Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten. Examples of grains that do not contain gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans, and sunflower seeds.
It is possible to remove most of the gluten from wheat flour, producing wheat starch; all cannot be removed, however. Still, according the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if a certain amount of the gluten is removed, the food product can be labeled "gluten-free." Gluten helps give bread structure and makes it elastic, providing it with that chewy texture it has when eaten. For this reason, flour that has had most of its gluten removed produces bread that is flat and heavy.
Gluten provides many additional important qualities to bread. For example, it keeps the gases that are released during fermentation in the dough, so the bread is able to rise before it is baked. In addition, gluten firms up when it is cooked and, with the help of starch, helps ensure the bread maintains its proper shape.
This protein also has an absorbent quality, which is why bread is capable of soaking up broth. Because of this feature, gluten is often used by those on a vegetarian diet as an imitation meat. On the downside, gluten is believed to be partly responsible for causing bread to become stale.
Some people suffer from a condition called celiac disease, which impedes the digestion of gluten. Individuals with celiac's must eat foods that do not contain gluten in order to prevent illness. If improperly addressed, gluten intolerance can be fatal. In addition, care must be taken when eating grains that do not contain gluten, particularly oats and teff, as they are commonly grown near foods with gluten or processed in the same bins. Catholic sufferers of celiac disease must also exercise precaution, as wheat, which contains gluten, is a required ingredient in the wafers used for certain religious ceremonies.
Gluten intolerance is also called celiac disease and is an inherited condition that causes an extreme physical reaction when they ingest gluten from grains like wheat, barley, and rye. The condition is not curable, and can become severe, damaging the small intestine and causing poor absorption of vitamins and minerals or malnutrition. Though it usually cannot be cured, gluten intolerance can be addressed by avoiding products which contain gluten. This is becoming easier to do with many low or gluten-free foods available, which make good substitutes for foods with gluten. It's a good thing that such foods have been marketed, since about one in 100 people may suffer from gluten intolerance.
There are several types of gluten intolerance, each varying in their symptoms and severity:
Silent celiac disease: This is difficult to detect, as there are no external symptoms, but it can cause a substantial amount of intestinal damage.
Refractory celiac disease: A rare intolerance, in which the symptoms show no improvement, despite one being on a gluten-free diet for months. Some medical practitioners consider this form of intolerance to be a cancer.
Collagenous celiac disease: This is a fatal type of intolerance that accumulates a large amount of scar tissue under the intestinal lining that is characterized by diarrhea, emaciation and anemia.
Latent celiac disease: This type of intolerance does not show any external symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, though it can cause damage to the intestines.
People with gluten intolerance respond to gluten by having an immune reaction. This can cause a variety of symptoms. Diarrhea, fatigue, anemia, sudden malnutrition, weight loss, weight gain, and muscle cramps may all result. The condition is usually diagnosed through blood testing to see if antibodies develop in response to gluten. When the condition is discovered, gluten intolerance is then treated by a modified diet.
It is extremely important to adhere to a diet free from wheat, barley, and rye for life, even when symptoms are no longer present. As people don't get over gluten intolerance, and each time gluten is ingested, a sufferer may be risking the health of his intestines permanently. It is particularly important for someone with this condition to carefully read labels and ask what dishes contain gluten when dining out. A sauce, for example, might be thickened with white flour and should not be consumed. Gluten is added to a variety of products that one would not normally think contain wheat, and the standard rule is to not consume anything the sufferer may be unsure about.
Since gluten intolerance can so severely affect health, many products now contain labeling that says "gluten free," or indicate if products contain gluten. This type of labeling may be found in a lot of natural foods stores, which are the resource of people with gluten intolerance. Alternative flours, vitamins without gluten, and products that are gluten free are easiest to find at health food or natural foods stores, and are usually most accurately labeled.
Having gluten intolerance doesn't mean a person cannot eat a relatively normal and standard diet. Unless he or she has other severe food allergies, most proteins, vegetables, and many grains are available, and he or she may be able to use types of flour other than wheat, barley, and rye. Some people tolerate soy flours and rice flours very well. People with this condition should speak to their doctor or nutritionist regarding alternatives to standard wheat, rye, and barley flour or gluten.
It may help you to have a more succinct gluten intolerance symptoms checklist. This list will try to provide you one, but keep in mind how there are over 250 documented symptoms of a gluten sensitivity and their manifestation varies greatly from person to person. This list have isolated both the most common symptoms and the most important symptoms you should know about. Some symptoms are rare and even counter-intuitive (for example, gluten intolerance and weight gain goes against the grain of normal gluten intolerance symptoms).
Abdominal Distention
Abdominal Pain and Cramping
Alternating Bouts of Diarrhea and Constipation
Anemia
Arthritis
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Autism
Bloating
Bone Density Loss
Borborygmi (stomach rumbling)
Constipation
Stunted Growth and Failure to Thrive
Depression, Anxiety and Irritability
Dermatitis Herpetiformis (skin rash)
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Low Ferritin Symptoms
Malodorous Flatulence
Malodorous Stools
Gluten Ataxia
Grayish Stools
Hair Loss (Alopecia)
Headaches and Migraines
Hypoglycemia
Infertility
Joint pain
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Lactose intolerance
Mouth sores or mouth ulcers
Nausea
Numbness or tingling in the patient's hands and feet
Osteoporosis
Peripheral Neuropathy (including either a tingling or sensation of swelling your toes and fingers)
Sjogren's Disease
Steatorrhea (high lipids in the stool, which may cause the stool to float)
Teeth and Gum Problems
Turner Syndrome
Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies
Vomiting
Unexplained Weight loss
Urticaria
I hope this gluten intolerance checklist helps you, but again, do not try to diagnose yourself with a list you find on the Internet. Always consult a professional because this is a very serious condition.
Main article: Gluten Free Diet
While people who follow a gluten-free diet cannot consume anything made of wheat, rye, or barley -- including all commercially prepared cakes and pastries -- there are other grains and flours that do not contain gluten. These gluten-free foods include buckwheat, corn, potato flour, rice, arrowroot and soy. More and more cakes, cookies and cereals are now made as gluten-free foods, making them suitable for everybody. There's been a lot of debate as to whether people following a gluten-free diet can eat oats. Pure oats are a gluten-free food, but it may be difficult to find them, as most oats are at some point in contact with wheat and are therefore considered "contaminated."
Most dairy products are gluten-free foods, with the exception of some cheese spreads, some flavored milks, and custards. Meats are gluten-free foods unless prepared with batter or overly processed, such as in the case of sausages. Meat pies, frozen meats, and chicken broth usually contain gluten in some form or another, and they are best avoided.
The same is true of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Unless sauces, starches, or thickeners have been added, all of them are naturally gluten-free foods. However, it is becoming more and more common to add wheat flour to canned fruits and vegetables. This is used as a processing aid or a binder and is not always mentioned clearly on the label. To avoid this, shop for well-known brands that include a detailed label or buy only canned vegetables that are clearly marked as gluten-free foods.
Except malt vinegar, almost all condiments are gluten-free foods. This includes tomato paste, tahini, maple syrup, and many salad dressings. Herbs and spices, unless mixed with artificial flavorings that contain gluten, are also acceptable.
When it comes to beverages, beer should be the first one to avoid. Most other alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are gluten-free, although those made from barley or malt do contain gluten. Many processed foods, such as soy sauce and pie fillings, can include gluten without specifying so in the label. This should encourage those looking for gluten-free foods to use only fresh ingredients and be more aware of what's in the food they're eating.