What Exactly Is Gluten?

Gluten (pronounced gloo-ten) is a protein that is found in wheat (and related grains such as barley, rye, spelt etc) and products containing these ingredients. Gluten is the reason wheat (and other related grain) doughs are elastic and easily stretchable. It holds the dough together, gives shape and produces a chewy texture when cooked. Gluten is also found in many seasonings, cosmetics and hair products and is used as a binder to “hold” ingredients together.

Since gluten is a protein, it is often added to foods low in protein to enhance their level of protein. Seitan (also called “wheat meat” “wheat gluten” or just “gluten” is an imitation meat used as an alternative to soy foods such as tofu. It is turned into a dough and all of the starch (which is water soluble) is washed away and what remains is just the gluten portion, which is pliable and can be formed into mock meats. Seitan is the basis for many vegetarian meat products such as “Tofurky” (which contains wheat gluten and soy).

Because gluten is in so many processed foods today, more and more people are aware that it exists and are researching gluten free diets.

Who is Allergic to Gluten?

Worldwide, about 1 in 100 people have or could develop Celiacs in their lifetime. People with Celiacs or wheat allergies are allergic to wheat and gluten containing products. However many people mistakenly believe they are allergic to wheat because of the increased buzz about wheat allergies and celiac disease in the media and fad diets.

There are many factors that contribute to one being allergic to gluten and having Celiacs (Celiac Disease). It depends on your genetics and most people with Celiacs have European ancestry (often Irish). It also tends to affect more woman than men. Although the initial trigger for Celiacs is unknown, it can trigger during adolescence, sickness or times of great stress. The genes found to affect Celiac disease can increase the levels of zonulin in your intestines and can allow gluten to permeate the intestine. When gluten permeates the intestinal walls, this is what causes the allergic reaction as it hits the blood stream and is dispersed throughout the body.

Gluten is toxic if it reaches your blood stream, but for the majority of people it never permeates the intestinal walls and is passed through the colon along with other waste products. Most people in the world are not allergic to wheat or gluten and do not have to follow a strict gluten free diet.

Should I Consider A Gluten Free Diet For Myself?

A lot of people go on gluten free diets and then feel a little bit better and think that wheat was the cause of their digestive discomfort (bloating, pain, constipation, diarrhoea etc.) but it leaves little clue to actual cause of their digestive disorder. Many people mistakenly believe they are allergic to gluten or have Celiacs when in fact they have another disease such as Crohn’s or Colitis.

There is a possibility of having the root cause of your ailment going undiagnosed and becoming worse. Many people die unnecessarily every year because they are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with digestive disorders and other diseases. If you have Crohn’s disease, eating a gluten free diet will not cure you of your condition, so it is very important to be properly diagnosed before changing your diet as you could do yourself more harm than good by remaining undiagnosed.

Celiac disease has genetic ramifications for your children and grand children and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Saying you have celiac disease when you are not properly diagnosed (undergoing an intestinal biopsy while eating a gluten containing diet to confirm) won’t do you much good in terms of ensuring a long healthy life for you and your family.

Adhering to a whole foods diet as opposed to a strict gluten free diet (when one shows no indication of Celiacs or wheat intolerance) is much more advisable for a healthy lifestyle. Digestion especially can improve when eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods including flour. Do not mistake a sensitivity to eating highly processed foods to having gluten intolerance or Celiacs.

Diagnosis of Celiac Disease

A definitive diagnosis for Celiacs can ONLY be made by biopsy of the small intestine. It is imperative that the biopsy be done BEFORE treatment and avoidance of gluten has started. If you are on a gluten free diet, you cannot be tested for Celiacs. The biopsy needs to show that the intestinal villi is damaged due to ingesting gluten regularly over a several month period.

If you have an immediate family member who is diagnosed with Celiacs oftentimes the government will cover the costs of a blood test to see if you have the genetic predisposition to Celiacs. This is the first step. If you do not have an immediate family member, you may have to pay for this testing yourself. Your gastroenterologist will probably then instruct you to eat a diet containing wheat and other gluten products for several months and then schedule a biopsy for you, to determine if you indeed have Celiacs. Once you are diagnosed and only then, should you adhere to a strict gluten free diet.

Self diagnosing of Celiacs is risky because there are many factors at play, and assuming wheat is the culprit of your illness can make you blind to other foods or circumstances that are negatively affecting your health.

What Foods Contain Gluten?

Avoiding these foods if you have Celiacs is paramount to your wellbeing. ALWAYS read every label and be aware of foods and products that can be cross contaminated with wheat.

Atta (chapatti flour)
Barley (flakes, flour, pearl)
Beer, ale, lager
Breading and bread stuffing
Brewers yeast
Bulgur
Communion wafers
Couscous
Croutons
Dinkel (also known as spelt) *
Durum *
Einkorn *
Emmer *
Farina
Farro or Faro (also known as spelt) *
Fu **
Graham flour
Hydrolyzed wheat protein
Kamut *
Malt, malt extract, malt syrup and malt flavouring
Malt vinegar
Malted milk
Matzoh, matzoh meal
Modified wheat starch
Oatmeal, oat bran, oat flour and whole oats ***
Pastas
Rye bread and flour
Seitan ****
Semolina
Spelt (also known as farro or faro, dinkel) *
Triticale
Wheat bran
Wheat flour
Wheat germ
Wheat starch

* These are all types of wheat

** Fu is a dried gluten product derived from wheat that is sold as thin sheets or thick round cakes. Used as a protein supplement in Asian dishes such as soups and vegetables.

*** Oats are contaminated with wheat and barley, unless they are specially grown, harvested and processed. More information.

**** Seitan is a meat-like food derived from wheat gluten used in many vegetarian dishes; sometimes called “wheat meat”.

Source: Adapted from Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide 2008 by Shelley Case, Dietitian.

What Foods are SAFE To Eat And Don’t Contain Gluten?

Most unprocessed whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, beans, legumes, rice, and many sweeteners are gluten free. Basically any item that only has 1 ingredient, and is not derived from wheat or processed in a facility that handles wheat and other gluten containing grains is gluten free.

There are many other grains and baking ingredients that do not contain gluten and can be used instead. It is important to know that all rice, and even glutinous (sticky) rice does not contain gluten.

Always read labels, as there are many ingredients such as the ubiquitous “spices”, “natural flavouring” etc. that can contain wheat, thus making the product NOT gluten free.

Amaranth
Arrowroot flour
Baking soda
Bean flour
Buckwheat
Cassava (Manioc flour)
Chickpea flour
Corn flour
Cornmeal
Cornstarch (Masa farina)
Cream of tartar
Dal or Dahl (Legume from India)
Flax
Gelatin
Green pea flour
Gums:
Acacia (Gum Arabic)
Carob bean gum
Carrageenan
Cellulose
Guaica
Guar
Karaya
Locust bean
Tragacanth
Xanthan
Invert Sugar
Kudzu
Lecithin
Legumes: Seeds of plants which include
Channa
Chick peas
Gram
All lentils
Peanuts
Peas
Soya
Malto dextrin
Maltol (A sweetener not related to malt)
Maltose
Mannitol
Millet
Molasses
Mustard flour (ground mustard)
Oats* (pure uncontaminated with barley or wheat)
Poi
Potato flour
Potato starch
Quinoa
Rice bran
Rice flour
Rice flour (glutinous, sweet)
Rice polishings
Rice starch
Sorghum
Soya flour
Soya starch
Spices
Sweet potato
Tapioca flour
Tapioca starch
Teff
Tofu
Vanilla
White vinegar **
Xanthan gum
Yam
Yeast
* Oats, unless they are specially grown, harvested, and processed, contain barley and wheat. Only pure and uncontaminated oats are acceptable for people with celiac disease. More information.

** Distilled vinegar, including white, apple cider, sherry, fruit, balsamic, palm, cane, and honey vinegars are all gluten free. Malt vinegar is NOT gluten free. Beer vinegar is NOT gluten free. Rice vinegar may or may not be gluten free. It may contain wheat – read the label.

Source: Adapted from Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide 2008 by Shelley Case, Dietitian.

For a list of other questionable foods check out: http://www.celiac.ca/index.php/about-celiac-disease/what-to-question

Resources For Celiac Disease

Canadian Celiac Association http://www.celiac.ca

The University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research http://www.celiaccenter.org