Nutrition Special Diets
Exploring Gluten-Free Eating
What is Gluten?
Gluten is protien. It is a combination of two smaller proteins: glutenin and gliadin. Gluten is present in most grain products, including wheat. When flour and water meet and are mixed together, that motion encourages gluten protein formation. Unfortunately, gluten can be harmful to some people depending on their unique biological makeup and medical conditions. For this reason, many people choose to follow Gluten-Free eating patterns.
Gluten Free Diets then, exclude all wheat products or foods containing gluten proteins. Luckily, some grains and flours are naturally gluten free. Rice flour, buckwheat, sorghum, tapicoa starch, potato starch and even ground nuts are popular and safe alternatives for flours. However, processed gluten free items sometimes lack important nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, iron, Vitamin D, folate, thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin. To ensure these nutrients are still consumed in healthy amounts, gluten free diets must be deliberately designed to include a variety of nutirent-rich foods like mushrooms, meats, fish, leafy green vegetables, beans and legumes, etc.
Villi function to process nutrients into your body, providing you witht the health benefits of eating well.
CELIAC DISEASE
Why does having celiac disease mean you can't eat gluten?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes issues in the small intestine. When a person has celiac disease, the microvilli of their small intestine are negatively impacted by gluten consumption, and they become ineffective, no longer allowing normal absorption of nutrients. Eating gluten-rich foods like wheat, rye, and barley damage the villi in this case. This lack of nutrient absorption potentially creates extended health issues for celiac victims. Symptoms are not always prominent but if present include bloating, diarrhea, early menopause in women, joint and muscle pain, and more. That's why it's super important for anyone with celiac disease to cut gluten out of their diet so they can maintain a healthy environment for nutrients to enter their body in sufficient amounts!
Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance
Okay so it's pretty simple to understand why somebody with Celiac Disease would avoid eating gluten. But what about people who don't have the disease, and still benefit from sticking to a gluten free diet?
Medical research is not 100% conclusive that eating gluten free is best. However, many sources and case studies have implied that gluten free diets can improve the health of "regular" folk too.
As the youtube video below suggests, gluten free diets have largely been linked to:
- Reducing chronic inflammation, such as heart disease.
- Healing eating disorders: Food addiction and binge eating may be gradually tamed by elminating gluten from your diet. Dr. Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, M.A., theorizes that gluten is one of the most addictive substances in foods.
- Considering more whole foods over processed foods. A great way to
- Protecting your gut from toxins, pathogens, and antigens.
In the video below, "The List" presents a non-biased position on gluten free diets. Pay attention to both the potential benefits and issues at hand if you cut gluten from your eating pattern.