Over the past few years, the words "Gluten Free" have been added to nearly every restaurant menu in order to appeal to recent consumer diet trends. Unless you've already jumped on the bandwagon, you may be left with a few questions: What is gluten? Why are so many people avoiding it all of the sudden? Is the diet just a fad?
Gluten is a protein commonly found in wheat, barley, and rye. It is responsible for the elasticity in bread and is used as a thickening agent in a variety of products from condiments to cosmetics. While so many of us eat gluten every day, there are some individuals whose digestive system can't tolerate it. The most severe gluten sensitivity is celiac disease, "a digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food." The number of people with celiac disease has doubled every fifteen years since 1974, and is affecting one in every 133 Americans today. In addition, the number of Americans with a gluten sensitivity is said to be one in 20. Gluten sensitivity creates inflammation throughout the body, affecting all organ systems including your brain, heart, joints, digestive tract, and more.
Many people are developing a gluten sensitivity after safely eating gluten products all their lives! So why all of the sudden are people unable to handle gluten? Here are a few of many reasons:
- People are eating more gluten than ever before. Starchy processed foods are replacing nutrient-rich choices such as fruits and vegetables, and for many these gluten-filled foods are becoming their entire diet.
- Our bodies are starved for nutrition. Not only is your immune system working to protect your body from gluten, but we’re not giving it what it needs to properly defend itself.
- Due to overproduction of wheat, most of these crops are harvested before the grains have sprouted. When grains sprout they begin to break down the part of the plant that our bodies have a hard time digesting.
So if you find yourself with an issue listed as a possible
result of gluten, even seasonal allergies, I urge you to go without gluten for
a few weeks and see how you feel. Many that do this find that their symptoms vanish! I must warn you, however, that if you’re going to try this diet, you must check the ingredients of all foods before you eat them; unless the item specifically states that it is "gluten free", usually displayed proudly on a banner, one of the top ingredients is likely wheat flour.
Advocates of gluten products warn against the gluten-free diet, proclaiming that we’re robbing ourselves of certain nutrients. While these grains contain some nutrients, and most Americans rely on gluten products as a primary source of these nutrients, they do more harm than good. I find it quite humorous, in fact, that anyone would be concerned with a lack of nutrition from removing bread and other gluten products from their diet!
Advocates of gluten products warn against the gluten-free diet, proclaiming that we’re robbing ourselves of certain nutrients. While these grains contain some nutrients, and most Americans rely on gluten products as a primary source of these nutrients, they do more harm than good. I find it quite humorous, in fact, that anyone would be concerned with a lack of nutrition from removing bread and other gluten products from their diet!