What Is Gluten?

 

So these days it seems the going trend in the world of health and nutrition is going gluten-free. You see the words "Gluten-Free" on everything from almond milk to Jell-o. So what is gluten and should you be eating a gluten-free diet? Before shunning whole grains that contain gluten, it is important to look more closely at what gluten actually is.

Gluten is simply a protein that is found in most grains such as barley, wheat and rye. Gluten is also used to flavor food and as a "binding" agent to 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. By reducing the amount of processed foods that you consume, 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. Processed foods are also more likely to have other chemical-based ingredients that are not necessarily things that we want in our bodies.

Celiac Disease is an inability to process gluten and roughly 1 out of every 130 people has Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an inability to process gluten and 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 intestine 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 there is a noticeable difference in our digestion.

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. 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 their diets to see if there is a positive change in their symptoms. See a healthcare practitioner for more information on how to be tested for Celiac Disease.

Learning to live a wellness based lifestyle is a key component to finding health and happiness. My goal as a Certified Fitness Trainer, yoga instructor, social worker and health educator is to share my own personal health journey, including accomplishment and mishaps along the way. For more writings and information visit my website at http://www.issacertifiedtrainer.com/christopherweaver and my blog at http://www.punkrockwellness.blogspot.com/

View the original article here