Truth About Gluten

 

 

 

 

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐆𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐍:

 

Though often thought of as a single compound, gluten is a collective term that refers to many different types of proteins (prolamins) found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

 

Various prolamins exist, but all are related and have similar structures and properties. The main prolamins in wheat include gliadin and glutenin, while the primary one in barley is hordein.

 

Gluten proteins — such as glutenin and gliadin — are highly elastic, which is why gluten-containing grains are suited for making bread and other baked goods.

 

In fact, extra gluten in the form of a powdered product called vital wheat gluten is often added to baked goods to increase the strength, rise, and shelf life of the finished product.

 

Gluten-containing grains and foods make up a large portion of modern-day diets, with estimated intake in Western diets around 5–20 grams per day.

 

Gluten proteins are highly resistant to protease enzymes that break down proteins in your digestive tract.

 

The incomplete digestion of proteins allows for peptides — large units of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins — to cross over through the wall of your small intestine into the rest of your body. This can trigger immune responses that have been indicated in a number of gluten-related conditions, such as celiac disease. 

 

𝐆𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄: 

 

The term gluten intolerance refers to three types of conditions.

 

Although the following conditions do have some similarities, they differ greatly in terms of origin, development, and severity.

 

𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐂 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄:

 

Celiac disease is an inflammatory autoimmune disease caused by both genetic and environmental factors. It impacts around 1% of the world’s population.

 

However, in countries like Finland, Mexico, and specific populations in North Africa, the prevalence is estimated to be much higher — about 2–5%. 

 

It’s a chronic condition associated with the consumption of gluten-containing grains in susceptible people. Though celiac disease involves many systems in your body, it’s considered an inflammatory disorder of the small intestine.

 

The ingestion of these grains in those with celiac disease causes damage to enterocytes, which are cells lining your small intestine. This leads to intestinal damage, nutrient malabsorption, and symptoms like weight loss and diarrhea. Other symptoms or presentations of celiac disease include anemia, osteoporosis, neurological disorders, and skin diseases, such as dermatitis. Still, many people with celiac disease may have no symptoms at all. 

 

The condition is diagnosed by intestinal biopsy — considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing celiac disease — or blood testing for specific genotypes or antibodies. Currently, the only cure for the disease is total avoidance of gluten. 

 

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐘:

 

Wheat allergy is more common in children but can impact adults as well. Those who are allergic to wheat have an abnormal immune response to specific proteins in wheat and wheat products.

 

Symptoms can range from mild nausea to severe, life-threatening anaphylaxis — an allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing — after ingesting wheat or inhaling wheat flour.

 

Wheat allergy is different from celiac disease, and it’s possible to have both conditions.

 

Wheat allergies are usually diagnosed by allergists using blood or skin-prick testing.

 

𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐂 𝐆𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐘:

 

A large population of people reports symptoms after eating gluten, even though they don’t have celiac disease or an allergy to wheat. 

 

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) is diagnosed when a person does not have either of the above conditions yet still experiences intestinal symptoms and other symptoms — such as headache, fatigue, and joint pain — when they consume gluten.

 

Celiac disease and wheat allergy must be ruled out to diagnose NCGS since symptoms overlap in all of these conditions.

 

Like those with celiac disease or an allergy to wheat, people with NCGS report improvement of symptoms when following a gluten-free diet.

 

Research has shown that following a gluten-free diet is effective in reducing symptoms related to several conditions. Some experts have linked it to the prevention of certain diseases as well.

 

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄:

 

Research shows that autoimmune diseases share common genes and immune pathways with celiac disease.

 

Molecular mimicry is a mechanism that has been suggested as a way in which gluten initiates or worsens autoimmune disease. This is when a foreign antigen — a substance that promotes an immune response — shares similarities with your body’s antigens. 

 

Eating foods that contain these similar antigens can lead to the production of antibodies that react with both the ingested antigen and your body’s own tissues.

 

In fact, celiac disease is associated with a higher risk of having additional autoimmune diseases and is more prevalent in people with other autoimmune conditions.

 

For example, the prevalence of celiac disease is estimated to be up to four times higher in those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis — an autoimmune thyroid condition — than in the general public.

 

Therefore, numerous studies find that a gluten-free diet benefits many people with autoimmune diseases.

 

𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒:

 

Gluten has also been tied to bowel diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

 

Plus, it’s been shown to alter gut bacteria and increase intestinal permeability in people with IBD and IBS.

 

Lastly, research indicates that gluten-free diets benefit people with other conditions, such as fibromyalgia, endometriosis, and schizophrenia. 

 

Personally I have a sensitivity to Corn ingredients too.  When I eat corn or any corn ingredients it causes serious inflammation, joint pain and digestive issues.