What is Gluten and how does it negatively affect the body?
May 5, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gluten Free
I want to know what Gluten is and how I can have a ‘gluten free’ diet. First, if you have not been tested, it is important to get tested BEFORE you start the diet, because after you are on a gluten-free diet, there is no way to test for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, and having a medical diagnosis can be important for your health and make things much easier for you in the long run.
WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is the protein in wheat, rye, and barley. (Oats are very similar, or are often contaminated with wheat, and some people who are gluten intolerant also react to oats.) Gluten is very common in processed foods, and a truly gluten-free diet is a lot harder than just avoiding pizza and pasta. It involves checking every ingredient of every food, drink, medication, and other products you can accidentally swallow just by touching your mouth, such as shampoos, lotions, chap stick, and makeup. (Yes, some people that are sensitive to it. but others are less sensitive.)
The easiest way to start a gluten-free diet is to start with plain, fresh (no sauces, no seasonings, no marinades…) meat and veggies and potatoes. Stick with this simple, plain diet till you can find resources to learn all the things you can and can’t have. With the growing market for gluten-free food, there is now a wide variety of gluten-free options, including bread, pizza, crackers, and pasta. These are often made from rice or corn instead of the usual wheat. Find a support group or visit a gluten-free forum (see sources links) to learn the nitty-gritty details of the diet.
SYMPTOMS
There are 200-300 different symptoms that can be caused by gluten sensitivity. They range from –digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, reflux, weight gain, weight loss, bloating, abdominal pain…); –to mental health issues (depression, anxiety, mood swings, behavior problems…); –to inflammation issues (aching joints, bones, muscles, increased asthma…); –to neurological issues (migraines, vertigo, tingling, numbness, weird sensations…); –to a wide variety of malnutrition-related and other issues (fatigue, brain fog, canker sores, osteoporosis, infertility, enamel problems, missed periods, painful periods, night sweats, thyroid problems, frequent infections…)
“CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SPECIAL OFFER.”
HOW IT AFFECTS THE BODY
Most doctors don’t think a gluten-free diet is necessary for everyone, only those who have celiac disease or another form of gluten sensitivity. About one percent of the population has celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease. When they eat gluten, it triggers an immune response in which the body attacks itself, eventually destroying the villi of the intestines and making it difficult for you to absorb the nutrients you need. Fortunately, a very strict gluten free diet almost always leads to a complete recovery. About 12 percent of the population has elevated antibodies in their blood that indicate some form of immune response to eating gluten, but do not have the classic damage to the intestines that doctors in the U.S. use to define celiac disease.
Some of these people also have severe and wide-ranging symptoms. A recent study showed that even without the damaged villi of the so-called “gold standard” for celiac disease, those who have these elevated antibodies to gluten still have an elevated risk of death if they do not go on a gluten free diet. Beyond that, some medical practitioners (many alternative and whole health practitioners as well as some specialists) think that a much higher percent of the population (a few on the outskirts would say everyone) have negative health impacts (ranging from digestive problems to fatigue) from eating gluten. Grains are very hard to digest to begin with, and over time, through selective breeding in the agricultural industry, the gluten content in the grains we eat has grown. This is sort of a far outfield idea. But almost everyone agrees that more research is needed to understand the full spectrum of gluten sensitivity.
“CLICK HERE FOR YOUR SPECIAL OFFER.”
Babycakes on Tue, 11th May 2010 3:29 pm
Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain glutenglutengluten. Examples of grains that do not have glutenglutengluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans, and sunflower seeds.
Some people suffer from a disease called celiac disease, which impedes the digestion of gluten. Individuals with celiac disease must eat foods that do not contain gluten in order to prevent illness. If improperly treated, celiac disease can be fatal. In addition, care must be taken when eating grains that do not contain gluten, particularly oats and teff, as they are commonly grown near foods with gluten or processed in the same bins. Catholic sufferers of celiac disease must also exercise precaution, as wheat, which contains gluten, is a required ingredient in the wafers used for certain religious ceremonies.
The person who prepares the patient’s food must fully understand the gluten-free diet. Read food labels carefully.
* Do not eat anything that contains the following grains: wheat, rye, and barley.
* The following can be eaten in any amount: corn, potato, rice, soybeans, tapioca, arrowroot, carob, buckwheat, millet, amaranth and quinoa.
* Distilled white vinegar does not contain gluten.
* Malt vinegar does contain gluten.
Grains are used in the processing of many ingredients, so it will be necessary to seek out hidden gluten. The following terms found on food labels may mean that there is gluten in the product.
* Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), unless made from soy or corn
* Flour or Cereal products, unless made with pure rice flour, corn flour, potato flour, or soy flour
* Vegetable Protein, unless made from soy or corn
* Malt or Malt Flavoring, unless derived from corn
* Modified Starch or Modified Food Starch, unless arrowroot, corn, potato, tapioca, waxy maize, or maize is used
* Vegetable Gum, unless vegetable gums are carob bean gum, locust bean gum, cellulose gum, guar gum, gum arabic, gum aracia, gum tragacanth, xanthan gum, or vegetable starch
* Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids, unless you know they do not contain wheat
Any of the following words on food labels usually means that a grain containing gluten has been used
* stabilizer
* starch
* flavoring
* emulsifier
* hydrolyzed
* plant protein
n patients with celiac disease, gluten injures the lining of the small intestine. This injury results in weight loss, bloating, diarrhea, gas, abdominal cramps, or vitamin and mineral deficiencies. When patients totally eliminate gluten from the diet, the lining of the intestine has a chance to heal.
References :
D D on Tue, 11th May 2010 4:12 pm
Gluten is a protein found in several grains like Wheat, Barley, Oats, etc.
It comes from the latin word with means sticky, which holds true to the function of the protein as it "sticks" to things, like your white blood cells (impairing function).
Basically the protein is a defensive mechanism for grains as they are low to the ground and the grains themselves do not want to be eaten. What happens when we eat grains basically, amongst other things is that the gluten protein sticks to our gut, basically trying to damage it, which discourages us from eating it.
Why do we eat grain/gluten then? Because with the agrocultural revolution, we have learned to prepare our food, some of which by heating it – effectively destroying most of the gluten *most of*.
To answer the second part of your question, I suggest the book "The Paleo Diet."
It will tell you about all of the evils of gluten, and a whole lot more.
Good luck!
References :
MagnusMoss on Tue, 11th May 2010 4:51 pm
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, and to a lesser extent barley and rye. It is a sticky protein that holds the bread together. It is impossible to make a loaf of bread that rises without using a at least some grain that contains gluten.
It is important to know that gluten does NOT negatively effect the body of most people. As with everything, there are a few people who are allergicto it. A few people have a disease called Celiac that causes their digestive system to self destruct when exposed to gluten., If you don’t have these diseases, gluten is completely harmless. Only your doctor can tell you if you have celiac. (NOT a chiropractor, health food store clerk, or personal trainer).
Celiac occurs when your body screws up and makes antibodies that Attack gluten. Since gluten accumulates in special hairs in your intestines (which play an important role in digesting gluten, milk, and other things) this sometimes leads to these hairs getting "caught in the crossfire" and destroyed.
Recently they’ve gotten better at diagnosing celiac. People with celiac have been loudly talking about how much better they feel, and the difficulties of avoiding gluten. This has led to a "me to" phenomenon where healthy people have been avoiding gluten on the theory that "if it is good for them it is good for me". This is like healthy people using crutches because their friend with one leg gets such good results from them. In practice it is often hard to design a gluten free diet that is not really high in fat (since many gluten substitutes people use are heavy, and removing gluten from grain products makes them denser).
The way to avoid gluten is to avoid everything that contains wheat, rye, or barley, or wheat. Use rice or potatos as your main starches. Avoid pastry, bread and pasta.
References :
sunshine n t on Tue, 11th May 2010 5:29 pm
First, if you have not been tested, it is important to get tested BEFORE you start the diet, because after you are on a gluten-free diet, there is no way to test for celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, and having a medical diagnosis can be important for your health and make things much easier for you in the long run.
WHAT IS GLUTEN?
Gluten is the protein in wheat, rye, and barley. (Oats are very similar, or are often contaminated with wheat, and some people who are gluten intolerant also react to oats.) Gluten is very common in processed foods, and a truly gluten-free diet is a lot harder than just avoiding pizza and pasta. It involves checking every ingredient of every food, drink, medication, and other products you can accidentally swallow just by touching your mouth, such as shampoos, lotions, chap stick, and makeup. (Yes, some people are THAT sensitive to it. But others are less sensitive.)
The easiest way to start a gluten-free diet is to start with plain, fresh (no sauces, no seasonings, no marinades…) meat and veggies and potatoes. Stick with this simple, plain diet till you can find resources to learn all the things you can and can’t have. With the growing market for gluten-free food, there is now a wide variety of gluten-free options, including bread, pizza, crackers, and pasta. These are often made from rice or corn instead of the usual wheat. Find a support group or visit a gluten-free forum (see sources links) to learn the nitty-gritty details of the diet.
SYMPTOMS
There are 200-300 different symptoms that can be caused by gluten sensitivity. They range from
–digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, reflux, weight gain, weight loss, bloating, abdominal pain…);
–to mental health issues (depression, anxiety, mood swings, behavior problems…);
–to inflammation issues (aching joints, bones, muscles, increased asthma…);
–to neurological issues (migraines, vertigo, tingling, numbness, weird sensations…);
–to a wide variety of malnutrition-related and other issues (fatigue, brain fog, canker sores, osteoporosis, infertility, enamel problems, missed periods, painful periods, night sweats, thyroid problems, frequent infections…)
HOW IT AFFECTS THE BODY
Most doctors don’t think a gluten-free diet is necessary for everyone, only those who have celiac disease or another form of gluten sensitivity.
About one percent of the population has celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disease. When they eat gluten, it triggers an immune response in which the body attacks itself, eventually destroying the villi of the intestines and making it difficult for you to absorb the nutrients you need. Fortunately, a very strict gluten free diet almost always leads to a complete recovery. However, in rare cases, it can leave permanent nerve damage. Celiac disease can also lead to many other debilitating and even deadly conditions, from other autoimmune diseases to cancer.
About 12 percent of the population has elevated antibodies in their blood that indicate some form of immune response to eating gluten, but do not have the classic damage to the intestines that doctors in the U.S. use to define celiac disease. Some of these people also have severe and wide-ranging symptoms. A recent study showed that even without the damaged villi of the so-called "gold standard" for celiac disease, those who have these elevated antibodies to gluten still have an elevated risk of death if they do not go on a gluten free diet.
Beyond that, some medical practitioners (many alternative and whole health practitioners as well as some specialists) think that a much higher percent of the population (a few on the outskirts would say everyone) have negative health impacts (ranging from digestive problems to fatigue) from eating gluten. Grains are very hard to digest to begin with, and over time, through selective breeding in the agricultural industry, the gluten content in the grains we eat has grown. This is sort of a far outfield idea. But almost everyone agrees that more research is needed to understand the full spectrum of gluten sensitivity.
References :
http://www.celiac.com/articles.....Page1.html
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov.....bs/celiac/
http://www.csaceliacs.org/celiac_symptoms.php
http://www.celiac.com
http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/
http://www.sciencedaily.com/re.....174323.htm