What is gluten anyway?

If you are gluten intolerant, you’re told to avoid gluten.  Simple, right?  But what is gluten?  Gluten is a protein that exists naturally in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and variants such as triticale (a variant of rye) and spelt (an ancient form of wheat).

Many nutritional consultants tell people with celiac disease that they may eat “ancient grains” such as spelt.  Some ‘ancient grains’ are gluten free, but NOT spelt. Again, I am not a doctor, but the experience of my very-sensitive-to-gluten celiac wife says that spelt contains gluten.  She is sufficiently sensitive that a mere hint of gluten contamination induces symptoms (even when unknown contamination occurs, which rules out psycho-somatic symptoms). 

If you read ingredients on a package of food from the supermarket and do not see a gluten containing ingredient this does not mean it is gluten free. In some instances, machinery in food processing plants may be floured in order to prevent items from sticking, or  if gluten containing grain is being processed in the same facility as a gluten free grain, it may contaminate the gluten free item. When buying any prepackaged food or other items, it is often necessary to find out what type of environment the product was produced in.  We had to stop eating a delicious rice cookie years ago, as it was produced in a factory that also produced gluten containing foods.  We also had to stop using a gluten free flour mix, as the producer did not have a separate gluten free area, but instead ‘ran a batch through’ the processing line and discarded it, believing that this would clean the machinery.  Perhaps it would be sufficient if not overly sensitive to gluten, but not if a serious sensitivity exists.

Since gluten exists in many grains such as wheat and barley, many alcoholic beverages such as beer are not advised.  Some gluten free beers exist [though not being a drinker, I’m not sure what they are].  Additionally, some rums are made only with sugar, and thus are gluten free.  Inquiring of the manufacturer is the best option as what may be gluten free today, may not be gluten free tomorrow.

A number of gluten free grains exist:

·      Rice

·      Corn

·      Tapioca [starch]

·      Potato [starch]

·      Millet

There are other ancient grains such as Quinoa that are also gluten free.

Tomorrow, I’ll start talking about things you can make with these items, and about handling other allergies.