Table of Contents
What Exactly is Gluten?
Gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye, spelt, and barley. Gluten is mostly boosted with wheat and the foods that contain wheat that is ample in our daily rations. It is used the foods to make a stretchy texture. Gluten is also often consumed as a preservative to enhance the texture and helps to promote the dampness in a variety of processed foods.
Gluten is harmful to health; a myth or a fact?
There is a big controversy on gluten that whether it is bad for health or not. The truth is that gluten is not harmful to everyone. A lot of people can eat gluten without facing any problem and side effects, whereas people with celiac disease or ‘gluten sensitivity’ cannot tolerate consuming gluten.
Celiac Disease:-
Celiac disease, also known as ‘gluten sensitivity’ is a disease that is triggered by eating gluten. In this disease, the protein damages the part of the small intestine called villi, and then it gets impossible for the body to absorb nutrients in the bloodstream which leads to some very serious problems like cancer, thyroid, osteoporosis, and infertility.
Symptoms of Celiac disease?
Now, this is the most important thing to know whether you have a gluten sensitivity or not to consume gluten. Here are some of the symptoms which are signs of celiac disease.
- Gas
Gas is one of the common symptoms of celiac disease, however, there are a lot of other causes of gas so not every individual having this problem needs to be suffering through celiac disease.
- Fatigue
Another symptom of gluten sensitivity is fatigue. As the gluten damages the small intestine, it leads to the deficiencies of vitamins and minerals that results in decreased energy levels. Sleep disorder is also a cause of fatigue.
- Diarrhea
The watery stool is one of the early symptoms of celiac disease. According to a study, about 79% of the people suffered through diarrhea before they got diagnosed with celiac disease.
- Abdominal pain
One symptom of gluten sensitivity is abdominal pain. But again like gas, it does not need to be due to celiac disease. It can be for some other reason as well.
- Weight loss
A sudden and frequent weight loss is one of the symptoms of celiac disease. As the small intestine gets damaged in this disease, the calcium, vitamins, and minerals don’t absorb in the body which leads to weakness and weight loss.
- Constipation
People with celiac disease also suffer through constipation which is a common symptom of gluten sensitivity. Other than the above-mentioned symptoms, there are some more symptoms of celiac disease such as bloating, nausea and vomiting, depression, anemia (due to iron deficiency), itchy skin, joint pain, and nervous system injury. If you are going through any of these symptoms, you should see a doctor.
List of foods that contain gluten:-
There is a lot of variety of food that contains gluten. Have a look at the foods that should be avoided to lead a healthy life.
- Wheat (bread, baked goods, soups, pasta, cereals, sauces, salad dressings, roux)
- Wheat germ
- Bulgur
- Barley (malt, food color, malt syrup, malt vinegar)
- Rye ( pumpernickel, rye beer)
- Couscous
- Farina
- Graham flour
- Kamut Matzo
- Semolina
- Triticale (bread, pasta, and cereals)
- Spelt
- oats
Gluten-free alternatives:-
If you are functioning on excluding gluten from your food, it can be difficult to recognize whether a food contains gluten or not. For this reason, authorities of government health have carried out ‘gluten-free food labelling guidelines.
Despite the fact these tags can make gluten removal much at ease, they do not certainly mean that gluten is entirely eliminated from the food. Here is a list of gluten-free snacks that could be consumed without making any harm to your health.
- beans
- seafood
- seeds
- legumes
- lean beef
- potatoes
- rice
- oils and vinegar
- fish
- corn
- eggs
- nuts
- chicken
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Dairy products
Substitute flours (gluten-free) for baking:-
- Chickpea
- Sorghum
- Buckwheat
- Rice
- Corn
- Millet
- Quinoa
FAQs:-
[wps_faq style=”classic” question=”Q: Why gluten is bad for you?”]A: Gluten is bad for some people who have gluten sensitivity, not for everyone. [/wps_faq][wps_faq style=”classic” question=”Q: What foods are high in gluten?”]A: Grains, barley, wheat, rye, spelt are high in gluten. [/wps_faq][wps_faq style=”classic” question=”Q: Does milk contain gluten?”]A: No, milk is free of gluten.[/wps_faq][wps_faq style=”classic” question=”Q: What foods are free of gluten?”]A: Fish, fruits and vegetables, rice, dairy products are some of the examples of foods that do not contain gluten. [/wps_faq][wps_faq style=”classic” question=”Q: Can foods that are high in gluten risk your life?”]A: Yes, if you are suffering through celiac disease, then gluten can make a lot of trouble for your health as it damages the small intestine.[/wps_faq]
Conclusion:-
Gluten is not always harmful, but it can risk your health if you have celiac disease. For this reason, you should see a doctor if you feel any of the symptoms to assure that you are not suffering through gluten sensitivity. If you get diagnosed, then you should maintain a healthy diet and consume gluten-free snacks which are easily accessible.