What the fukk is gluten?
- Thread starter Chief
- Start date
So what is gluten and why is it bad?
Gluten is basically the protein content of wheat (including spelt, semolina and durum) barley, rye and triticale (a hybrid).
Known collectively as prolamins, these proteins have different names depending on the grain they are found in...
Normally, people can tolerate these proteins, but if you have Celiac disease they cause the gaps between the cells in the small intestine to open too wide and allow toxins and gluten fragments into the bloodstream.
- gliadin in wheat,
- secalin in rye
- hordein in barley
Attack! Attack!
These particles are seen as alien invaders by the body, and are therefore attacked.
Due to its autoimmune nature, Celiac disease also attacks the body itself, causing inflammation and damage to the inside of the small intestine.
The normal small intestine features small hair like projections along its length known as villi. These increase the surface area and therefore assist in the absorption of the nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. The following photo represents these healthy, upright villi.
The celiac autoimmune response causes so much damage to these villi (in some cases flattening them entirely) that they are no longer effective, as represented by the following photograph.
However, all is not lost! Changing over to a gluten free diet will allow your body to repair itself, and your health will improve tremendously.
What is gluten and does anyone need it?
Guten is not an essential part of anyone's diet.
Our hunter/gatherer ancestors managed perfectly well without it! Then they started growing and harvesting cereal crops.
They discovered that they could grind wheat into flour, bread soon became a staple food. Over the years we have incorporated more and more of it into our daily diet.
In fact some quite surprising foods are found to contain gluten when we start thinking about it!
Cakes and cookies are perhaps obvious, but what about soups and sausages?
You might want to check out my foods containing gluten page when you have finished reading this, for a full list.
http://www.the-gluten-free-chef.com/what-is-gluten.html
I read that twice I still don't understand how you know you are allergic
Sorry I was in a bad space
- Diarrhea and/or constipation
- Abdominal pain and/or heartburn
- Bloating
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Anemia
- Joint pain
- Rashes
- Depression and/or anxiety
So pretty much things that just about anything can cause.
Is this a new age thing coz bread is a staple. So you telling me people 10 years ago had those symptoms because of bread
Tell me more
That's what I thought
Instead of using google to quickly research info, wait for someone to possibly give you the answer on the Coli brehs.
This is exactly what's wrong with people
O.T.I.S.
Veteran
I think I remember reading about weight gain, or diarrhea, or something like that. And only like 5% of the population even has the allergy to it
Don't quote me on all that though. Just know that it's a fad
<<TheStandard>>
I Am A God
A girl I'm dating is allergic to gluten. She literally can't eat a sandwich. She'll get sick as fukk. If we go somewhere and get burgers......She just has the burger with no bun.
Desirous
Action expresses priorities
My colleague has celiac...poor girl...you really don't realize how many foods contain gluten until you're not allowed to eat it anymore. A lot of people are jumping on the gluten free bandwagon though...unless you have celiac, there's no reason NOT to eat gluten free products. People think they'll lose weight this way, but so many gluten free products will actually make you pack on the pounds because they have more calories.
