Gluten has become a broad topic. While it’s known to be unsafe for individualswith celiac disease, there have been concerns about its effects on healthy people.
Cookies, chips, and energy bars are favorite foods for many people. These gluten-containing snacks make great nibbles, althoughthey’re unsafe for individuals with celiac disease or intolerance to gluten. The number of people following a gluten-free eating pattern by choice increases dueto people’s awareness of its effect on human health. Is it safeto consume gluten, or should you stay away from it?
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a member of the protein family present in grains like barley, rye, wheat, and spelt. Among all the gluten grains, wheat is the most common. Gliadin and glutenin are the main proteins that make up gluten. Gliadin is the culprit for gluten’s negative health effectson human health. When water is added to flour, gluten protein creates a sticky substance, and its consistency is glue-like,responsible for the dough elasticity.It’s the same thing that makesbread rise when baked and is also responsible forthe chewy and pleasant texture of baked goods.
Which Foods Contain Gluten?
Most processed foods contain gluten. It’s important to read labels carefully if you’re seeking ways to avoid gluten. Foods loaded with gluten include cakes, pastries, cookies,
pasta, bread, spelt, wheat, rye, barley, and cereals.
What are the Safe Options for Individuals Avoiding Gluten?
Whether by choice or due to health conditions, it’s safeto avoid gluten. Many whole foods don’t have gluten, including fruits, meat, eggs, dairy products, fish and seafood, tubers, fats (butter), vegetables, and nuts.
Who Should Not Take Gluten?
It’s unnecessary to avoid gluten if youdon’t have diseases affected byit. However, those with certain health issues will experience a huge difference after abandoning gluten-containing foods. People required to follow a gluten-free diet include;
Individuals Allergic to Wheat
Wheat allergy may not be a gluten-relatedcondition, but it’s very connectedto it. Most individuals allergic to wheat follow a gluten-free diet since both ingredients often co-existin the same foods. A person with wheatallergy should keep off wheat but consume gluten safely without any unpleasant effects.
Individuals With Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS)
There has not beenclear evidence as to why wheat is problematic to individuals with this disease, butresearch suggests following a gluten-free diet is important for IBS patients.
Celiac Disease
Celiac disease demands complete abstinencefrom gluten. It’s a condition whereby an individual’s immune system attacks tissues after eating gluten resulting indamage of the gut or small intestine, making youunable to absorb nutrients. Taking gluten triggers an abnormal response from the immune system leading to adverse health effects. One of the basic treatments for this serious health condition is following a gluten-free diet.
Any Health Importance of Gluten?
Eating glutenmeals may offer some health benefits if your consumption is moderate. Some of the benefits include;
Decreased Risks of Getting Exposed to Toxic Heavy Metals
Some gluten-free foods like fish and rice have toxic heavy materialssuch as mercury, arsenic, and lead. Research shows individuals following a gluten-free diet have higher levels of toxins thanthose who do not avoid gluten.
MinimizesRisks of Heart Illness
Individuals with higher gluten intakehave lower risks of heart illnesses than those with a lower intake of gluten.
Reduced Risksof Type 2 Diabetes
Certainresearch showed participants eating gluten foods had lower risksof diabetes compared to a group that avoided gluten.
How can Gluten Damage Your Health?
Gluten-free foods are healthier than thosewith gluten due to the effectsof gluten, such as intestinal problems, unintentional weight loss, bloating, fatigue.
Gluten-Free Grains
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Rice
Oats
Flax
Millet
Quinoa
Arrowroot
Sorghum
Is Following a Gluten-Free Diet the Only Way to StayHealthy?
Staying healthy involves more than just avoiding certainfoods. There’smore you’ll need to do other than following a gluten-free diet if you want a healthy life. They include;
Havingquality sleep.
Effective control of psychological stress.
Avoidingtoxins through alcohol and tobacco abstinence.
Engagingin physical activities.
Cultivatingmeaningful, strong, and supportive social relationships.
Eatinga well-balanced meal.
How Do You Know if a Product Contains Gluten?
The existence of Gluten disclosure and food allergen laws demand for manufactures to disclose the presence of gluten or its source in the labels of processed foods. This way, those intolerant to gluten may avoid foods with it and stay protectedfrom harshbody reactions.When in a restaurant, feel free to ask servers if the food you want to order contains gluten.
Are Foods Without Gluten Tasty?
One of the main reasons people love gluten-containingfoods is their deliciousness. A gluten-free diet is not awful, but gluten makes the food somewhat sweeter. The taste ofa meal involves its flavor, texture, smell, and sight. Gluten-free goods quality hasimproved. Developed technology and the addition of unique ingredients combined with creative preparationapproaches have made gluten-free foods delicious. You can introduce a pleasant taste by adding blueberry, chocolate, lemon, cinnamon, or apple to make your food sweeter.
Conclusion
Gluten is unsafe forceliac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and wheat energy individuals. However, it’s safe forother individuals. Embracing a gluten-free diet is one of the successful lifestyles to go for if you want to stay healthy. You can know a product has gluten or not by reading the ingredient list.
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