What's All This Talk About Gluten?????

So these days it seems the going dietary trend is going gluten-free.  You see the words “Gluten-Free” on everything from almond milk to Jell-o.  So what is gluten and should or shouldn't you be eating a gluten free diet?

Gluten is simply a protein that is found in most grains such as barley, wheat and rye.  Gluten is also used to flavor foods and as a “binding” agent to help hold processed foods together.  Being that gluten is found in the majority of processed foods, people looking to eat less processed food might opt for a gluten free diet.  As a result in the reduction of processed foods, there is a potential for weight loss as processed foods typically have a higher caloric count than non-processed foods.  Many of the processed foods that are gluten-free use sugars and other agents to replace the gluten as “binders” so keep in mind that gluten-free does not always mean lower calorie. 

Celiac Disease is an inability to process gluten and roughly 1 out of every 133 people has it.  Celiac disease is an inability to process gluten and  thus the body rejects the gluten particles that are consumed.  The consumption of gluten by people with Celiac Disease causes an immune response, which in turn damages the small intestines, leading to gastrointestinal issues.  Even folks that are not gluten sensitive report improved digestion when switching to a gluten-free diet or a reduction in gluten consumption.  I have personally seen this to be the case as my wife and I try to limit the amount of gluten containing foods we eat and by doing so, we have experienced better digestion and regularity in general.

One good thing about the increase in awareness related to gluten and Celiac Disease is there are more and more gluten-free options at restaurants and grocery stores, which again I personally feel are more easily digestible foods for all of us.  In my opinion, everyone should be conscious of the amount of gluten that they are consuming and for those that are experiencing any type of gastrointestinal or digestive issues try reducing/eliminating gluten from your diet for a period to see if there is a reduction in symptoms. 

So there it is....I hope this is a simple to understand explanation of the gluten craze!!!!