Gluten free foods are making their way to mainstream. Soon you will be seeing more and more gluten free breads, desserts, etc. which will be made from gluten free grains.
What’s so Wrong with Gluten?
Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley.
Gluten is one of the most complex proteins consumed by man and has a very large molecule that is hard for your digestive system to break down.
The problems start when gluten enters your small intestine.
If you are very sensitive or gluten intolerant, gluten can actually tear holes in the lining of your gut. This produces problems like leaky gut syndrome and allergic responses by your immune system.
When your intestines are damaged this impairs your ability to absorb nutrients from food that you consume. Serious health problems could result as well as becoming malnourished.
Grains that do not have gluten are rice, corn, quinoa, tapioca, buckwheat, millet, teff, amaranth, sorghum, and pure oats.
Since wheat, rye, and barley are grains that naturally contain gluten, eating oats that have been processed in the same plants as these grains will be cross contaminated with gluten.
All these wheat products and wheat grains contain gluten. Einkorn, farro, seitan, matza, bulgar, spelt, wheat bran, wheat berry, wheat germ, graham, farina, couscous, udon, and wheat grass.
What are Common Gluten Intolerance Symptoms You can Spot?
Some of the symptoms of gluten intolerance are bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, nutritional deficiencies, casein intolerance, fat in the stools, weight loss, weight gain, aching joints, cramps, tingling and numbness, depression, headaches, irritability, skin rashes, itchy skin, irregular menstrual cycles, and slowed child growth.
Gliadin which is a protein found in gluten can trigger a full on immune system response in people with Celiac disease whenever gluten is consumed. People with Celiac disease are very gluten intolerant.
This inflammation flattens the lining of your small intestine and impedes your small intestine’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.
This is a fairly common disease and will usually be found with other family members. Continuing with the consumption of gluten while having this disease could create even more diseases.
A strict gluten free diet is the only way you can fix this disease.
A Remarkable and Ancient Gluten Free Grain is Quinoa
You’ll find lysine in quinoa which is a amino acid and quinoa is also higher in protein than most grains.
Most grains are deficient in this essential amino acid.
This amino acid is needed for the absorption of minerals such as calcium and for muscle building.
Important amino acids like lysine are needed to produce your body’s enzymes and hormones.
Quinoa is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids.
Gluten Free Food Tips
Gluten free desserts can be created thanks to gluten free flours. You can make all the pies, cakes, and cookies you want, but I’d get educated about the gluten free flours first. You usually have to mix a few of them together to create the right texture.
Natural Gluten free foods are whole dairy products, meats and poultry, fish and seafood, nuts, beans, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
As you can see, gluten is primarily a problem when you consume grains and unfortunately the additives added to most processed foods contain some form of gluten.
For additional information from this author about this subject , check out Gluten Free Foods. For useful Healthy Eating Guidelines, visit Destination Healthy Foods.
