All about – Gluten

Gluten and gluten-free diets are currently very much in focus. But what exactly is “gluten”?

Gluten is the protein in wheat grains. There are two different types of intolerance to this protein: gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease.

Where and how do you find gluten in wheat grains?

A cereal seed consists of a flour body, seedling and husk and contains all the ingredients to support the growth of a new plant. When a seed receives enough water, enzymes are activated and a new plant is created from energy-rich carbohydrates, storage fats and building storage proteins such as gluten. In addition to macronutrients, a seed contains numerous micronutrients that are important for plant growth. Some of these micronutrients are bound by phytic acid, a plant storage molecule, and cannot be absorbed well by humans when eaten.

The proteins in seeds consist of various mixtures of structurally similar proteins and serve as a source of amino acids for the growing plant. The majority of the storage proteins in a cereal seed is gluten, which is naturally found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, spelt, triticale, emmer, kamut and green spelt. Oats and buckwheat are naturally gluten-free, but may come into contact with gluten-containing grains during processing and packaging.

The gluten intolerance “celiac disease”

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the intestinal mucosa becomes inflamed when in contact with gluten. During the course of this condition, the intestinal mucosa and villi can be destroyed, leading to nutritional deficiencies and various symptoms, including digestive problems, weight loss, fatigue, bone and joint pain, a tendency to bleed, fluid retention, and muscle cramps.

If celiac disease is suspected, a blood test should be done first to test for antibodies to the gluten protein. People with celiac disease must strictly avoid gluten, as even small amounts can trigger an immune response.

Wheat allergy and its typical symptoms

In addition to gluten, a wheat allergy can also be triggered by other proteins in wheat. The immune system plays a role here, which reacts to certain substances and triggers allergic reactions. The symptoms of a wheat allergy can be varied, including diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain and also allergic reactions such as hay fever.

Gluten sensitivity or intolerance?

Gluten sensitivity, also known as wheat sensitivity, is a relatively new clinical picture and is not recognized by all doctors due to a lack of diagnostic procedures. The symptoms are similar to those of celiac disease and include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. The diagnosis is often made by excluding celiac disease and wheat allergy, as no specific markers are known.

If gluten sensitivity is suspected, the doctor usually recommends temporarily avoiding wheat and other gluten-containing foods. When symptoms improve, gluten can be reintroduced as part of a controlled “gluten challenge” to test how well it is tolerated.

A lifelong strict gluten-free diet, such as for celiac disease, is unlikely to be necessary. Older gluten-containing cereals such as einkorn and emmer are often better tolerated.

Why are there more and more diseases associated with gluten?

Wheat is one of the world's main foodstuffs and provides energy to many people. Gluten, the “adhesive protein”, also has good baking properties and is used in many industrially produced foods. The increasing importance of wheat in the diet has led to changes in cereal grains, including changes in the content of gluten and ATIs. The western diet is often rich in grain products, which can cause the body to overload.

Traditional cultures fermented grains before consumption, which increased tolerance. Older grains such as einkorn, emmer, rye and spelt are often better tolerated and can be a healthy addition to the diet.

Last but not least, we should ask ourselves when we last ate bread that was fermented for several hours before baking. Many modern breads and rolls are made quickly and may not be the healthiest choices in our diet.

{{cta}}