Gluten. I figured I would write a post about this topic because it is becoming so "trendy" today. First of all let me tell you what the definition of gluten is:
1. the tough, viscid, nitrogenous substance remaining when the flour of wheat or other grain is washed to remove the starch.
2. glue or a gluey substance.
The second definition is a great way to remember glue=gluten.
Now first off, I am not a food-sensitive person, I can usually eat a multitude of foods without any reactions or allergies. Though seeing many friends and celebrities choose a gluten-free lifestyle has prompted my interest. Thought I would delve into the topic and get some much needed information about it, not just for myself but for all of you as well.
When we hear about gluten free lifestyles we assume it is due to an intolerance and or celiac disease. (A gastrointestinal disease characterized by an inability to absorb the protein gluten, resulting in diarrhea, the passage of stools having a high fat content, and nutritional and vitamin deficiencies. Individuals with celiac disease must avoid ingesting products made from grains containing gluten, including wheat, rye, barley, and oats.) The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Retrieved August 27, 2013, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/celiac disease
Like many who are lactose intolerant and unable to digest dairy products have refrained from those foods. Did you know that we all have a lactose intolerance? Yes, just some of us are more sensitive than others. As babies we have the enzymes to help breakdown the lactase, but as we age we slowly decrease the ability therefore making us intolerant to dairy.
Gluten can be put into the same classification, some just do not digest it as well as another.
Okay, those with the disease are completely understandable in order for them to have a proper functioning digestive system, but what about those who just choose it. Well some may just be doing it because as I said before it's trendy, but I am pretty sure there are a few people out there that are conscious of what they put into their bodies and decided that gluten was not something they wanted. Let me tell you why.
- We do not fully digest wheat. The undigested portions of wheat ferment, and produce gas and bloating.
- Wheat is a pro-inflammatory. A pro-inflammatory quikly converts to sugar, causing a rise in the body’s insulin levels, causing inflammation at the cellular level, and weight gain.
- Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition where intestinal substances are leaking into your bloodstream — substances that shouldn’t be there. This is caused by the your body treating the gluten as a dangerous substance and in turn begins to create antibodies to attack it. Although when it begins to attack the food, it also attacks the enzymes that were secreted in the first place to help break it down and in turn breaks down the intestinal walls allowing food and toxins not digested to get into your bloodstream.
- Refined wheat has little nutritional value. The wheat today has to have nutrients added back into it because of the lengthy processing of refining it. They take out all the nutrients during the preparation. (similar to "from concentrate") And even then, the wheat’s not that healthy, from a nutrition standpoint because it is now enriched with chemically made vitamins and minerals.
- Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens. A lot of people are allergic to wheat — so many that it is one of the top-eight on the allergen list.
- Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and don’t know it. \statistically 1 in 100 people has celiac disease — but most don’t know it. There have been estimates that they are as high as 50 - 70 percent,of the world population.
You will have to eliminate all gluten based foods from your diet for a minimum of 30 days. After the month, slowly re-introduce those foods. If you have an adverse reaction, it is most probable that you have an intolerance. Another way to determine this is to actually make note of how you feel without it in your body and then how it feels when you re-introduce it. Look for symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, headaches, and even skin irritations.
Here is a list of gluten foods:
barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, wheat ( not all oats..make sure they are clean and not manufactured in the same facility as wheat products and you should be okay.)
places you would never think are soup mixes, salad dressings, and sauces. It can also be found in cosmetics, vitamins and even Play Doh.
So now what can you eat?
Veggies..all of them!!
Fruits...all of them!!
Meats/Proteins: poultry, fish, soy/edamame
Dairy: eggs and almond milk
Grains: brown rice, quinoa, uncontaminated oats
Nuts/Seeds: Flax, walnuts, almonds, cashews
Oils/Condiments: Olive oil, almons butter
Miscellaneous: gluten-free pre-packaged foods..but buyer beware..many items sold on the shelves today may be gluten-free but in turn they require another binding agent and have replaced the gluten with fats an sugars.
Easiest way to help you on your way to gluten free is to eat as close as possible to nature. The less processing the better.
So your choice, if you have not had an intolerance and not diagnosed with celiac, you can continue to add gluten foods to your daily diet. If you want to give it a try, do so. I think I will be doing it as well. It can't hurt, and what better way to feel even healthier than to keep your body functioning at it's best.
Be well!
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