (from plantations where, for example, wheat is not grown)
- rice,
- corn,
- millet,
- sorghum,
- buckwheat,
- amaranth,
- quinoa,
- water chestnut.
Furthermore, gluten is not found in seafood, legumes, fruits and vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, eggs, pure spices, oils (except wheat germ oil), milk and its products, drinks (tea, coffee, fresh juices, herbs, pure alcohols, wine), and sweeteners such as sugar, honey, molasses, or maple syrup.
Based on naturally gluten-free products alone, anyone is able to create a complete menu. It is sometimes demanding due to the need for independent production of gluten-free bread. To make your task easier, we have prepared a rich collection of gluten-free baking mixes, thanks to which you can easily prepare your favorite baked goods without multiple attempts to get the right consistency, which can be quite a challenge.
In our collection, you will find gluten-free mixes for pancakes, dumplings, pizza, bread, waffles, rolls, cakes, and many others. Try it and see for yourself that by eliminating gluten from your diet, you don't have to give up the products you like most.
