What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in barley, rye and wheat (durum, farro, spelt, etc.). This protein gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape.
Who should avoid it?
An estimated 1-2% of the population has celiac disease, which is an autoimmune form of gluten intolerance. When these individuals consume gluten, their body amounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine and can lead to damaged villi (small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine) and interfere with nutrient absorption. These individuals must adhere to a gluten-free diet for life to prevent potential mineral deficiencies, abdominal pain, and long-term health consequences like anemia or early onset osteoporosis, to name a few.
An estimated 1-6% of the population has a non-celiac gluten sensitivity in which they may experience similar symptoms but their body isn’t amounting that same autoimmune response.
Gluten-free foods:
If you are avoiding gluten you should stay away from wheat, barley and rye and be wary of gluten-containing products like some energy bars, lip balm, soy sauce and even glue on stamps and envelopes.
My thoughts on gluten-free:
Whole grains have a prominent place in the current USDA recommended dietary guidelines. Adult women should consume about 6 ounces per day and men, 7-8 ounces. Whole grains are an important source of many nutrients including dietary fiber, several B vitamins like folate and minerals like iron, magnesium and selenium. From a nutritional standpoint, grains are a part of a healthy diet but you can also get all of the nutrition they provide from other whole food sources like vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs and wild fish, for example.
If you eliminate a whole food group, you run the risk of nutritional deficiencies if you aren’t monitoring your diet closely. Ultimately, if you think you react negatively to gluten you should be tested otherwise there is not enough substantial evidence to recommend its elimination in healthy individuals.
