Gluten free is a common term often used by influencers, weight watchers, and people who put meticulous interest in what they eat. It’s a term often mentioned in discussions among nutritionists, food connoisseurs, and around the dinner table. But what exactly is gluten? How much do ordinary people know what being gluten free is all about?
The entire goal of a gluten-free diet is to help your body heal and keep it healthy
Come to think about it, as people learn more about the gluten-free diet the more they want to try it. But why? Why would anyone choose to go gluten free?
For starters, there are mainly two groups of people for whom going gluten-free may be good for them and may change their lives:
– Those who suffer from Celiac disease. It is an autoimmune disease triggered by consuming gluten. When a person with celiac disease consumes gluten, the immune system attacks its own body. It causes inflammation and damages the lining of the small intestine. Since most of our nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine, one with celiac disease is less able to absorb nutrients from food.
– Those who are gluten intolerant
Gluten intolerance is a term used to describe three conditions: wheat allergy, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and celiac disease. All three conditions are difficult to diagnose, so many people are unaware that this intolerance is at the root of other health issues.
Health Problems
Even for those without Celiac disease or a wheat allergy, the consumption of gluten may lead to other health problems. For example, a skin rash condition known as dermatitis herpetiformis has been linked to gluten intolerance. Consuming wheat may also lead to “leaky gut syndrome”.
In simpler words, Leaky Gut Syndrome simply means that your intestinal tract has become too porous and is letting things like undigested food, bacterial toxins, etc. get into the bloodstream. These undigested foods like rice protein or egg protein may continue an immune reaction even though you are off gluten and no change is noticed.
For people who do not suffer from Celiac disease or are not sensitive or intolerant to gluten then the real question is should you be on a gluten free diet?
Well, maybe if a healthy lifestyle is what you are after
Healthy Lifestyle
Some people do not suffer from any gluten-related problems but decide to adopt a gluten free diet just to live a healthier lifestyle. You may want to try going gluten free just to see how your body responds. You could have a minor disagreement with gluten that you didn’t even realize. You may notice increased energy, less bloating, and an overall sense of well-being.
So, what’s the biggest challenge when going gluten-free?
Eating out can get tricky because you never know what’s been added to a dish. But you can simply ask the chef if any wheat, barley, or rye were used, including soy sauce.
Another challenge is learning all the foods and food additives that may contain wheat or gluten such as some food starch, couscous, brewer’s yeast, and more!
That being said, switching to a gluten-free diet is a huge change, and as with anything new it requires getting used to all these new concepts. While one may initially feel deprived by all the restrictions, The good news is that more and more manufacturers, food stores, and restaurants are now providing many different gluten-free products.
