Gluten - To Eat Or Not To Eat?
wheat fields in South Dakota
What the heck is GLUTEN? Why is everyone talking about it?
Gluten noun I glu·ten I \ ˈglü-tᵊn \: a tenacious elastic protein substance especially of wheat flour that gives cohesiveness to dough
Who doesn’t love a hot bowl of pasta, a sourdough bread bowl, or a fluffy pizza crust? I do. In the past ten years I’ve scaled way back on my gluten intake. Not because it was the popular thing to do, but because I wanted to see if it had any effect on the way I felt. It did. I felt less heartburn, less fatigue mid-day, and an overall better mental state. It meant less of these delicious foods, but how would I have every discovered the delicious AND nutritious foods had I not made room for them? And I thought there was no way I could maintain this. But, it surprisingly was easier than I thought. I found it worked for me to view these foods as more or a treat, and less as an everyday indulgence.
But, what is all the fuss about this thing called gluten? Why are so many people “gluten-free” Why does almost every restaurant menu have a gluten-free section? It’s true that it has become somewhat of a fad, with the hopeful promise of weight loss, less bloating, or other positive benefits. And maybe many people equate gluten with carbohydrates, which has gained it’s own villainous reputation with the popular low-carb craze. So, why not go gluten-free. But, what is actually the real science behind the protein gluten? And what is happening in our bodies when we consume it?
History of gluten
About 10,000 years ago, humans began cultivating wild grasses as food crops. Until that time, grasses had been utilized as a food source, but not to the extent that then ensued. It has been speculated that our digestive tracts have not had enough evolutionary time to develop the digestive enzymes necessary to allow us to assimilate one of the most difficult proteins to digest. Increased hybridization efforts (ie: processing) to increase the gluten content that gives wheat products the palatable qualities other grains cannot duplicate, has added even more fuel to the fires of inflammation.
Gluten (Latin for glue) is just one of many proteins found in wheat. Comprised of two protein groups — gliadin and glutenin — gluten gives wheat its strength, malleability, and the elasticity that allows it to rise. But why is it harmful? The gliadin portion has been recognized since the 1960s as the cause of the intestinal damage seen in celiac disease. Glutenin, though, too, is now suspected of causing problems, most notably autoimmune skin problems and, perhaps, some types of asthma.
Why avoid it?
About 1-1.5% of the population has celiac disease that is genetic. Celiac disease is a serious long-term autoimmune disorder where ingestion of gluten triggers the immune system to make antibodies, which in turn attack and damage the intestinal lining. Symptoms include bloating, gas, loose stool, malabsorption of food, low nutrient status. This can be very serious if not treated, and can affect other systems like the skin, bones, liver, thyroid and blood. There have also been studies that link gluten with autoimmune thyroiditis, and the occurance of those with autoimmune disease also having celiac disease. The prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) in patients with celiac disease was suggested to be four times higher than that in the general population, though the range is very wide, spanning 1.2–30%. The idea is molecular mimicry - that the protein in gluten (gliadin) mimics the thyroid gland , which can increase antibody activity. For a deeper understanding of the possible connection between the gut, thyroid, and celiac disease, check out https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5435852/
But what about the other 99% of the population that have not tested positive for celiac disease? We all know that many more than 1% of the population are avoiding gluten. Studies have shown that others have non-celiac wheat sensitivity. This means they can ingest wheat with the gluten protein, and later on (even days after) have symptoms that are hard to pinpoint: brain fog, headache, fatigue, skin issues, allergy/histamine issues and others that we pass off as just a part of our daily life. Gluten, along with dairy, soy, sugar, and corn, has been proven to be a high inflammatory food for some people. Some of the reasons why wheat causes gut inflammation for some:
· Wheat products have a mixture of hundreds of proteins that can be confusing to our bodies
· Wheat products contain enzyme inhibitors, that are working against our digestive capabilities
· Carbohydrates (which gluten products are) can have an osmotic effect – gas, bloating, loose stool
· Lectin is pro-inflammatory as it binds to carbohydrates and interferes with the gut lining
· Chemicals like pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that are sprayed on what crops (most widely used is glyphosate, which is a component of Roundup. It is applied to wheat and barley 7-10 days before harvesting to help dry and ripen the crop. It accumulates in wheat and barley kernels and causes many issues in the gut.)
· Cross-contamination with GMO genes
· Phytic acid in grains, which binds up certain nutrients, making them less available to us
So, should everyone avoid gluten? There are different schools of thought on this. Some would say that even those without celiac disease should avoid gluten, and others would say they have no negative effect whatsoever. Gluten has mostly gotten a bad reputation because it is so readily available in problematic foods like desserts and processed foods (chips, crackers, breads, pastries.) My feeling is that gluten consumed in excess, and/or consumed in highly processed foods is a big NO. When gluten products are replacing the nutrient-dense whole foods like vegetables and fruits, we have a problem.
But, let’s not forget that there are important vitamins and minerals to be found in whole grains, like B vitamins, molybdenum, manganese, fiber, and copper.
And if you’re avoiding gluten, you can still enjoy non-gluten grains such as: quinoa, millet, buckwheat, rice, amaranth, and non-GMO corn. These are nutrient dense, hypoallergenic, unrefined starches, with a balance of B vitamins and magnesium to support optimal digestion and balanced blood sugar.
So, next time you’re at the market picking out food, ask yourself: 1) how many ingredients? 2) what are the ingredients? 3) how was this prepared? I personally like a long fermented sourdough bread that has very minimal ingredients and no additives. It tastes so much better, too. If you can’t find one, make it yourself! There are Youtube videos for everything. I also really enjoy Bread SRSLY’s gluten-free sourdough loaf!
Here’s the good news — you are in charge of YOU. Be informed so you can make smart decisions about your food.
sources:
Bauman, E & Friedlander, N.C. (2017). Foundations of Nutrition Textbook. Penngrove, CA: Bauman College
Braly, J. & Hoggan, R. (2002). Dangerous Grains. NY: Avery.
Lerner, A., Jeremias, P., Matthias, T. (2017). Gut-Thyroid Axis and Celiac Disease. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5435852/. doi: 10.1530/EC-17-0021
