The Truth about Gluten

Gluten

Wanted: for not being trendy and for being in foods with too many carbohydrates

Description: a family of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, spelt and barley.

Why has poor gluten been singled out for such disdain?  

If you suffer from celiac disease, or even if you’re gluten sensitive, you have good reason to avoid gluten. Celiac disease, caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten, can damage the lining of the small intestine. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea, anemia, unexplained weight loss, bone pain, and severe skin rash.

For the majority of the population though, gluten is far from the dangerous criminal some make it out to be. 

Since many of the foods normally associated with gluten such as bread and pastries are high in carbohydrates, it’s become trendy of late to go on a gluten-free diet. 

Unfortunately, this diet not only denies a person the ability to eat many popular foods (modern science has yet to produce a decent gluten-free pizza crust), but the many whole grains that contain gluten also have vitamins and minerals, such as B vitamins and iron, as well as fiber. 

In short, gluten has been given a bad rap lately. If you suffer from celiac disease, you’ll consider it Public Enemy Number #1 with good reason. For the rest of the world, gluten is about as innocuous as the wheat bread it’s in.