To Gluten or Not to Gluten? Insights from a Nutritional Therapist
Many foods we eat, including bread, spaghetti, cookies, pastries, and even alcoholic beverages like beer, contain gluten. Although it has been a staple for hundreds of years, going gluten-free has become one of the most popular health trends in the past ten years. Some people contend that gluten is unhealthy. Others argue that if we don't eat it, we run the risk of nutritional inadequacies. What, then, is the truth?
Like many other things in today's world, when there is a ton of information and opinion, the waters can get murky, and it can be difficult to tell fact from fiction. I'd explore the subject to determine whether being gluten-free is best for you.
What Is Gluten and Which Foods Contain It
The term "gluten" refers to various proteins in grains like wheat, barley, rye, and anything made from them.
Glutenin and gliadin, two of the primary proteins found in wheat, are very elastic and contribute to the stretchy texture of bread. While some foods naturally contain gluten, they are also frequently added to give them more texture.
The following products (not a complete list!) contain gluten.
Grain flour
Raleigh wheat
Kamut
Semolina
Foods that have been battered or breaded
Pasta
Noodles
Soy sauce (unless its gluten-free tamari soy sauce)
Sauce Worcestershire
Numerous flavours of crisps
Barley
Ale, stout, lager, and beer
"Cous cous"
Bulgar wheat
Pastries and pies
Pizza
Pies and cookies
Yummy Yorkshire puddings and dumplings
Cereals for breakfast
Muesli
Many sachet sauces (both liquid and powder)
Malt extract
Brewer's yeast
What's wrong with consuming gluten?
The gluten proteins are challenging for your body to break down. When they don't break, they create inflammation in the digestive tract or leak into your circulation through the wall of your small intestine, inducing an immunological reaction.
The most well-known gluten-related problem is coeliac disease. It's an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten that makes your body attack the small intestine and damage the gut lining.
Diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, anaemia, neurological abnormalities, psoriasis, and dermatitis are just a few symptoms.
An immunological reaction to one or more proteins found in wheat is known as a wheat allergy. Like other genuine allergies, anaphylaxis can result in a specific inflammatory response from the body and mild to severe symptoms, including breathing difficulty and death. IgE antibody testing on blood or finger prick samples is typically used to identify allergies.
The term "non-coeliac gluten sensitivity" is a catch-all term for all other conditions. If your body reacts negatively to gluten, advanced testing for gluten-related illnesses can identify it. Or, you may be aware that you have problems because of gluten. These symptoms can vary from neurological symptoms such as headaches to digestive system issues, joint pain, and exhaustion. Even though they're not life-threatening, they can significantly impact your health and how you feel, so you shouldn't disregard them.
Really, neurological symptoms? Yes. Gluten can traverse the blood–brain barrier in the same manner as proteins can pass through normally tight junctions in the gut, as we have learned. People mean this when referring to a "leaky brain," if you've ever heard that term. According to research, gluten can result in diseases of the central, peripheral, and psychiatric nervous systems.
In my clinic, I see many people with autoimmune diseases, including Hashimoto thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, and Celiac disease, and one of the first things I advise them to do is take out gluten because gluten causes inflammation in the body.
Why is this an issue RIGHT NOW?
Bread and gluten-containing products have been around for thousands of years! As a result of an over-reliance on convenience and snack foods, as well as bread and pasta making frequent daily appearances at family dinners, gluten-containing grains now make up the majority of the modern diet. I often run into people who eat toast or cereal for breakfast, sandwiches or soup and rolls for lunch, and pasta or pie for dinner.
Simply put, we eat far too much.
In addition, the wheat we consume now differs significantly from earlier varieties due to industrial milling, which produced the nearly nutritionally deficient white flour and other highly processed meals, depleting modern wheat of many essential elements. To enhance yields, cereal is farmed significantly differently, using pesticides and fertilisers.
The author of Wheat Belly, Dr. William Davis, stated: "This thing being sold to us called wheat – it ain't wheat. It's this stocky high-yield plan, a distant relative of the wheat our mothers used to make muffins – light years removed from the wheat of just 40 years ago."
'Gluten-free foods'
Never assume that gluten-free foods are automatically healthy. These foods, such as breads, pastries, cakes, and biscuits, usually have a lengthy list of ingredients.
One example is bread made without gluten. Gluten-free bread frequently contains corn starch, rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato flour, which are more likely to cause blood sugar spikes, be lower in fibre, and cost more than regular bread because it is challenging to recreate traditional bread without gluten.
How to eliminate gluten
The solution is to avoid gluten if you think you have a gluten sensitivity. Please don't cut it back or reserve it for treats. There is no compromise since gluten intolerance triggers an immunological reaction. This means avoiding eating foods containing gluten and reducing cross-contamination with gluten-containing items. Although the food industry has made great strides in recent years, creating products and menus free of gluten, you still need to be cautious.
Going gluten-free could be challenging, but reading labels and identifying cross-contamination risks will quickly come naturally. Here are my top recommendations for adhering to a gluten-free diet.
Become a label reader. Learn which food categories and brands should be avoided because they contain gluten.
Do not be hesitant to admit that you must avoid gluten. If dining out, ask if food contains any potential allergens. And your true friends will do their best to accommodate you.
Keep emergency food on hand (protein bars, almonds, or seeds) just in case you run out of options.
Hidden gluten
Many processed goods, such as sausages, burgers, sauces, and gravies, contain hidden gluten. Even though some items don't include any gluten-based components, they might have been made at a facility that does. Thus, cross-contamination is possible. Additionally, they should be avoided. This explains why oats come in both conventional and gluten-free varieties. Although oats don't naturally contain gluten, they are frequently packaged in facilities that handle other grains like barley and wheat.
Dining out
Nowadays, most restaurants include a gluten-free (GF) menu; if not, they can frequently recommend GF items on a regular menu. Always ask the waiting staff if the item is "gluten-free" if it is not listed. Ask them to check with the chef if they need clarification. One of the things you should constantly examine is the sauce. Ensure that the oil used to fry breaded goods is not used to fry chips.
Try to find out about the GF alternatives in advance. You'll quickly accumulate a list of favourite locations that can accommodate you.
Cross-contamination
This can happen in any kitchen, even your own. Wash your grills, pans, cutting boards, and other utensils thoroughly because they may still have gluten remnants. When using regular flour, use caution because residues can linger in the air for up to 24 hours and land on counters. You'll also need a new toaster or toast bag to stop the spread of crumbs.
Are you constantly battling digestive issues and suspecting that gluten might be the hidden culprit behind your inflammation and deteriorating health? It's time to stop guessing and start taking proactive steps towards your well-being. Schedule a one-on-one consultation with me, a certified nutritional therapist, to find out the root cause of your troubles and to make a personalised plan to help you recover your health. Don’t let another day pass by in discomfort and uncertainty. Act now and take charge of your health.
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Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye that can cause an immune response in some people.
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Gluten sensitivity is a condition where consuming gluten triggers symptoms such as bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, but without the immune response seen in celiac disease.
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Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where consuming gluten triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine, leading to symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and malabsorption of nutrients.
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Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can include bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and headaches.
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Symptoms of celiac disease can include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, fatigue, weight loss, and malabsorption of nutrients
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Foods that are naturally gluten-free include fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, and dairy products. There are also many gluten-free alternatives to traditional gluten-containing foods, such as gluten-free bread and pasta.
