The Natural Con: Lack Of Availability
In Russia, where Im from, the knowledge in regards to gluten and its potential negative effects is limited, so gluten-free products might not be available everywhere.
In addition, some replacements, like quinoa, can be more expensive than the original, gluten-full products, so following a gluten free diet can be problematic in terms of money too, sometimes. Of course, there are ways to work around it, but you have to do proper research.
Pro: Reduced Health Risks
Along with improved overall health, going gluten free also lowers your risk for certain diseases. For example, you’re less likely to get type 2 diabetes or anemia, and even type 1 diabetes may benefit from a lack of gluten. Because eliminating gluten helps you lose weight, you’ll also be less at risk for things such as heart disease, not to mention obesity.
How Does It Compare With Other Diets
Grain-free diets tend to be a lot more flexible than other restrictive diets. Sure, you have to cut out grains, but you can still eat a wide variety of other foods.
Meanwhile, diets like the paleo or Whole30 make you cut out grains along with many other foods like legumes and dairy. And as for keto, you can technically eat grains as long as you dont go over your daily net carb count.
Also, while a grain-free diet is gluten-free, its not the same thing as a gluten-free diet. Someone following a gluten-free diet doesnt have to exclude all grains because not all grains contain gluten.
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Gluten And Celiac Disease
There can be as many as 45 different types of gliadins in a single variety of wheat, and each one of them exhibits different biological properties.
As the cells that line the small intestine absorb the broken-down segments of prolamins, they come into contact with “strings” of molecules such as a gliadin residue known as 2-gliadin 57-89, which is a strong stimulator of certain antibodies called T lymphocytes.
These antibodies detect “foreign” invaders known as “antigens” and they destroy them: toxins, bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, etc. They identify these antigens by the molecular shape of their outer surfaces and latch on to them.
But in the case of gluten, the T lymphocytes mistakenly recognize the gluten residues as antigens and unleash an immune response against it.
And this action causes inflammation and the death of the cells containing the gliadin residues, resulting in damage to the intestinal lining that absorbed the digested gluten proteins.
The bad part is that every time the T cells find gluten residues they will provoke an autoimmune reaction.
Meaning that those diagnosed with Celiac Disease cannot eat anything containing gluten or they will face the nasty effects of the immune response.
Adapts To Dietary Restrictions
Just as a gluten-free diet is flexible enough to allow you to honor food preferences simultaneously, it also can be adapted if you have additional health-related dietary restrictions .
One common dietary restriction is dairy. That’s because many people who are diagnosed with celiac disease also are lactose intolerant since the damage to their small intestine causes them to be unable to digest lactose, the type of sugar found in milk products. Therefore, they need to follow a gluten-free diet that’s also free of milk-based dairy products.
Symptoms of lactose intolerance are similar to those of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity: they include diarrhea, gas, and bloating. So to determine if you’re truly lactose-intolerant, you’ll need to monitor your body’s reactions to foods closely. You may be reacting to accidental gluten exposure, as opposed to milk products.
To eat gluten-free and dairy-free, you’ll first need to replace milk with a gluten-free, dairy-free alternative. You have many choicesmanufacturers make gluten-free soy milk and almond milks , as well as dairy-free cheeses and yogurts. Read ingredient lists on processed foods and avoid milk-based ingredients.
If you’re not eating dairy products, make sure you’re getting enough calcium in another way, such as using fortified dairy-free alternatives and/or taking a gluten-free vitamin supplement.
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Contamination Of Oat By Cereal Prolamins
The contamination of oat by wheat, barley, or rye is probably the main limitation to its use for a gluten-free diet. Indeed, gluten contamination of oat occurs frequently. Typically, commercially available oats are not suitable in a gluten-free diet for celiac patients due to their routine contamination with wheat, rye, or barley. Only gluten-free oat is acceptable as a foodstuff for celiac patients. The cultivation and processing of gluten-free oat requires sophisticated technology. The prevention of contamination of oat by wheat, rye, or barley includes topographically separate fields with a suitable distance and a natural barrier between the fields sown with these gluten-containing plants, and separate harvesting and spatially isolated technological processing of oat from wheat, rye, and barley grains. Special attention must be paid to the purity of oat seeds, as well as agricultural and food industry facilities, which must be oat specific. Moreover, a field previously planted with wheat, rye, or barley cannot be used for oat for at least eight years. Oat fields must also be routinely inspected for contaminating cereal plants , and those plants have to be removed . The AOECS is entitled to guarantee gluten-free product derivatives prepared from oat in Europe. Gluten-free oat must meet the legislative criteria for gluten-free foodstuff, i.e., the content of gluten in the end-products must be less than 20 mg/kg .
The Gut Microbiome And The Gluten
The Danish study also found that some gut bacteria were more abundant, while others decreased, depending on the amount of gluten eaten.
Among low-gluten dieters, the Bifidobacterium were less common, which coincides with studies that show that people living in traditional pre-industrial lifestyles have low or absent levels of bifidobacteria compared to people living in developed countries that eat plenty of wheat and flour-based foods.
Since Bifidobacterium act as probiotics and have health benefits, a change in the substrate they live on, by adding more polyphenol-rich foods such as flax seeds, chestnuts, blueberries, beans, spinach, and berries to the diet may enhance their growth in the absence of wheat fiber .
Caio et al. link “dysbiosis, a condition promoting inflammation and metabolic impairment” to these alterations in the microbes that live in the intestines.
They confirmed that CD patients have fewer probiotic bacteria and slightly more pro-inflammatory bacteria of the Veillonaceae genus. But if these patients followed a GFD, it restored their gut microbiome and reduced the amount of pro-inflammatory microbes.
On the other hand, they noticed a drop in beneficial microbes among healthy subjects following a GFD, where beneficial probiotic bacteria were replaced by “opportunistic pathogens, e.g., Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli.”
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What Are The Pros And Cons Of A Gluten
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Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, but its also found in foods like ice cream and ketchup. Gluten-free diets are typically followed by people suffering from a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, a condition that causes a negative reaction to gluten and results in damage to the intestines. This damage makes it difficult for the body to absorb necessary nutrients and leads to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
In recent years, gluten-free diets have become part of the weight loss fad. However, a gluten-free diet isnt necessarily healthier and often leads to weight gain. Many gluten-free products are high in processed carbs and sugar. A person not dealing with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease would be better off shopping for a variety of high-fiber carbs, lean proteins, colorful fruits and veggies, and healthy fats. One hundred percent whole-wheat barley, wheat, and rye are also packed with fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and improve digestive health.
Heres a list of pros and cons to a gluten-free diet.
Pros of Eliminating Gluten
Cons of Eliminating Gluten
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Remember This About Gluten
Gut health is the foundation to your bodys home. Gluten can act as termites that chop away at that foundation over time.
Gluten is not necessary for health whatsoever in fact, in many people, it can do more harm than good. If youre struggling with gut health, I encourage you to try a gluten-free diet and work with a medical professional on restoring your gut lining. Even if you dont think you have issues with wheat/gluten consumption, eat it only in moderation. You could be surprised by how good youll feel without inflammatory proteins!
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Potential Harmful Effects Of A Gluten
The key to avoiding harmful effects when adopting a GFD is to eat a Balanced Diet with an adequate intake of nutrients.
Some studies have found that processed gluten-free food, when compared to food containing gluten, are not fortified or enriched with certain vitamins and minerals.
Furthermore, to make up for their lack of palatability some processed gluten-free foods are formulated with extra fat, salt, or sugar. This doesn’t make them a healthy option and may increase the risk of heart disease.
People avoiding gluten tend to eat fewer whole grains and this reduces their intake of fiber and also impacts cholesterol levels .
Could Benefit Blood Sugar Management
Refined grains are easily digested into simple sugars, which can cause blood-sugar spikes and quick crashes. So, eating less refined grains can keep your levels in check. This is extra important for folks who have diabetes, but anyone can benefit from better blood glucose regulation.
FYI: Just because you cut out grains doesnt mean youre in the clear. Its your overall diet quality and food choices that matter most when it comes to staying healthy and managing health conditions.
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Beneficial Effects Of Oat In A Gluten
Wheat is responsible for the induction of several diseases, such as celiac disease, wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity . The prevalence of these gluten-related diseases has reached 1% to 6% in Europe and North America . Celiac disease is induced in genetically susceptible individuals by ingestion of the wheat gluten, including alcohol-soluble and alcohol-insoluble fraction, and phylogenetically-related cereal prolamins . The alimentary intake of gluten induces, in celiac disease patients, intestinal mucosa damage characterized by intraepithelial lymphocytosis, villous atrophy, and crypt hyperplasia in the duodenum and jejunum and, subsequently, the loss of digestive and barrier functions accompanied by various gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms. A lifelong gluten-free diet is the only effective treatment for celiac disease. Adherence to a gluten-free diet leads to recovery from mucosal damage and the disappearance of the serological markers of celiac disease, i.e., antibodies against tissue transglutaminase, endomysium, and deamidated gliadin peptides .
What Is Gluten & Where Is It Found
Gluten is a collection of proteins thats naturally found in certain grains, like wheat, barley, and rye. That makes it a common protein found in bread, pasta, ales, crackers & more. Gluten proteins are not digestible in fact its the only known protein in our food supply thats completely indigestible!
Its called gluten for a reason, its Latin for glue! Since it acts as a binding agent, its also commonly added to many food products that you wouldnt expect, like sauces, desserts, soups, dressings, and more. Its a sneaky little protein that hides in SO many products because of its sticky capability.
30% of shoppers are choosing gluten-free options.
US News
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The Digestion Of Gluten
Prolamins are not broken down by the acid produced by the human stomach. So they move on, untouched into the small intestine.
Gluten proteins have long molecular chains which make them difficult to digest, but the enzymes in the small intestine break them down into shorter peptide chains, making them more easily digestible.
But these peptide chains can provoke immune responses in susceptible individuals, provoking a celiac disease.
What Are The Negative Effects Of Gluten
If you have coeliac disease, consuming gluten is bad for your health. It will trigger an immune response which causes the body to mistakenly attack healthy tissue, disrupting your bodys ability to properly absorb nutrients from food. Youll experience symptoms such as diarrhoea, abdominal pain, bloating and fatigue.
For those without the condition, theres no reason not to eat gluten. If you do experience negative symptoms which you believe are linked to gluten intake, you most likely have an intolerance. Theres been plenty of research into the effects of gluten, and there is no solid evidence to suggest that gluten has any harmful impact on people who do not have coeliac disease or some other form of intolerance.
In studies where gluten consumption has been linked to minor negative effects, such as bloating, the outcomes could just as easily have been caused by other ingredients in those foods. For example, a 2011 study at Monash University in Australia linked gluten to bloating and fatigue, but follow-up research led to the conclusion that these effects were simply caused by excessive consumption of certain carbohydrates.
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Foods That Might Contain Gluten
A significant number of other foods may include gluten, but you’ll want to check by reading the ingredient label or verifying with the manufacturer or brand website. These can include:
- âOats:â Oats and oatmeal may be processed in a facility that handles gluten, so make sure your package is marked “gluten-free.”
- âSoups:â Thickeners made from wheat can make their way into store-bought soup, so make sure to check the ingredient list.
- âCondiments:â Gluten is probably lurking in your salad dressing, soy sauce, ketchup and other sauces.
- âProcessed meat and meat substitutes:â Processed meats like sausage may contain gluten. The same goes for plant-based meat alternatives.
- âSoy sauce:â A similar product, tamari, does not contain gluten.
Gluten Free Diet Plan For Beginners
Now we will share with you a 7-day Gluten free diet plan through which you can easily do this diet plan.
Monday: You can start your day with some fresh fruits as breakfast, Fresh vegetable salad for lunch and Gluten-Free chicken or Potatoes mashed.
Tuesday: You can start your day with a cup of Blueberries or a baked omelette. At lunch, you can have Gluten-free pancakes and at Dinner, you can have scrambled eggs with spinach.
Wednesday: In Breakfast, you can have Gluten-Free oats and a cup of blueberries or any other seasonal fruits. At lunch, you can have sweet potato burritos and at night, can have fried chicken with broccoli.
Thursday: Try strawberry or coconut smoothies in the morning after that brown rice pasta for lunch. For supper, you can take ground beef.
Friday: GF toast with fruits in the morning. At lunch, try grilled salmon fish. At dinner veg curry with rice.
Saturday: Start the morning with Omelette. At lunchtime quinoa and for dinner chicken breast and brown rice.
Sunday: On the last day, take mixed fruit juice in the morning. At lunch veg gluten free burger and in dinner grilled halibut fish.
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