Community post
Gluten: Are we really that allergic?! 🌾
Welcome to today’s Tuesday Tip! So today we are focusing Gluten...but what is it?!
Gluten is a protein molecule found in wheat, barley, rye and spelt 🌾 🌾 if you’ve ever made bread or any type of dough, gluten is the glue like molecule that holds everything together.
But does it contribute to our health??
I’ve never heard of anyone say that they feel better ADDING gluten into their diet...but REMOVING it on the other hand has many many health benefits. That’s because the particular type of gluten found in today’s grains is genetically different to the one our grandparents were exposed to. This one can cause autoimmune disorders and/or interact with receptors in our body.
- Mental clarity (remember, gluten is a “glue” type molecule...)
- Mental health (more balanced emotions)
- Better skin (anyone else get those white spots at the top of your arms?? Dry skin? Eczema? That’s often gluten)
- Improved gut function (IBS anyone?! No thank you!)
- Better weight management (gluten tends to clog us up and stop things “moving!”)
- improved metabolism (gluten often causes our immune system to get confused and attack our thyroid causing our metabolism to slow down...)
If you think gluten may be a problem for you, perhaps cut it out for a month...then slowly reintroduce it. Let your body tell you whether it likes it or not 👌🏻
M xo
Replies (2)
I think trying a gluten free diet can definitely be helpful for digestion and maybe other symptoms you've mentioned. I also think there are a few other factors involved.
Most people eat refined (white or processed) wheat, which contains less fiber and less nutritional value. White bread absorbs into your bloodstream almost as quickly as sugar, going gluten free therefore also means a drastic reduction in refined carbs. That would mean less blood sugar spikes and subsequent crashes. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15113714)
Most wheat is also sprayed with weed killer chemicals just before harvest to cause it to sprout all at the same time. This maximizes the useful grains. It also however means there are weed killer residues that remain in the wheat used for conventional breads. Perhaps an accusation of those chemicals also causes some of those symptoms. (Not a scientific article, but: https://www.verywellhealth.com/weed-killer-roundup-to-blame-3973244)
So while you might try forgoing wheat to see if it improves your digestion, you might also first try whole grain breads or even a reduction in overall breads first to see if that makes a difference. Most people feel more full when eating whole grains, and tend to stop eating sooner, resulting in a smaller portion anyway.
What I'd like to see from the author is some reference to original research. I don't want to sound harsh, but without some reference to evidence the whole article could be taken as opinion. To help people get good information on health, we need to be sure we are providing good information as well.
Apologies for the delayed reply. Thank you for your comment! I agree with you regarding the problem of consuming refined wheat flour and the use of pesticides. Those are both valid issues to be considered and to be fair, most gluten free products purchased in stores are full of refined flours and if not organic may also be a source of pesticide exposure.
Non-ceoeliac gluten sensitivity is a real disease but unfortunately the research is still in it's early stages. Many people feel a decrease in their symptoms after removing gluten from their diet but what this can be specifically attributed to remains to be determined. As you rightly, pointed out, there may be other triggers at play. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4406911/ )
Another possible problem is the rise of hybridised wheat in the 20th century which is the one we mainly consume today. This is naturally more resilient to insects therefore requiring less pesticide use but is not good for our gut. Einkorn wheat might be a better option for those suffering from discomfort symptoms after consuming typical wheat products. This article is quite long, sorry, but it gives a bit more info on wholegrains than I can divulge here. ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5824670/ )
I personally can't eat Einkorn or any type of gluten containing grain but that is just my personal experience and everyone is different.
I hope this answers your question.