For some years now, we have heard and read about gluten and how harmful it can be to the body. Indeed, we have had a great deal of media bombardment around this issue, some of them basically promoting the idea that this substance, found in preservatives, tends to be harmful to health and that, for that very reason, gluten-free foods are better. Although it may seem convenient to us that immediately after this media promotion, gluten-free products began to appear in all supermarkets and restaurants, it is appropriate to know what it is and to know the effects it causes on the body .
Gluten is a mixture of proteins and starch found in some cereals , being responsible for its elasticity and chewiness during kneading . Although it is found in almost all cereals, those that have this protein mainly are rye, oats, wheat, barley, kamut and spelled . Now, if gluten is a substance found in natural elements, how does it become something that hurts the body?
During the process of food in a factory, in order to give consistency to some edibles, gluten has been integrated into its treatment. It is for this reason that celiacs or gluten intolerant people cannot consume this type of food. Next, we will see the difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease .
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own defenses identify gluten as an enemy structure and attack them. In this way, the body acts in the same way as it would a virus or bacteria. This causes the progressive destruction of the villi in the small intestine, causing inflammation and, eventually, some damage to the mucosa , as well as preventing the absorption of important components of food. The
Celiac disease symptoms vary from one organism to another, so their diagnosis can be difficult. The main gastrointestinal symptoms can be the following:
The tests that can detect celiac disease are blood tests , which can detect some antibodies such as tissue transglutaminase or anti-endomysium. If the results of these tests are positive, an endoscopy is usually done to biopsy the duodenum. Genetic testing can also be done to determine who is at risk for it.
- Fatigue after eating.
- Abdominal pain and bloating.
- Gas or indigestion
- Constipation.
- Irritability similar to what you feel when you have the flu or a cold.
- Difficulty concentrating after eating.
- Decreased appetite.
- Diarrhea, either constantly or intermittently.
- Lactose intolerance.
- Migraines
- Joint pain and tingling in the extremities.
- Nausea and vomiting
- Depression.
- Foul or greasy stools.
- Unexplained weight loss
On the other hand, gluten intolerance looks more like an allergy. One of the main differences it has with celiac disease is that there is no visible damage to the villi of the intestine , it is only symptomatic. This means that, by eliminating gluten from the diet, the discomfort and symptoms subside. Allergies tend to be more common in children, who usually outgrow the disease by 5 years of age. A simple skin or blood test can be vital in diagnosing this allergy .
The symptoms that it usually causes are the following
- Itching, swelling, and irritation around the mouth.
- Itchy rash.
- Nasal congestion.
- Itchy eyes
- Cramps
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
- Difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis.
There are still many inconclusive studies on this topic, so it is a field in which there is still much to discover. So, having shown you the whole picture regarding gluten, the most important advice we can give you is that if you have these symptoms, it is important that you visit your GP . In this way, you will avoid self-diagnosis of something that perhaps you do not have and thus, perhaps, you can continue to enjoy bread and other products.
Diet for gluten intolerance
The diet that people with celiac disease should follow seems easy, in reality they should only avoid consuming foods that have gluten. In any case, the matter becomes complicated when we verify that, as has been said in previous paragraphs, gluten does not appear only in 4 or 5 cereals, but is used by the industry in a large number of products. For this reason, here are some foods that may contain gluten and that you should avoid:
- Sausages and patés.
- Rice flours or other cereals that may contain it.
- Canned meat and fish , especially if they contain sauces.
- Sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, barbecue, etc).
- Cheese spread, melted, sliced or grated.
- Products that come from coffee.
- Cocoa and chocolate.
- Roasted or fried nuts.
- Ice cream
- Candies and gummies.
However, more and more gluten-free products are available in supermarkets, you just have to take a look at the nutritional information on the package to verify it.
References
- Celiaquía at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/
