Gluten

What is gluten, what are gluten free foods and what is gluten intolerance?

Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, barley and rye (1). Gluten is what gives wheat flour its sticky glue like consistency when used in baking.

Coeliac Disease is an autoimmune condition which triggers the immune system to overreact to the ingestion of gluten, causing damage to the villi in the small intestine (2). This damage can reduce the ability of the small intestine to absorb nutrients, potentially contributing to nutrient deficiencies or anaemia (2).

Classic symptoms of Coeliac Disease are malnutrition and diarrhoea, however, symptoms can be as diverse as fatigue, brain fog, depression, anxiety, migraine, joint pain or a rash called dermatitis herpetiformis. Some people have Coeliac Disease but are asymptomatic (3). The main treatment for Coeliac Disease is to stick to a strict gluten free diet.

Some people can still be sensitive to gluten, but not have Coeliac Disease. This is called Non Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity. The symptoms can be very similar, such as diarrhoea, constipation, migraines, fatigue, depression, anxiety or brain fog (4). The treatment is still a gluten free diet whatever the cause.

So what is a gluten free diet? It is a way of eating which excludes gluten from wheat, rye or barley. Oats are gluten free, however they can be cross contaminated by gluten in harvesting and processing, so gluten free varieties avoid this (5).

There are still lots of foods which are naturally gluten free to enjoy, such as meat, fish, dairy, eggs, vegetables, fruit, potatoes, avocados, olives, coconuts, nuts, seeds, rice, corn, millet, quinoa, gluten free oats, spices and herbs. There are lots of gluten free alternatives to foods which traditionally contain gluten, such as bread, pasta, pizza or cookies (6). However, processed gluten free foods are still processed foods, so check the ingredients and aim to eat mainly whole foods where possible.

Some people who have Coeliac Disease or Non Coeliac Gluten Sensitivity can be sensitive to other foods, like the protein avenin found in oats, or casein in dairy products, which can mimic gluten (7).

If you think you might be sensitive to gluten, I suggest working with a Nutritional Therapist to devise a personalised nutrition protocol, to figure out which foods work for you and how to support your wellbeing.

Resources

  1. https://celiac.org/gluten-free-living/what-is-gluten/

  2. https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/

  3. https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/symptoms-of-celiac-disease/

  4. https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/related-conditions/non-celiac-wheat-gluten-sensitivity/

  5. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/

  6. https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/living-gluten-free/the-gluten-free-diet/?&&type=rfst&set=true#cookie-widget

  7. https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/gluten-mimicking-foods/?srsltid=AfmBOoodQ-WJsKktpXE_BQX9s1qwhqkB7D5EAenwKGkarr4zTTMrlvik

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