The Benefits of a Gluten-Free Diet
The word gluten comes from the Latin word glutin, meaning glue (Merriam-Webster). Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat and most other cereal grains, it gives dough and other produces their cohesiveness. It is very important to society, because without it, traditional baking would not be possible. The chainlike gluten molecules form an elastic network that traps gas and makes the dough expand (Keis). In other words, it is what makes brownies and other baked goods rise.
Gluten related diseases are rapidly increasing. According to Tanda Cook, about ten thousand years ago, people in the East started cultivating grains to eat. They have been a part of the human diet for thousands of years in some places of the world, but it has only been part of the North American, Asian, African, and part of Europe’s diet for a relatively short period of time. In these places where grains were not consumed, people hunted and fished for protein, and got vitamins from fruits and vegetables. As the World started to develop more, farm techniques were improved, giving way to a more controlled way of agriculture. Through exploration and expansion, these techniques spread worldwide. Mediterranean countries such as Spain, France, and Portugal imported these grains and farming technology to the New World through the Columbian Exchange. Although gluten bearing foods were introduced worldwide, Joannie Ham says it was not until the industrial revolution when these
Countless members of society do not understand where gluten comes from, they just believe that it is not good for them. Gluten originated when people began to grow wheat and other grains as civilizations were created. Our ancient
Some people can gain weight, whereas, some might lose weight. When cutting out gluten it is essential to monitor your vitamins, minerals, and fiber levels; these are nutrients that are beneficial to your health. Gluten can cause skin conditions such as; eczema, acne, and Keratosis Pilaris, which are the bumps on the back of some peoples arms.
As a celiacs daughter I quickly adapted the “gluten free” life style out of convenience for my mother. I would even find myself going to restaurants asking for the gluten free menu and strictly sticking to the diet in and out of my household. I was aware that I was lacking some nutrients by not eating gluten but to make up for it I took vitamin D pills and everyday women health vitamins but little did I know that was not enough to keep me healthy. I was not aware of the risks I was putting myself at by eliminating a whole category of food. I was lacking my body of calcium, fibre and iron as well as other nutrients.
When you talk to your friends at the gym about the diets you are following the word gluten comes up or when your seeing a cook show they often show more gluten-free recipes and when you go to the super market and you are walking down the aisles you can see many products marked as gluten-free. Gluten has been a really popular topic in many conversations in the past years. Gluten is found in many food products mainly on the bread products. Gluten is a protein that is found in wheats and in many other grains (7). Gluten is a component for grasses such as wheat, barley, and rye, but gluten is not found in all grasses like corn or rice. (7). Gluten helps to give a certain type of texture when the bread is being produced. This grains are found in many of the food products we consume daily.
In recent years people have become more and more health conscious, but many people are more scared of gluten then they are of food that has been proven
Let's start with the basics; gluten is a protein that's a natural part of wheat, rye as well as barley, which are used to make beer, bread, pasta and lots of processed foods.
Dr. Ford, a pediatrician in CHristchurch, New Zealand and author of The Gluten Syndrome, believes the leading causes of sickness is consumption of gluten products, which Ford concludes the numbers of gluten-sensitive people could be a huge margin of the American population, between 30% and 50%" (Franso). I myself, am a personal witness of being sensitive to gluten. Before I became gluten free, my mom noticed I started having trouble digesting my lunches at school. I sometimes had to call in sick day from school. My mom didn't know what was causing my upset stomach. She tried many different options for food; more fruits, more vegtables, but nothing worked. Then she heard of this new trend of eating what's called gluten free. One day my mom sent me back at school and made me a sandwhich with spelt bread. I tried it for the first time, and was not a big fan of the taste, but I stomach stopped hurting. That day, when my mom came to pick me up from school, she noticed I wasn't sick. I
3. In her article “Understanding WHEAT &GLUTEN: Issues in Today's Clients” Tammera Karr writes about the health concerns involving gluten consumption and the current research involving it. She writes that there is extensive research about gluten that shows that is causes several different health problems as indicated in answer 1. She summarizes how the immune system works in our body and about how our T cells are able to destroy antigens in the body and they also function in signaling other cells of the immune system to perform what they are supposed to do. This is important because a person who has a gluten allergy has T cells that do not work properly and they are not able to differentiate between the good and the bad things in their body. Karr writes that when a person consumes gluten, that gluten is carrying DNA of foreign bodies that are not naturally found in wheat. Proteins called Glaidins are one of the foreign bodies it carries and this protein can be found in rye, barley, spelt, trticale, and oats that have been cross contaminated. Gliadin acts as a trigger to the lymphocytes in the small intestine and it causes inflammation also known as “leaky gut syndome”(Karr). These Gliadin proteins are not naturally occurring. Wheat hybridization, genetic engineering, herbicide, and pesticide usage, sail husbandry, and food manufacturing are more commonly used and are the main source of these proteins. Because our
When a person with gluten intolerance ingests even a small amount of gluten, their immune system will mistake the protein for a foreign invader and launch an attack.
That may be a snarky way of saying it, but it’s true. Scientific studies have concluded that sensitivity to gluten for people who do not have Celiac disease may be completely psychological.Especially relevant in a country where 17 million people may unnecessarily believe that they are gluten sensitive. (Source: A Mayo Clinic survey in 2012, cited in a NY Times article.)Especially shocking in a planet that spent $10.5 billion last year in gluten free products. (Source: Mintel, a market research company, cited in the NY Times article.)Especially important because a psychological disease can spread as fast as any virus but be more enduring.Especially lucrative for all the food companies making tons of money off of people like you.
The protein contained in wheat, barley and rye, gluten, can be linked to around 60 dangerous illnesses. The most terrible fact is that only 1% of gluten intolerant people are diagnosed.
Gluten is what makes bread elastic, and helps the dough to be held together when kneading
This sounds easy, but it is more difficult than it sounds. Cutting gluten out of one’s diet basically means that they may eat plain meats, fruits, vegetables, rice, potatoes, and most dairy products (King 120). This seems like a boring way to live, but there are many foods that have been made to be gluten free. For example, there are bands like “Gluteno” that make gluten free cookies, pasta, and other normally gluten-containing foods. When picking out foods that are gluten free one needs to be cautious. Always read the food label before purchasing any product you think may be gluten free (King 121). By law, labels must list all ingredients in a product and if it contains a common allergen (including wheat) and this should be stated clearly (Hand 54). Some foods that are labeled gluten free will still be processed in a facility that makes foods with the gluten protein. Steer clear of these items, as they may be cross-contaminated on the facilities processing equipment. Cross-contamination can be an everyday issue that people with Celiac Disease have to face. They are advised not to eat foods prepared with pans, dishes, or utensils that were previously used to prepare allergenic food (Hand 54). This can add difficulties when eating out or anywhere that one cannot regulate how the food is
The term gluten has become a generic word to describe the protein that causes inflammation in patients with celiac disease when in actuality the disease is activated by a peptide in wheat and two separate proteins in rye and barley. Researchers have found other environmental factors that lead to development of the disease in individuals that carry the proper genetic makeup including early gluten introduction to children, cesarean delivery, and lack of breast-feeding (Kupfer & Jabri,
Gluten is a name of a protein that is found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale (a cross substance that is made of wheat and rye). Gluten is the substance that is responsible for the elastic texture in dough. It allows food to keep their shape, because gluten as a glue that can keep the food together.