In healthy nutrition, as in the field of beauty, there are trends. One of the most popular today is the refusal of gluten. What is wrong with this complex protein found in cereals?
Who really needs to give it up, and who shouldn't even try? Only the truth about "persona non grata" in Russia! Is gluten as dangerous as they say.
The adherents of the gluten-free diet are countless. Hollywood stars adhere to it - Miranda Kerr, Jessica Alba, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus and Victoria Beckham. Recognized beauties see the benefits of a gluten-free diet for health and figure, skin and hair, as well as youth and even long life! But in fact, all this can be obtained without severe dietary restrictions.
Gluten is dangerous for only 1% percent of people - suffering from celiac disease. In addition, it is poorly absorbed by allergy sufferers and people with hypersensitivity to gluten. But the latter on all continents is only 6%, statistics assures.
Expert comment
Prejudice against gluten is often associated with confusion between the diagnosis of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Because of the reaction that gluten causes in people, many people think that they have celiac disease, although biopsy and blood tests do not show this.
Celiac disease is a hereditary autoimmune disease. In those who suffer from it, if even a small amount of gluten enters the body, an autoimmune reaction can occur in the small intestine. Ultimately, this phenomenon impairs the absorption of certain nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and can lead to serious health problems, including osteoporosis, infertility, and even neurological disease. People who do not have celiac disease do not have these symptoms.
Separately, it must be said about people with hypersensitivity to gluten. After eating with it in the composition, they may notice bloating and pain in the abdomen, confusion, diarrhea. They feel much better when they eliminate it from their diet.
Important: Don't try to diagnose yourself! The presence of celiac disease must be confirmed by appropriate studies.
For thousands of years, gluten products have been the basis of the human diet. Gluten is found in many cereals - in wheat and rye, barley and spelt, as well as bulgur and semolina obtained from them.
Desserts loved by many - buns, cakes, cakes and sweets, are also very likely to contain gluten. But if until recently you have not observed negative reactions after eating this food, most likely you have nothing to worry about!
Do not go on a gluten-free diet and those who want to build or lose weight, improve their health. Contrary to popular belief, gluten is good for health and does not lead to weight gain or weight loss!
It supplies the body with vitamins and nutrients. But gluten-free products, which are often promoted as a healthy alternative, contain negligible amounts of fiber and nutrients, and they are much more expensive!
The key to a slim and fit figure is moderation in food. Of course, confectionery and sweets can lead to weight gain, but gluten is not to blame, but excessive appetite and high calorie content of individual products.
13 Non-Obvious Foods Containing Gluten
The complete exclusion of gluten products from the menu will not have the best effect on the nutritional value of the diet. After all, gluten is contained not only in cereals, but also in many other products - created on their basis or using gluten.
Experts have calculated that a gluten-free diet will reduce the concentration of vitamins A, C and E in the body, significantly reduce the amount of B vitamins, as well as minerals - iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. To observe it without serious evidence is not only pointless, but also dangerous!
And what foods, other than the obvious ones, should be taboo in the diet of people with gluten intolerance?
Black, white, milk - all types of chocolate may contain gluten. The fact is that wheat flour is often used as a thickener in their production. But there is good news too! Some manufacturers produce gluten-free tiles. As a rule, the corresponding mark is contained on the label.
Soy sauce
If you like to order sushi or buy soy sauce separately for a variety of homemade dishes, be careful. Soy sauce, in addition to soy itself, may contain extracts from barley and wheat, which are necessary to give a plastic texture.
Alcohol
Not all alcoholic beverages contain gluten, but most of them do. First of all, it's beer. It is brewed with barley malt.
Hydrolyzed wheat protein can also be found in cocktails such as Bloody Mary and Bloody Caesar. You should also not buy grain-based alcohol - wheat vodka, gin, whiskey (barley malt and barley are used).
There is a pattern here: the more processed the food, the higher the likelihood of gluten in its composition. Avoid industrial sausages and semi-finished products - dumplings, dumplings, meatballs, cutlets. Modified food starch and other thickeners are added to give them a nice texture.
Packaged soups
Ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressings
Most salad dressings use wheat flour as a thickening agent. Creamy and tomato sauces and pastas, borscht dressings, and mayonnaise often contain gluten. Light summer and spring salads are best paired with homemade dressings such as a mixture of avocado oil, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.
McDonald's and other fast food chains are not the best place for someone with celiac disease. Opportunities to meet gluten-containing food there are more than enough! Gluten can be found in smoothies and drinks, salads and french fries. And also in any food, in the manufacture of which wheat flour is used as a breading.
Crab sticks
Seafood in the diet of people with hypersensitivity to gluten has a special place. After all, for them it is a valuable source of vitamins and minerals. But imitations of seafood and crab meat in particular - there is no place on the menu.
Crab sticks are made from minced fish, to which wheat starch is added for viscosity and density.
malt vinegar
It is common in England and Canada, where it is considered the best dressing. In Russia, it is not common, however, it is worth knowing that it can be dangerous for a person with celiac disease (because it is rich in gluten). Alternatives to this type of vinegar can be others - for example, white, apple or balsamic.
Some industrial designs of a childhood favorite dessert may be based on wheat malt or include gluten additives such as chocolate or creme brulee.
Gluten, or gluten, is a variety found in cereal seeds. When interacting with water, it forms an elastic compound, which makes the dough stretch and take shape. Gluten contains the usual products - bread, pasta.
Harm of gluten
Wheat, rye, barley have been grown for centuries. In recent decades, modern varieties of cereals have been bred by selection. They are unpretentious, high-yielding. But they contain gluten, which passes into products. When broken down in the intestines, they form larger molecules than traditional cereal varieties.
They are more difficult to fully digest, and require excellent stomach and intestinal health and sufficient enzyme production.
Thus, gluten requires a lot of effort for the body to process. Their deficiency causes the accumulation of gluten, which disrupts the digestive system - a common cause of obesity.
Incompletely digested gluten, its excess irritate the intestinal villi, cause increased permeability of its walls, inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Over the past 30-40 years, hypersensitivity and intolerance to gluten have increased significantly.
Switching to gluten-free foods restores the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.
When to switch to gluten-free foods
Modern research confirms the link between the consumption of grains containing gluten and health problems. For example, these products contain substances that affect the psyche, cause addiction, and nervous disorders.
The following signs signal increased intestinal permeability, an inflammatory response of the body to foods containing gluten:
- do not get enough sleep, during the day there is a breakdown;
- frequent mood swings, anxiety;
- decreased sexual desire;
- , flatulence;
- stool retention or diarrhea;
- the need for sweets;
- skin dry, red, rash;
- headache (migraine).
What foods contain gluten
Gluten in the composition of cereals turns a mixture of flour and water into an elastic dough, gives splendor to pastries and baked goods, and increases shelf life.
For an attractive appearance, gluten is artificially added to some products, its content in some types of flour reaches 50%.
Gluten contains not only dough products - cakes, pasta. To give density and elasticity, it is added to semi-finished meat products - cutlets, dumplings, sausages, ham, sausages. To enhance the taste and texture - in sour cream, cheese, yogurt. Add to ketchups, sauces, crab sticks, artificial caviar.
Gluten in ready-made breakfast cereals binds vitamins and minerals. Increases the elasticity of chewing gum.
To improve the taste, it is used in the manufacture of cheeses. In hard varieties, gluten is partially replaced by milk dry natural protein - sodium caseinate.
In the composition of coffee granules, gluten makes the powder crumbly and improves solubility. Adding cocoa powder to the composition reduces the cost of chocolate production.
| Explicit gluten | Hidden gluten |
|---|---|
| pancakes | Mustard |
| waffles | Baby food (canned) |
| Vermicelli | Chewing gum |
| Grainy cottage cheese | Yogurt (with additives) |
| cupcakes | cocoa powder |
| crackers | sausages |
| Pasta | Canned meat |
| Semolina | Canned vegetables |
| Meat semi-finished products | Canned fish |
| cutlets | |
| Oatmeal (cereal) | Instant coffee |
| Barley porridge | Crab sticks |
| Biscuit | Mayonnaise |
| cakes | Margarine |
| Wheat, porridge | Ice cream |
| Rye | Dumplings |
| Soy sauce | Beer (as an additive) |
| Drying | Instant chocolate drinks |
| Cakes | Soy sauce |
| Cereals for breakfast | sausages |
| Barley | Processed cheese |
| Barley porridge | Meatballs |
List of gluten free foods
Gluten is absent in all animal products, as well as in corn, rice, soybeans, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, berries. Refusal to eat foods containing gluten normalizes.
Why is celiac disease dangerous?
Lack of certain enzymes in the small intestine mucosa leads to indigestion of gluten (gliadin). The accumulation of undigested substances in the intestine causes an inflammatory reaction.
Diarrhea after eating foods containing gluten. Violation of absorption in the intestine causes disorders of protein, carbohydrate, fat and mineral metabolism. Belly bloated, weight loss, dehydration. Caries, spontaneous fractures of the limbs.
For the first time, celiac disease (celiac disease) can manifest itself at the age of 20-40 years.
Those with gluten intolerance appear healthy on the outside. Symptoms are caused by eating small amounts of gluten-containing foods.
Most experts consider the nature of the disease to be hereditary. Others believe that the reason is gluten. Still others see the viral nature.
Hypersensitivity to gluten, its intolerance, in addition to inflammation in the intestines, provoke the development of hepatitis, osteoporosis, arthritis, type 1 sugar, skin diseases, and mental disorders.
When treating celiac disease, switch to gluten-free foods.
Modified: 11/15/2019According to some doctors, information about which foods contain gluten should only be known to patients with celiac disease. It is this disease that is associated with intolerance to this component and, in the absence of an appropriate diet, leads to negative consequences. Other doctors strongly advise even healthy people to refrain from eating food containing gluten. They believe that it poses a threat to the human body. Where is the truth, and where is the fiction? And what foods do contain gluten?
On a note! A high-molecular protein compound called gluten is present in excess in cereals. Its other name is gluten. The name of this substance comes from gluten, which translates as "glue".
The role of gluten in human life
In dry form, gluten is presented as an almost colorless powder that has no taste and smell. When in contact with water, gluten swells, turning into a viscous mass. It has adhesive properties, hence the name of the substance.
On a note! In the food industry, the homogeneous structure of the wetted gluten is of the greatest value, as it helps to achieve a creamy state of the product.
The role of gluten in human life is quite important. This substance is used as:
- natural food preservative;
- natural thickener;
- component for improving the quality of bakery products;
- household glue.
Most often, gluten is used for kneading dough when baking flour products. After all, it is gluten that makes the dough viscous and pliable. As a result, the finished product is soft, porous and satisfying. Bread with a lot of gluten is considered first-class. In this regard, breeders from all over the world are trying to introduce varieties of cereals with a gluten content of 30%.
Harmful properties of gluten
Such grain products as wheat, barley and rye have long been known to mankind. Recently, breeders have been working on the introduction of new varieties of cereals that will be unpretentious, but at the same time will stand out with high yields. In addition, it is planned that these grains will contain large amounts of gluten, the breakdown of which in the human body forms molecules larger than when eating products from familiar cereals. And since they are much more difficult for the digestive system to digest, new varieties of grains will not be very useful for human nutrition.
Thus, a significant amount of gluten requires a lot of effort from the body to break it down. Gluten residues that have not had time to be digested gradually accumulate. This causes disturbances in the functions of the digestive system and causes excess body weight.
If you constantly eat foods containing gluten, inflammatory reactions develop in the intestines, the permeability of its walls increases. Based on this, it is recommended to enrich your diet with gluten-free foods.
List of foods containing gluten
It is not for nothing that gluten is called “wheat protein”, because it is wheat that breaks records for the content of this substance. A large amount of it is part of the products made from flour.
Thus, gluten is found in the following list of foods:
- cereals: wheat, oats, rye, barley;
- vegetable products from these cereals: bran, semolina, bakery products, pasta;
- compote, lemonade, fruit drink, juice, kvass and other soft drinks (not too high in gluten content);
- sausages;
- instant cereals and soups - these products use gluten as a thickener;
- dry breakfasts, ready to eat;
- mustard, mayonnaise;
- fast food products;
- candies;
- semi-finished products;
- crab sticks;
- canned products;
- confectionery powders;
- undistilled vodka.
Thus, the list of products containing gluten is quite wide. Gluten is often included in sports nutrition products.
In addition, traces of "wheat protein" are found in the following products:
- Salo;
- butter;
- low quality vegetable oil;
- industrially processed nuts and seeds;
- sauces;
- vegetable canned puree-like consistency;
- ice cream;
- processed fruits;
- dried fruits and candied fruits.
On a note! Coffee granules contain gluten, which makes the powder more crumbly and soluble. Gluten is also added to cocoa to reduce the cost of chocolate production.
So what can you do to avoid the harm of gluten? In fact, the products from the above lists can be consumed and even necessary, but not in excess. The diet must be supplemented with gluten-free food.
Table of products containing gluten
Below is a table with a list of products that contain gluten in an explicit or hidden form.
|
Products with explicit gluten content |
Products with hidden gluten content |
|
pancakes |
|
|
Baby food (canned) |
|
|
Vermicelli |
Chewing gum |
|
Grainy cottage cheese |
Yogurt (with additives) |
|
cocoa powder |
|
|
Pasta |
Canned meat |
|
Semolina |
Canned vegetables |
|
Meat semi-finished products |
Canned fish |
|
Oatmeal (cereal) |
Instant coffee |
|
Barley porridge |
Crab sticks |
|
cakes |
Margarine |
|
Wheat, porridge |
Ice cream |
|
Dumplings |
|
|
Soy sauce |
Beer (as an additive) |
|
Instant chocolate drinks |
|
|
Soy sauce |
|
|
Cereals for breakfast |
|
|
Processed cheese |
|
|
Barley porridge |
Thus, gluten is found in plant foods and food products in which gluten is added during the manufacturing process as a thickening agent or for other purposes.
On a note! In the production of beer, gluten is necessarily used, since in this case it acts as a preservative. However, the gluten-free drink that has been gaining momentum in recent years is even more harmful. The fact is that the lack of gluten in it is compensated by flavor enhancers and other harmful substances.
Table of gluten-free products
There is no gluten in animal products. In addition, it is not found in some types of plant foods. Below is a table with a list of gluten-free products.
gluten free diet for weight loss
Lately, show business stars are just obsessed with the newfangled gluten-free diet, which helps to lose weight. There are even admiring reviews of celebrities showing off their forms. A gluten-free diet restricts gluten-containing foods, and more rigid types of diets exclude such foods altogether. Among doctors there are also adherents and opponents of such nutrition.
Undoubtedly, a gluten-free diet has certain advantages:
- reduces the amount of high-calorie foods in the diet - food with gluten contains a lot of calories;
- increases the amount of vegetables in the diet - vegetables are saturated with vitamins and other useful components, and are also a source of useful fiber;
- contributes to the health of the human body.
Opponents of the gluten-free diet criticize this approach to nutrition. In their opinion, a product containing gluten provides the human body with important components, so they should not be completely excluded from the diet. In addition, the quality of the food is also important. If it is natural, then the content of gluten in it will not harm health. If, in addition to gluten, it contains preservatives and dyes, you should not eat it.
On a note! According to scientists, many manufacturers include flavorings, sugar, fat and other substances in their products, compensating for the lack of gluten. In fact, such products, although gluten-free, are more dangerous for the human body than foods containing gluten, and contribute to a set of body fat.
Gluten intolerance in children
In case of intolerance to gluten by the child's body, it is worth refusing to use the child's products with its content.
On a note! In young children, gluten intolerance is often observed, which is associated with an insufficiently mature digestive system. That is why modern pediatricians are strongly recommended to introduce gluten-free foods into the child's complementary foods first.
Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) is manifested by allergic reactions. The disease is temporary or permanent. In the first case, you will have to give up food containing gluten for a certain period, and in the second, you will have to stick to diets for the rest of your life.
In general, parents of children with celiac disease should adhere to the following recommendations:
- Separately allocate a cabinet for storing gluten-free products;
- cooking for a child is carried out using separate dishes;
- wash your hands regularly, especially before handling gluten-free products, so as not to accidentally put gluten on them;
- it is forbidden to use the same oven for the simultaneous baking of dishes containing gluten and with its absence;
- no need to listen to the advice of other parents, whose children also suffer from gluten intolerance, regarding the safety of a certain product, each organism is individual;
- prohibited foods are best placed in a place inaccessible to the patient;
- if a new product is introduced, on the same day it is forbidden to give another type of food unfamiliar to the child's body.
On a note! Scientists agree that celiac disease is inherited. That is, if one of the parents has this disease, the probability that the child will be affected by it is 50%.
Gluten intolerance, which is permanent, cannot be completely cured, but you can avoid unpleasant symptoms if you follow a gluten-free diet for life.
Video: What foods contain gluten?
If you want to lose a few extra pounds, you should review your menu. In particular, nutritionists recommend limiting the consumption of foods that contain gluten. People suffering from celiac disease will have to completely eliminate them from the diet. But first of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of products containing gluten. This will be discussed in the following videos.
Alexander Gushchin
I can't vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)
Content
Useful and harmful properties of gluten are the subject of numerous disputes among specialists. Knowing which foods contain gluten is essential for maintaining a healthy diet and treating certain diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract. With extreme caution, gluten should be introduced into the diet of baby food and used in the presence of certain diseases of the digestive system.
What is gluten
This is a term that unites a group of proteins, the high content of which is distinguished by the seeds of cereal crops. This substance is also called by another definition - gluten. This name was not chosen by chance: in its pure form, gluten is a powdery composition, but when diluted with water, it forms a thick mass resembling glue. The main contraindication to the use of products containing this protein is the presence of individual intolerance.
The glue-like consistency of the protein has become the main reason for its widespread use in the food industry, especially in the field of baking bakery, as well as the manufacture of meat products. When mixed with minced meat or flour, the final blanks and products are stored longer than usual, retain their shape and are distinguished by an airy texture during baking.
A small amount of gluten does not cause significant harm to health. However, in the presence of a disease such as celiac disease, it is highly not recommended to use products with its content. The harm of gluten is due to its peculiar effect on the stomach.
Protein blocks the work of the digestive organs, as a result of which the body does not receive the necessary norm of vitamins. Such a process can cause upset and bloating, diarrhea, as well as a sharp decrease in immunity.
List of foods containing gluten
Record holders for the content of gluten are cereals - rye, wheat, barley and oats. For use in the food industry, protein is produced from these crops. Then the substance is mixed with water and becomes an ingredient for the preparation of a wide variety of product categories:
- bakery products, flour;
- sausages, minced meat;
- beverages made from cereals (beer, whiskey and vodka are the most striking example);
- chocolate products;
- sauces, ketchups, mayonnaise.
Gluten free products
The answer to the question of which foods do not contain gluten can be based on simple experience. It has been proven that gluten, when in contact with iodine, changes its color to black or dark blue. However, the exception in this case is rice and potatoes. These components do not contain gluten, but the color of iodine is changed due to the high content of potato and rice starch.
Rice, buckwheat, corn;
Meat, poultry, seafood;
Vegetables and fruits.
Table of gluten content in foods
|
Products with gluten |
What foods are gluten free |
|---|---|
|
Sausage products, bakery products based on gluten flour |
Fresh vegetables, fruits |
|
Minced meat products |
|
|
Any types of preserves made on the basis of thickeners |
Seafood |
|
Dairy products made with the addition of stabilizers |
Gluten is gluten, which is found in approximately 80% of the foods in the daily diet of the average person. In fact, gluten sticks together the dough - the less gluten is included in the composition of the grain, the more difficult it is to make a homogeneous mass from the flour of such a cereal.
Since gluten is useful for making liquid substances viscous, it is also used to make ketchup and sauces, ice cream, yogurt and other products. In this case, it is denoted as " modified food starch" or " hydrolyzed protein”.
The use of gluten allows the production of fluffy bread that can be stored and not spoil for months.
Grocery list containing gluten:
The drinks:
- Vodka
- Whiskey
- Bourbon
- Carbonated drinks
- Cocoa
- Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola
- Instant coffee
- granulated tea
Products that may contain gluten - depending on the place and method of production:
- bouillon cubes vitamins
- thickeners
- natural flavors
- natural juices
- vegetable broths (cubes, powder)
- tints
- gravy (cubes)
- baking powder
- ground spices
- flavor enhancers
- industrial condensed milk hardly consists of only 2 ingredients. It is possible that the manufacturer simply does not indicate stabilizing agents, thickeners and other chemical components (as well as additional components that may contain gluten). Therefore, it is impossible to say for sure that there is no gluten in condensed milk.
Symptoms of Gluten Intolerance
The most common symptoms are abdominal discomfort and bad-smelling stools. List of the most common symptoms:
The main difference between celiac disease (celiac disease) and gluten intolerance is that when you become intolerant, your immune system does not damage the walls of your small intestine. Instead, the body simply cannot digest gluten. Those. everything ends up with only bloating and some other problems.
To diagnose celiac disease, an intestinal biopsy is required. Antibody testing and genetic testing are also performed.
CHILDREN - practical advice for parents
Products that cause you the slightest doubt are better do not give to the child.
If you are giving a new product to a child for the first time, do not give any more new products that day to monitor individual response.
Ingredients in English that should alert
wheat, rye, barley, oats- this is the name of gluten-containing cereals;
stabilizer, emulsifier, starch, flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, vegetable protein, vegetable gum, malt, malt flavoring, modified food starch and modified starch - Supplements that may contain gluten.
Marking may contain traces of gluten means that the product may contain traces of gluten.
P.S. If you do not have problems with the absorption of gluten, then most likely they will not appear in the future. You can eat any food with gluten. But! You shouldn’t get carried away with bakery anyway, because you don’t need an ass the size of two stools?
