What's the Deal With Gluten?

What’s the Deal With Gluten?

“So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, ‘Hurry!  Get three large measures of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.’” (Genesis 18:6).

If Seinfeld were still on the air, I could hear Jerry saying, “And Gluten!  What’s the deal with gluten?”  I have visions of Kramer overeating bowls of quinoa . . . “You gotta try it, Jerry!” I see George slapping a newspaper (after reading an article in the New York Times) saying, “This is it!  This is it, Jerry.  This is going to solve all of my problems. ”  With Elaine coming into the conversation late, eating pizza and reassuring everyone they do not need to be gluten free because a girl in her office is gluten-free and her lunch orders are so annoying . . . .

But really, what is the deal with gluten?  To put it simply, gluten is the protein found in wheat.   “The term ‘gluten’ encompasses two primary families of proteins, the gliadins and the glutenins.” (Pg. 38 Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD).  According to Dr. Davis, “Glutens are the storage proteins of the wheat plant, a means of storing carbon and nitrogen for germination of the seed to form new wheat plants.  Leavening, the ‘rising’ process created by the marriage of wheat with yeast, does not occur without gluten, and is therefore unique to wheat flower.”  (So basically, you will never find really good gluten free bread, pizza or bagels!)

Wheat has undergone many transformations over the past several decades as a result of cross-breading, hybridization, genetic changes designed to increase yield per acre.  “Wheat gluten proteins, in particular, undergo considerable structural change with hybridization.  In one hybridization experiment, fourteen new gluten proteins were identified in the offspring that were not present in either parent wheat plant.  Moreover, when compared to century-old strains of wheat, modern strains of triticum aestivum (modern wheat) express a higher quantity of genes for gluten proteins that are associated with celiac disease.”(Pg. 26, Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD).  This is not the crop Sarah was making bread from in the book of Genesis! 

  

So has all this change in our wheat and wheat proteins caused the rise in celiac and gluten intolerance?  The jury is still out.  Some doctors, scientists and wellness practitioners are putting their eggs in this basket and others are not.  Other theories for the rise in celiac cases include overuse of antibiotics and over the counter medications, overconsumption of refined wheat products generally, change to the body after illness, giving birth, aging, stress, environmental changes, and timing of exposure to gluten as an infant. 

Celiac Disease is a genetically predisposed autoimmune disorder that prevents the body from digesting gluten.  For those with celiac disease, gluten triggers the immune system to attack the small intestine.  As a result, the villi (small finger like projections of tissue in the small intestines) in the small intestine become inflamed and unable to perform the task of absorbing nutrients into the bloodstream.  If not treated properly over time, celiac disease can deprive the body of vital nutrients to the brain, nervous system, bones, liver and other organs. 

Some Signs and Symptoms of Celiac in Adults:

·      Diarrhea or constipation

·      Weight gain or weight loss

·      Bloating

·      Skin irritation (dermatitis herpetiformis)

·      Joint and bone pain

·      Arthritis

·      Miscarriages, infertility and other hormone complications in woman

·      Fatigue

·      Irritability, depression, anxiety or behavior changes

·      Tingling numbness in hands and feet

·      Erratic menstrual periods

·      Mouth Sores

·      Iron deficiency

Some Signs and Symptoms of Celiac in Children:

·      Growth problems

·      Decrease appetite and failure to gain weight

·      Chronic diarrhea

·      Chronic constipation

·      Vomiting

·      Abdominal bloating and pain

·      Fatigue

·      Irritability

Gluten Sensitivity, Gluten Intolerance or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity are terms used for individuals who have tested negative for celiac but display celiac symptoms, and have found relief from those symptoms by removing gluten from their diets.  Generally, the immune systems of individuals with gluten sensitivity are not as compromised as those diagnosed with celiac.  Although there has not been a great deal of research on non-celiac gluten sensitivities, some doctors recommend experimenting with a gluten-free diet as a means to alleviate celiac symptoms even where a celiac test has come back negative.

Wheat Allergy is an allergic reaction to wheat.  Wheat is one of the top eight allergens in the U.S.  According to celiacabout.com “Researchers have actually identified 27 different potential wheat allergens. The notorious protein gluten is one potential allergen, but there are more than two dozen others.”  People with a wheat allergy have a response to wheat such as sniffling, itching, hives, cramping, nausea, vomiting, and, in extreme cases, difficulty with breathing and swelling of the throat and airway.  The fact that a person is allergic to wheat does not mean that the person is necessarily allergic to gluten.

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Wheat (in all its gluten glory) remains a staple of the American diet, as well as many other cultures.  For people who can tolerate it, high quality sprouted or fermented wheat can provide us with beneficial nutrients, vitamins and minerals.  However, for those individuals who display celiac symptoms, removal of gluten from the diet should be considered.  (It is important to note, however, that gluten-free diets typically eliminate the over-processed, refined foods that shouldn’t be in any of our diets!  Therefore, the health benefits obtained from removing gluten from the diet might have less to do with gluten sensitivity and more to do with healthier eating generally.)