Why gluten is so "out" right now

Hey there little Nutrinutters!

Anyone out there have a friend or family member that has told you to eliminate gluten because it is evil? But you, being a science man/woman (am I pushing my luck here? lol) questioned and never fully understood why?

A new trend started a few years ago in which gluten was labeled as being “bad for you” and to be avoided at all cost. But before reaching such conclusions, let’s try to better understand why gluten affects some. Most commonly known as celiac disease, happens when the part of your gut responsible for absorbing nutrients known as villi, is damaged by the frequent consumption of the grains wheat, rye and barley. This happens because these grains causes your immune system to react. Below is an image showing the difference between a healthy gut and one affected by celiac disease:

 Since the absorption of nutrients is affected, some deficiencies may develop in your body such as in the case of anemia, osteoporosis and even cause weight loss. A variety of symptoms may occur affecting people in different ways. The most common ones are: nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation (or both), lactose intolerance, anemia (may come with feeling extremely fatigue), weight loss, migraines, irritation of the skin (dermatitis herpetiformis).

Why is it so "in" to eliminate gluten?

It has become so trendy to eliminate gluten from our diets due to the prevalence of celiac disease being 1:133; meaning that about 3 million Americans have this condition although most are not aware of it. Does this mean it is time to panic and completely eliminate gluten from your diet? Not quite. One might have the same symptoms as mentioned above for other reasons therefore before making drastic changes in the diet, a specialist must be consulted!!!

Where is Gluten found?

Products that are made from wheat, rye or barley will contain gluten. Some common foods are breads and baked products, cereals, pastas, sauces, snack foods, prepared meats, flavored coffee and teas, among others. As we can see, it is present in an extended amount of foods found in our day-to-day diet. The best way to be sure you are not consuming gluten is by reading the food label of products. Since 2004 products in the United States are required by law to say if they contain gluten or are gluten-free.

What are some gluten-free flours?

When looking for a “substitute flour”, some good options are: corn, rice, quinoa, tapioca and nut flours.

Source: Shelley Case – Author of Gluten-Free Diet: A comprehensive Resource Guide

- The Nutrinut-