Decoding Gluten and its Side Effects

Is this just a made up trend by the health industry?

Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, and has sparked debates about its significance in health.

Some individuals have a severe allergy to gluten known as celiac disease. This is when your immune system detects the protein in your bowels and releases an immune response. Over time the immune system can damage the lining of the small intestine, and impair the ability of your intestine to absorb nutrients from food.

This manifests in various symptoms like inflammation, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation and more.

There are also other individuals that do not present positive for celiac disease and instead have an intolerance to gluten (non-celiac gluten sensitivity), or a wheat allergy.

Finding gluten-free options is a challenge due to wheat's prevalence in processed foods and potential cross-contamination with other grains.

Wheat not only serves as the primary ingredient in most processed foods but also functions extensively as an additive for thickening, coloring, and flavoring.

One way to get around this challenge is to prepare your own meals, providing control over ingredients and ensuring gluten-free consumption.

Here are some grains and starches that are gluten free (when produced in machinery that doesn't produce wheat, barley, or rye):

Yuca (cassava) - flours, and products

Plantains

Rice - flours, and products

Quinoa

Oatmeal - flours, and products (look for gluten free labeled)

Corn - flours, and products

Sorghum - flours, and products

Millet - flours, and products

Teff - flours, and products

Amaranth - flours, and products

Job's Tears

Potatoes - flours, and products

Other gluten free foods (when they are prepared at home or as a one ingredient item)

Meat

Fish

Eggs

Poultry

Dairy

Beans and legumes

Nuts and seeds

Vegetables

Fruits

Let's not overlook beverages derived from wheat, along with various food items such as beer, malt flavoring, salad dressings, soy sauce, gravies, soup mixes/bouillon, steak/barbecue sauce, hot dogs/processed lunch meats, vegetables in sauce, seasoned snacks, and other similar processed foods.

Additionally, wheat goes by various names and forms, including triticale, couscous, durum, kamut, spelt, einkorn, emmer, bulgur, bran, farina and more.

Are you ready to explore a nutrient-packed diet? Let's discuss your options.

Let's have a chat about healthy diets and symptom control.

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