Gluten: What is it and should we be afraid of it?

Contents:

• What is gluten
• Which foods contain a lot of gluten
• Where there is definitely no gluten
• How do I know if I have gluten intolerance
• Who should try a gluten-free diet

What is gluten

Gluten is a complex of proteins found in wheat grains. But gluten is also commonly used to refer to proteins found in wheat-like crops, particularly barley, rye, and oats.
It is gluten that has earned wheat the title of bakers' favorite, according to researchers at the University of Leon in Spain. The "gummy" and viscosity of wheat protein makes dough elastic and water-resistant. Importantly, gluten is what keeps the broth in dumplings.
Wheat protein is not harmful to humans, but its viscous properties conceal a "dark" side: gluten-containing foods are not fully digested by the human stomach. At the same time, our mouths and intestines are home to bacteria that happily break down gluten, so humanity is not completely powerless against this “terrible” protein: the tools for digesting wheat are still “hardwired” into us.
But not everyone: some have increased sensitivity to gluten and suffer from intestinal discomfort when consuming wheat products. Gluten is also categorically not digested by people with celiac disease.
Celiac disease is a condition in which the immune system reacts hostile to gluten, causing inflammation and damage to the intestines.
Celiac disease is incurable, and completely eliminating gluten from the diet is the only way to normal health. This disappointing conclusion is reached by specialists from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) in the United States.
Furthermore, according to NCBI, untreated gluten intolerance often leads to the development of other chronic diseases and complications.
For example, lactose intolerance, epilepsy, and increased vulnerability to various infections. Celiac disease also increases the risk of intestinal tumors, and the calcium deficiency caused by the disease can cause dental problems.

Which foods contain a lot of gluten

All products made from wheat and rye flour: baked goods, bread, desserts, dumplings, khinkali, manti, and other doughy masterpieces are carriers of gluten. In addition, gluten is found:

• in spelt and barley;
• in pasta, breadcrumbs and wheat starch;
• in beer and kvass;
• in bulgur and ptitim;
• in spelt and triticale;
• in couscous and semolina.

These are obvious gluten traps, but the properties of wheat protein allow for its "hidden" use in the food industry much more widely. Thus, viscosity and insolubility in water make gluten a frequent guest in ready-made sauces and tomato paste, French fries, marmalade, marshmallows, other sweets, and even some medications. Sausages, cold cuts, canned goods (from fish to fruit), chips, ice cream, and processed meats like cutlets, strips, and nuggets are also likely to contain gluten.
Any processed food that requires a certain consistency and texture, as well as protection from sogginess, may contain gluten.

There is one controversial product that raises doubts among researchers - oats. Thus, Canadian scientists believe that it is possible to introduce oats purified from gluten (labeled "Gluten-free") to people with celiac disease, but only six months after all symptoms of the disease have passed.
Ronald Fritz and Yuming Chen, researchers from Illinois, note that the consumption of refined oats causes a reaction in most patients with celiac disease, but also suggest that this topic still needs to be studied in more detail. To eat oats or not to eat oats is a really worthwhile question, but you will most likely have to rely on your own feelings in the answer.

Where there is definitely no gluten

As we have already said, in products labeled "Gluten-free". Safe foods also include:

• vegetables and fruits;
• meat, fish and seafood (not canned, marinated or semi-finished);
• rice and buckwheat;
• legumes (peas, chickpeas, beans);
• soy products;
• flaxseed and nut flour (coconut, almond);
• dairy and fermented milk products.

But you should be careful with cheeses. Experts from the Gluten-Free Society, founded by Dr. Osborne (known in the medical research community as the "Fighter Against Gluten"), write that processed cheeses often contain wheat starch. Vegan cheeses also pose a risk—you need to read their ingredients carefully. You should also avoid products that include cheese as an ingredient—there's a risk of cross-contamination.
However, when following a gluten-free diet, you need to be wary not only of gluten itself, but also of the potential deficiency of beneficial elements in your diet, our expert emphasizes.

Improving your diet is quite a challenge. But if you suspect gluten is not your friend, it's worth consulting with a doctor and working together to develop a strategy that will help you live in harmony with food and your gut.

How do I know if I have gluten intolerance?

The surest way is to listen to yourself and your gut signals. For example, pay attention to the frequency and consistency of your stool, bloating, and gas after lunch with bread, burgers, or cookies. If you feel discomfort, consult a doctor, and if necessary, a specialist will prescribe a special test to detect celiac disease.
Unfortunately, the insidiousness of the disease is that it may not show any "signs of life" for a long time.

The symptoms of celiac disease are extremely varied and often nonspecific. The classic picture of the disease includes:

• frequent bowel movements (three or more times a day);
• unreasonable weight loss;
• persistent weakness.

But doctors are increasingly encountering atypical forms of celiac disease - for example, skin rashes, osteoporosis, anemia, and hair loss. And in some cases, the disease progresses without any external manifestations at all.
By the way, people who are sensitive to gluten may experience unpleasant side effects in response to specific FODMAP carbohydrates. They are practically not digested in the upper digestive tract and, entering the large intestine, can cause severe bloating, diarrhea, and pain.

NCBI specialists confirm that celiac disease can be "faceless" and not reveal itself in any way. Here are some more symptoms of genetic gluten intolerance:

• Diarrhea or constipation, sometimes alternating between the two;
• Bloating;
• Abdominal discomfort or pain;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• developmental delay;
• mouth ulcers;
• ataxia;
• chronic headaches;
• delayed first menstruation.

It sounds scary, but there's good news: the prevalence of celiac disease worldwide is only 0.5–1%. Gluten sensitivity, however, is more common, but also less devastating in its consequences.

Conclusions: Celiac disease is a congenital disease that is diagnosed by a doctor. Treatment is a gluten-free diet.

Who should try a gluten-free diet?

Obviously, those who suffer from celiac disease. In this scenario, giving up wheat protein is the only way to survival. But going on a gluten-free diet for the sake of weight loss or detox is definitely not worth it.
The fat-burning properties of gluten-free diets are a myth.
Weight loss occurs only if we expend more calories than we consume. Giving up gluten for weight loss will only work if a person stops eating buns for snacks and opts for healthier, more balanced foods. Simply replacing wheat flour with rice flour, for example, won't help: a typical bun made from traditional flour is no more caloric than the same fast food made from an alternative product.
Furthermore, an uncontrolled transition to a gluten-free diet can be very stressful for the body.

A strict gluten-free diet in some cases provokes oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, excess toxic heavy metals, heart and vascular diseases.
Also, a gluten-free diet is sometimes prescribed to people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The first line of dietary therapy for this condition is FODMAP restriction, but in recent years, the effects of gluten on people with IBS have also been actively studied.