Gluten" has become the buzzword of the last few years and "gluten-free" diets are all the rage with a large majority of the population. More and more celebrities are endorsing this new lifestyle and books on the subject are steadily growing in bookstores. But before you start any dietary reform, do you know exactly what gluten is? Do you really know the damage it can have on your health, long-term? Is it necessary and indispensable for you? What do you really think about it?
Gluten, the miracle of bakers. Miracle for the body?
Gluten is a protein mass composed of glutenin and gliadin molecules that form an elastic bond in the presence of water. Gluten is what gives breads and cakes their spongy texture and allows them to rise properly. In fact, the word "gluten" has an etymology that will not surprise anyone. In Latin, it simply means: glue.
Although gluten works wonders for bakers mainly, it will not work wonders for your body. As we often hear, gluten is responsible for many ailments in the body.
What is gluten responsible for?
Gluten interferes with the breakdown of nutrients and the absorption of foods, regardless of whether they have gluten or not. This causes residues to stick in the intestine and thus provoke an immune reaction. Side effects such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain then appear.
Gluten consumption can also predispose people to increased damage and inflammation of the small intestine, causing malabsorption of nutrients. This could result in numerous nutrient deficiencies, anemia, osteoporosis and other health problems. When we suffer from intestinal problems such as gluten sensitivity, this can make us susceptible to other diseases such as neurological, psychological, skin, liver, joint disorders and so on.
According to Professor Cellier, a hepato-gastroenterologist, 15,000 people are diagnosed out of 600,000 undiagnosed patients. This finding is troubling because many diseases could simply be cured or alleviated by simply eliminating gluten.
What foods contain gluten?
Gluten is mainly found in whole grains such as :
- Wheat: 69% prolamin (gliadin)
- Spelt: 69% prolamin (alpha gliadin)
- Kamut: 69% prolamin (alpha gliadin)
- Triticale (rye-wheat hybrid): 50-60% prolamin (gliadin)
- Corn: 55% prolamin (zenin)
- Barley: 50% prolamine (panicin)
- Millet: 40% prolamine (panicin)
- Rye: 30 to 50% prolamine (secalin)
- Oats: 16 to 30% prolamin (avenin)
- Teff : 12 to 15 % of prolamine
- Small spelt: 12 to 14% alphagliadin
For the lowest percentages, the consumer's discomfort will depend on the degree of intolerance. For example, oats or small spelt will have a different impact from one individual to another. Some people will tolerate it, while for others, ingesting it will be almost impossible!
Also be careful with the following by-products:
- Pasta
- Couscous
- Breads
- Cookies and various cakes
- Cereals
- Crackers
- Beers
- Sauces
This is another reason to stop basing your diet solely on industrial products. These should be avoided as much as possible in order to enjoy optimal health. In addition to the additives and added sugars that are harmful to our health, we can say that almost all industrialized products contain gluten. Indeed, gluten can be found in mustard, frozen french fries, chewing gum, potato starch, candy, ketchup, etc.
Did you know that some additives also contain gluten? E904, E411, E441, E1400 to 1405, E1410 to 1414, E1420 to 1423, E1140 to 1443.
Signs of a gluten allergy
Of course, gluten has become a routine and a food habit for almost everyone and the first signs of an intolerance can sometimes go unnoticed. By continuing to eat in this way, this intolerance could turn into a real allergy. Indeed, by fighting this enemy with its immune system, the body itself could create complications. Let's note some signs of a probable gluten allergy:
- Coughing for no reason
- Nasal congestion
- Sneezes
- Sometimes asthma attacks
- Several tingling and itching sensations
- Possible swelling of the tongue and throat
- A metallic taste in the mouth
- Abdominal pain and muscle spasms
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Allergy means the possibility of anaphylactic shock in the long term. Think about it! It takes the body approximately 4 to 5 days to eliminate ingested gluten. A plan of purification and detoxification of the body should be put in place by natural care and an adapted diet with raw vegetable juices and spices and aromatics such as cardamon, star anise, rosemary or ginger and cumin which will have a salutary role on the digestive system.
Gluten intolerance
Gluten causes different reactions in the body. And when the immune system goes into overdrive, we talk about intolerance. Very complicated to detect, intolerance strongly resembles allergy, at least in terms of symptoms. Moreover, an intolerant person can live a whole life without ever realizing the cause of his or her various disorders. Indeed, the person who is intolerant to gluten will carry endless health problems without any real cause all his life. Sometimes, these intolerant people can fall into depression and exhaustion, both mental and physical.
Celiac Disease
This gluten disease is really dangerous because the patient will be sensitive to all traces, even the smallest ones, of gluten. Unlike the intolerant person who may have occasional deviations, the celiac will have to follow a strict diet throughout his or her life.
Again, difficult to diagnose without a very strict medical examination. The patient will have to be attentive to his needs, his aches and pains but also be very precise in his diet to detect the precise origins of the pain and discomfort. Gluten is found absolutely everywhere and when we look at the labels, we notice that even in cosmetics, our skin care products, organic or not, may contain gluten. When we know that everything that passes through the skin enters directly into the bloodstream, this can put a brake on the purchase of certain products containing for example the following ingredients:
- Avena sativa
- Maltodextrin
- Wheat amina acids
- Hydrolyzed wheat starch
The list of compounds is very long, but already beware of toothpastes, shampoos, lotions and creams.
The gluten-free diet
Although gluten-free foods are becoming more and more common in organic and health food stores, many people who struggle with gluten on a daily basis want to switch to another alternative: preparing everything themselves. Indeed, the producers of the large-scale distribution cannot ensure 100% avoidance of gluten in the foods they offer for sale. For example, it is not uncommon for some products to be contaminated during the grinding of flours in identical millstones. While this may not be too serious for someone who is intolerant, it could be vital for someone who is celiac. Also, here's a little mnemonic trick to remember which flours are the most forbidden among all the flours offered on the market:S.A.B.O.T.E.K
- Rye
- Avoine
- Wheat
- Orge
- Tritical (wheat, rye and barley)
- Spelt
- Kamut
To make a gluten-free bread, you should choose a mixture of different flours. You can choose the options you like best. Of course the ideal bread does not exist without gluten and it is by adding ingredients that your bread will be perfect: potato starch, mix'gom or arrowroot will quickly become indispensable in your kitchen.
Establishing a new gluten-free eating habits can turn your life upside down and requires the support of health professionals who will be able to guide and advise you in this battle against this food poison.
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