Gluten?!

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Perfectlycrooked
Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay so my mother was making fun of me and my healthy foods and she started picking up anything that said GLUTEN FREE across the top. I kept telling her "You don't even know what gluten is!" then I realized I don't even know what Gluten is!!

So can someone tell me what it is and why I shouldn't be eating it? :P

Replies

  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
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    Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats (by cross-contamination).

    There is no reason not to eat gluten unless you have been diagnosed with something like Celiac disease or a gluten allergy/intolerance.
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,622 Member
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    It's a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Google it. Unless you are intolerant or have Celiac's Disease there is no reason not to eat it. Right now it seems to be a food fad - tell your mom to get over it.
  • ohskinnyme
    ohskinnyme Posts: 24
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    God, there really is some ignorance on this website.

    I recently (about 3 months ago) decided to go gluten free and have felt INFINITELY better since. Weight FELL OFF. I stopped feeling so bloated and heavy all the time and I was more alert and happy, too.

    It is not a "fad", nor does anyone need to "get over it." I wish people would stop being so judgemental.
  • Perfectlycrooked
    Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
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    Well, do you know what about it makes you feel bloated? or groggy? I just want real people answers not some wiki page :P
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,622 Member
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    God, there really is some ignorance on this website.

    I recently (about 3 months ago) decided to go gluten free and have felt INFINITELY better since. Weight FELL OFF. I stopped feeling so bloated and heavy all the time and I was more alert and happy, too.

    It is not a "fad", nor does anyone need to "get over it." I wish people would stop being so judgmental.
    If you feel better then that likely means that your body has a sensitivity to hit, maybe not a large sensitivity but one nonetheless.

    And yes, it is a food fad. I've been a Celiac my whole life. It's a food fad.
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
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    God, there really is some ignorance on this website.

    I recently (about 3 months ago) decided to go gluten free and have felt INFINITELY better since. Weight FELL OFF. I stopped feeling so bloated and heavy all the time and I was more alert and happy, too.

    It is not a "fad", nor does anyone need to "get over it." I wish people would stop being so judgemental.

    Wow, that was a bit of a strong comeback for someone saying there is no l reason for going gluten free if there is no medical diagnosis. If gluten free works for you, great. It doesn't work for everyone, and a lot of people who might go gluten free as part of the fad diet (and yes, for many, it's a fad) and don't have a medical reason for it are likely to go back to eating gluten containing foods at some point. Gluten free is not a cure-all. You still need to watch where your calories come from. Just because a cookie is gluten free, for instance, doesn't mean you should eat it. :-)
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,622 Member
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    Well, do you know what about it makes you feel bloated? or groggy? I just want real people answers not some wiki page :P
    I can't speak to hwo people with a sensitivity feel, but if you're a Celiac (which is an auto-immune disease) it affects the villi in your small intestine and makes it impossible to absorb nutrients and minerals. For me, if I'm exposed, I have GI issues (vomit, diarrhea, gas, bloating), neurological issues and skin issues. It puts me out of commission for about 2 weeks at a time. And that for a miniscule tiny little amount!
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
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    If you have an intolerance to gluten, it is because your body cannot break down gluten (the protein in the grain) into small enough pieces to move through your body easily and be absorbed.
    Basically, your body doesn't like big chunks of food molecules, and if you're intolerant to gluten then these big chunks will make your tummy not so happy... such as bloating, gas, the burbles (what I called them for years), weird/irregular bowel movements, and general anxious feelings-- most likely from the intestinal upset.
    Some people have reported upper GI stuff like heartburn and burping up food after eating it.
    Hope this helps!
  • ohskinnyme
    ohskinnyme Posts: 24
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    My younger sister has a gluten intolerance, she has very similar symptoms as described by the lady above, perhaps just not with such violence or lingering aftereffects. The changing nature of the production of wheat and other gluten containing grains means that the protein is becoming increasingly difficult for our digestive systems to handle. Many people I know who do not have coeliac disease nor a diagnosed intolerance (myself included) have found that their health has been significantly improved by reducing / eliminating gluten in / from their diet.

    Just sayin'.

    Also, since going gluten free, I snack a lot less and eat a lot better food, generally. It's much harder to go out and buy a slice of cake with your tea or grab a sandwich from the supermarket. It has helped me to lose 31lbs in around 3 and a half months, and I see no need to ever reintroduce it into my diet. It is not a fad, for me, it is a change in my lifestyle.
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,622 Member
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    OP - Please don't take the PP word on weight loss and stuff. GF foods are higher in calories than their gluten-laden counterpart. Just take a trip to the store and compare - it's foolish. Plus, GF foods are much much much lower in fibre, which totally sucks!

    Some people will lose weight going GF, but that's because they are choosing foods that are naturally GF (fruits, veggies, meat, dairy) and largely cutting out carbs (breads, pasta, cake, cookies, etc). That's more a clean-eating lifestyle than it is a GF lifestyle.

    Good luck with your query - but it's really not necessary to be GF. Can I ask what your mom's reasoning is behind pushing it?
  • Perfectlycrooked
    Perfectlycrooked Posts: 275 Member
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    She was just messing with me because she doesn't eat healthy at all :P
    We both had assumed that just because it said gluten free, that meant it was supposed to be healthy. Partly because at our hyvee there's a gluten free section by the "health" section :P
    She was just poking fun(:
  • jalara
    jalara Posts: 2,622 Member
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    LOL - I've always been confused as to why it's near the health & organic section... but oh well! The only good thing is that there are less preservatives... but that means the food spoils quicker!

    Good luck!
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
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    LOL - I've always been confused as to why it's near the health & organic section... but oh well! The only good thing is that there are less preservatives... but that means the food spoils quicker!

    Good luck!
    Right! There is definitely a media push for gluten free as healthy and beneficial for everyone, for reasons described by the other poster about high manufacturing rate of wheat, barely, and rye grains. The mass production of these grains laden with growth pesticides and biologically engineered DNA could be a culprit, no evidence proves that this is true or not true.
    Fact of the matter is you must eat what makes your body feel good. If that means eating no gluten keeps your digestive health vibrant, then go for it. If gluten does not upset you, then you are able to eat whichever you'd like. Gluten free does not always mean healthy, such as soy and tofu were 5 years ago. Now soy is mass produced to the point where the phytoestrogens (what made it so healthy in the first place) are harder to digest in the body. Gluten free grains like rice, oats and beans are being mashed up into flours that are processed too.
    There are wins and losses either way.
  • RangerSteve
    RangerSteve Posts: 437
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    God, there really is some ignorance on this website.

    I recently (about 3 months ago) decided to go gluten free and have felt INFINITELY better since. Weight FELL OFF. I stopped feeling so bloated and heavy all the time and I was more alert and happy, too.

    It is not a "fad", nor does anyone need to "get over it." I wish people would stop being so judgemental.


    God, there is really some ignorance on this website.

    I stopped eating chocolate covered ants and I felt INFINITELY better since. Weight FELL OFF. I stopped feeling so bloated and heavy all the time and I was more alert and happy too.

    After all, it worked for me so you're ignorant if you don't agree. Right? Makes perfect sense.
  • tragicpixie
    tragicpixie Posts: 71
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    I choose to go gluten free because of my genetics and a possible interaction with my skin. My dad has psoriasis which is an autoimmune skin disease and it was recommended to him to help him clear up his flare ups. Since he was also asked to give up drinking - he didn't try it. But I did because I am abnormally paranoid about every rash or itchy spot on my skin that it will turn out to be psoriasis. It made my itchy skin calm down - surprising considering how much I am in and out of the pool this summer.

    That's totally different than someone with a condition like Celiac disease though.

    You can try it if you want - but it's a food fad right now and not necessarily healthy for you personally like the media says. Gluten is not the devil or anything :)
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    Gluten is the stretchy bit in flour that allows yeast to make bread rise. When you make bread, you knead the dough - this is to soften and stretch the dough - doing this allows the air produced as gas by the yeast to fill pockets and make the dough bread.

    When bread goes stale, it is because the gluten is shrinking back again and it is losing its elasticity.

    Coeliacs have a medical condition which makes eating gluten dangerous. Others may feel intolerant to gluten because it makes them bloated - but that is sometimes more to do with modern processes than gluten itself.

    To the OP - I forget, did you have a reason for buying gluten-free? Or just because you think you should?
  • get_the_skinny
    get_the_skinny Posts: 6
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    I have celiac disease which means that I have to live a gluten free lifestyle.
    Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, certain oats, certain flavorings, etc.
    My body can't break down this protein and it therefore causes the villi in my intestines to die away which can cause serious health problems. I also have a particular strain of celiac disease called celiac DH or Celiac Dermatitis Herpetiformis. This simply means that in addition to the inflammation in my small intestine, I also react to gluten with an itchy blotchy rash on my skin (not very attractive).

    I was only diagnosed last january but I've noticed a great change in energy level, along with other happy things such as allergy relief, bloating, and shorter periods.

    Celiac and gluten intolerances are becoming more and more widely spread. However I know a lot of people who CAN process gluten who have gone gluten free and have also noticed a difference in the way they feel physically.

    Give gluten free a try. If you don't like it, you can always go back!

    GOOD LUCK!!

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