Follow – conscious
Gluten is a plant protein found in wheat, barley, rye and their derivatives.
To receive more news, subscribe to our channel on Telegram
Gluten is very dangerous for people who suffer from intolerance to this substance, which causes digestive disorders. It is considered an autoimmune disease in which the body views gluten as a toxic substance, so the immune system attacks the lining of the intestine, making the body unable to absorb nutrients from food.
Celiac disease is described as rare, as about one percent of the population around the world suffers from it, and its symptoms include:
Chronic diarrhea or constipation.
Bloating and flatulence.
stomachache.
Indigestion.
Complications may occur such as:
Anemia caused by a deficiency of iron or vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Osteoporosis.
Weight loss.
Miscarriage and infertility in women.
Neurological disorders.
Delayed growth and puberty in children.
The only way to get rid of symptoms is to switch to a gluten-free diet, and to prevent relapses, you must stick to it throughout your life.
A gluten-free diet may also help with other health problems:
Wheat allergy: This grain contains many proteins – gluten, albumin and globulin. An allergic reaction occurs for one or more reasons.
It is easy to distinguish wheat allergy from celiac disease. In addition to abdominal pain and diarrhea, swelling or itching of the mouth and throat, eye irritation, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, and bouts of anaphylaxis may occur. Upon contact with the allergen, symptoms appear almost immediately. After removing it, it subsides within 24 hours. On the other hand, celiac disease progresses slowly and takes several months to recover.
Gluten sensitivity without celiac disease: Symptoms are the same as those of celiac disease, but antibody levels are not as high and the intestinal lining is not damaged.
Dermatitis annulare: It may be a manifestation of celiac disease, but is not always associated with this disease.
In the last two cases, it may not be gluten that is to blame, but other substances. However, a completely different diet is needed.
Gluten-free products
Fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and gluten-free grains (rice, corn, millet, buckwheat, quinoa).
But traces of gluten can be found in gluten-free products. For example, in buckwheat flour that is naturally gluten-free. The presence of gluten in buckwheat may be the result of transportation, storage, packaging and other conditions that lead to contamination of buckwheat with gluten. Even small amounts of gluten in a product can be dangerous depending on the degree to which the individual is affected.
There should be no gluten in products that are labeled gluten-free.
Typically, gluten-free products rely on alternative grain products. For example, bread is not baked from wheat, but from buckwheat flour, and pasta is not made from wheat, but from corn or rice flour.
Many people default to looking at gluten-free foods as healthy foods, but doctors from Harvard Medical School explain that “healthy” gluten-free foods (cookies, potato chips, etc.) can be high in calories and sugar. Saturated fats and additives such as salt. When choosing a product, its composition should be carefully studied.
Reasons for following this diet
The goal of a gluten-free diet is not only to eliminate all foods containing gluten, but also to avoid nutritional deficiencies, so be sure to include enough gluten-free whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds in your diet.
In the case of celiac disease, it is important to avoid cross-contamination – foods that contain or do not contain gluten should not come into contact.
Positives
For those with celiac disease, staying away from gluten is not an option, but a necessity. If there are no indications for a gluten-free diet, it will not bring any benefit, according to American scientists.
Some healthy people notice that they start to feel better after giving up gluten. Sources of gluten are wheat, rye and barley. To get rid of them, as a rule, people stop eating baked goods and reduce the amount of carbohydrates, and hence the calorie content, in the diet.
Negatives
With this diet, it is difficult to organize the diet in such a way as to avoid deficiencies of essential nutrients. Wheat, barley and rye are major sources of complex carbohydrates needed for a balanced diet. Gluten-free versions tend to be lower in fiber and essential nutrients, increasing the risk of deficiencies in iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, folate, vitamin D and B vitamins.
The risk of developing certain diseases increases. On a gluten-free diet, it’s okay to eat plenty of red meat, full-fat dairy products, starchy vegetables, sweets, and fats. This can lead to excessive intake of cholesterol, saturated fat and sodium, as well as weight gain.
Also, if you don’t have enough fiber in your diet, your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes will increase.
Food costs will increase, as many gluten-free dishes in restaurants and grocery stores are more expensive than regular dishes.
How to follow this diet
Adopt a gluten-free diet: These can be grains, legumes, nuts, dried fruits, and foods and sweets labeled “gluten-free.”
Let’s take a closer look at what you can eat on a gluten-free diet.
Buckwheat, buckwheat flour.
Rice and its derivatives.
Corn grits and flour.
Vegetable oil.
Beef, poultry and fish.
vegetables and fruits.
dried fruit.
Nuts and walnut flour.
fresh juice.
honey.
Starch from potatoes and corn.
In addition to eliminating harmful proteins and introducing healthy foods into the diet, there are several more important nutritional rules that must be followed to achieve results and change health indicators.
It is best to consult a nutritionist who will develop a personalized diet for the patient.
Along with gluten, you can eliminate artificial sugars and fast carbohydrates, as well as reduce salt intake.
The easiest way is to eliminate snacks from your diet and focus on nutritious meals.
For a variety of taste sensations, we recommend adding digestive spices to broths, soups, and dishes made with vegetables and grains, such as cloves, bay leaves, and a mixture of peppers and curry.
Try making bread and sweet pastries at home: it is quite possible to replace wheat flour with any gluten-free flour.
If you want to have a snack, it is best to take dried fruits, gluten-free bread or nuts with you.
Go more for vegetable dishes: for example, prepare a cream of pumpkin soup or stew or bake seasonal fruits.
What can you eat
The basis of the diet are:
vegetables and fruits.
Meat, fish and poultry.
Low-fat dairy products.
Gluten-free grains and flax.
Seeds.
Legumes.
Nuts.
egg.
There are also many gluten-free drinks:
Flavorless tea.
cacao.
Juices.
Apple juice.
Grains that can be part of a gluten-free diet:
amaranth.
black wheat.
corn.
rice.
millet.
Quinoa.
Legumes.
Potato, almond and coconut flour are also allowed.
What not to eat
All products containing wheat, rye and barley are excluded:
Cereals, flour and starch.
Bread, pastries and cakes.
macaroni.
Some breakfast cereal.
sweets.
Most fast food.
Sausages.
Potato Chips.
Beer.
Broths and sauces (including soy).
Salad stock.
Some spices.
Imitation seafood (crab meat, crab sticks, etc.).
Barley and its derivatives.
Soup cubes.
People with celiac disease or wheat allergy are also not advised to eat oats. It does not contain gluten itself, but is often grown or stored alongside wheat.
Many nutritional supplements also contain gluten. It can even be found in lipsticks, powders and medicines. However, according to American researchers, most oral medications either do not contain gluten, or there is a smaller amount of gluten compared to special gluten-free products.
Sometimes some products say “may contain traces” of wheat, for example. This means that the products are produced on the same manufacturing line, and even with careful cleaning of the equipment, small amounts of one product can leak into another. For people with celiac disease or allergies, this information is very important.
Benefits of a gluten-free diet
Antibody levels return to normal
Regeneration of the small intestine mucosa
Reduces the risk of subsequent damage
The nutrients are absorbed again and used by the body.
Lost weight will be regained
Improves general health and physical condition
Improves control over what a person eats
The quality of life improves and the person’s well-being is restored.
Children: normal growth and healthy development
For people with celiac disease in particular, switching to a gluten-free diet has a major health impact.
Contraindications
In 2017, a study was conducted that included more than 100,000 people without celiac disease. Scientists found that the risk of cardiovascular disease increased in those who followed a gluten-free diet, but not vice versa. The reason is that they started eating less whole grains.
Gluten itself has no special nutritional properties, but it is found in many foods rich in nutrients the body needs, including B vitamins, folic acid, iron and fiber. Gluten can also act as a prebiotic, feeding the “good” bacteria in the gut.
According to what nutritionist Boris Tsatsoulin, founder of the project on Nutrition, Dietetics, Nutrition and Medicine, told Sputnik, “Gluten is the most common wheat gluten, and it is a completely safe vegetable protein for most of the world’s population. The only contraindication for this is celiac disease.”
Tsatsouline points out that “all diseases diagnosed by alternative medicine, such as ‘leaky gut syndrome’ or statements that ‘toxins are formed’, are false diseases and are not confirmed by official medicine in any way.” A gluten-free recipe should satisfy people with a real problem, and it’s only thanks to this fad that every supermarket now has gluten-free everything, albeit a little more expensive.
Gluten-free labels
Gluten-free products are “crossed ear.” This is a sign in the form of a circle with a crossed-out ear of wheat inside, which is printed on gluten-free products.
The “crossed-out ear” was invented by a member of the British Celiac Society in 1969. Patient communities from different countries have made a lot of efforts to make the symbol known all over the world, and manufacturers of gluten-free products began to put it on their packaging.
Today, the rights to the “crossed ear” belong to the Association of European Celiac Societies (AOECS), and only manufacturers who have obtained the appropriate license can mark their products with it. The presence of the icon on the packaging is a guarantee that there is definitely no gluten in these products, and patients with celiac disease can eat them safely.
The inscription “May contain traces of gluten” should alert you. Manufacturers are required to indicate the presence of all allergens on the label. Gluten may not be present in the composition, but its inclusion in the product is not excluded due to production technology, for example, the use of the same packaging line. Placing such a statement on the packaging is a safety net for the manufacturer, who cannot guarantee the absence of gluten in their products.
