What is gluten? What foods contain it?
Gluten is a storage protein found in wheat and other grains, such as barley, rye and oats, as well as in foods such as beer, bread, cakes, cereals, toast, rusks, pasta, cold cuts, ready-made sauces, ready-made soups. It is responsible for the elasticity of dough and the rise of bread.
Reading the ingredients on product labels, we will notice that it is also present in dietary supplements, prescription and non-prescription drugs, and even in items that have nothing to do with food, such as body care products, toothpastes, shampoos, hand creams and cosmetics.
In which disease is gluten intolerance observed?
The autoimmune disease in which gluten intolerance is observed is called celiac disease and has a hereditary predisposition. When someone with this disease consumes foods with gluten, inflammation occurs in the small intestine, which damages the lining of the small intestine, which normally has microscopic protrusions called villi. These individuals often experience vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, weight loss, reduced growth (if they are children), anemia, osteoporosis, etc. The official diagnosis of celiac disease is made by a gastroenterologist after a biopsy of the villi of the small intestine.
Factors associated with an increased risk of developing celiac disease are:
- Gender : higher incidence in women than men.
- Age: It mainly occurs in two age groups. The first concerns infancy (8-12 months), when foods that may contain gluten are introduced. The second age group is 20-40 years old.
- Heredity: First-degree relatives with celiac disease have an increased risk of developing celiac disease.
- Autoimmune diseases: the presence of autoimmune diseases such as type I diabetes, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Addison’s disease are associated with an increased risk of developing celiac disease.
Main symptoms of celiac disease:
- Abdominal pain
- Floating (bloating)
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Anemia
- Weight loss
- Joint pain/arthritis
- Weakness and exhaustion
- Gastroesophageal reflux
- Growth delay
- Fertility problems
What is the Nutritional Treatment of Celiac Disease?
A strictly gluten-free diet is recommended as a treatment for people suffering from celiac disease, meaning they are prohibited from consuming any food or pharmaceutical preparation containing gluten. Special gluten-free foods have been prepared for these patients (bread, toast, pasta, cookies, etc.). These foods are now very easy to find as they are available on supermarket shelves. Also, people diagnosed with celiac disease must read food labels very carefully as there are often traces of gluten as additives, since food industries use it as a flavor enhancer.
Who else has gluten sensitivity?
In addition to celiac disease, there are people who report gastrointestinal discomfort (diarrhea, bloating) after consuming gluten, even though they do not officially have celiac disease. These people have gluten sensitivity (NCGS, nonceliac gluten sensitivity) and it is estimated that 6-10% of the population has such sensitivity. It is recommended to exclude gluten from their diet only for a certain period of time (6-12 months) in order to repair any possible damage to the villi of the small intestine and then gradually reintroduce it.
Autoimmune Diseases & Gluten
There is an interconnected relationship between autoimmune diseases and it is estimated that patients with celiac disease have a fourfold risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease compared to the general population. In type 1 diabetes, 10% of people with diabetes also have celiac disease.
So there is an ongoing study on the connection between autoimmune diseases. There is some research that suggests that avoiding gluten could be beneficial in conditions such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Graves’ disease, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), and rheumatoid arthritis. Additional benefits of a gluten-free or limited diet are seen in people with irritable bowel syndrome, especially during flare-ups, as gluten-containing foods are classified as high-FODMAPS foods.
Gluten & Weight Loss
In recent years, the gluten-free diet has been frequently mentioned for people who want to lose weight. Someone may indeed notice weight loss when they exclude foods containing gluten from their diet, since a significant energy deficit is caused by excluding almost all starchy foods. However, gluten is not responsible for the loss, but the energy deficit. Although there is an obvious trend worldwide regarding the avoidance of gluten, this is not recommended for the general population by official bodies.
A gluten-free diet is low in fiber, B vitamins and several trace elements, so it should not be followed unless one of the above reasons is present. Studies have shown that gluten contributes to cardiovascular health, as the intake of foods with gluten improves triglyceride levels and arterial hypertension. Gluten also helps the survival of friendly bacteria in the gut, which reduce intestinal inflammation.
Therefore, following a gluten-free diet by healthy people is a wrong practice. There are no studies that confirm that such a diet is healthier or that it helps in weight loss. On the contrary, if someone is not careful in planning a diet with gluten-free foods, it is very likely to develop deficiencies in vitamins and fiber.
