Some of you might be thinking: What IS gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and most oats. Essentially, gluten helps give products their body and makes them soft and stretchy. An example is pizza dough: when you toss pizza dough in the air or stretch it out, you develop the gluten more.
Gluten free diets are most often followed by people suffering from gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, a condition that results in inflammation and damage to the intestines with the ingestion of gluten. This damage to the intestines makes it difficult for the body to absorb necessary nutrients and vitamins from foods.
You will find gluten hidden in a variety of foods and even body products. Sometimes it is fairly "obvious": like a sandwich roll, pizza, pasta, beer, or a donut. Other times, it can be in surprising products, like yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, soy sauce, and even beverages. Whether you are on a gluten free diet due to Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or simply by choice, you will have to do some research and become a very diligent label reader. You will have to learn to read the label of absolutely everything you choose to ingest.
Some people are sensitive to gluten in very small amounts and even topically, so they abstain from using lipsticks, shampoos, and lotions that contain gluten. I myself, do not use lipsticks, facial products, or body and hand lotions with gluten in them. It's a personal preference usually, but I figure that an average woman consumes a rather large amount of lip products each year from licking her lips and such, that I'd rather be safe and avoid that possibility. Also, some with sensitivities have a condition called Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH). This is a skin condition that can occur in Celiac patients who make still get trace amounts of gluten in their diets. Basically, it is intensely itchy skin and small red bumps forming a rash that usually appears on the knees, elbows, neck, scalp, and buttocks.
The is a lot of misinformation out there, especially here on the internet. I cannot recall the number of times I've read something that seems to be completely wrong and possibly made up posted on a website. It's frustrating that someone new to the GF diet would be confused and overwhelmed. I often meet people who have lived by what they thought were a very strict set of rules on the diet and found out years later that they were staying away from foods that are actually considered to be safe.
In more recent years, gluten-free diets have become part of the world of fad diets. Eating a gluten-free diet is considered by many to be a great way to lose weight, however eating gluten-free often leads to weight gain. It is not necessarily a healthier diet because many gluten free products are more processed and contain more sugar, salt, and fat. Often times, extra vitamins are needed because gluten free foods can cause vitamin deficiencies in Iron, folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, fiber, and magnesium.
About 1% of people in the United States have Celiac Disease, with as many as about 10% who may have a sensitivity to gluten. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and if left untreated, deterioration of the intestinal lining and possibly severe malnourishment and extreme weight loss. However, once gluten is removed from the diet, symptoms usually subside and damage is healed, although this can sometimes take several months.
I do not believe the gluten-free diet is good for everyone. Not only can it be difficult to follow, but there are many nutritional drawbacks and it can be very costly. It is an absolute MUST for those with Celiac Disease and/or gluten sensitivity to follow a completely gluten-free diet, but I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for the rest of the population. If you choose to eat a gluten-free diet, you should consult your doctor to ensure you are getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
