How healthy is a gluten-free diet?

Posted on sustenance

How healthy is a gluten-free diet?

When it comes to the topic of “gluten-free diet”, opinions differ - how healthy is this diet really?

gluten. Once a harmless protein contained in white flour or other cereals, it is now the epitome of bad, unclean and fattening food. Some already regard gluten as a kind of enemy to health. But how bad or good is a gluten-free diet really?

Bread, cake, easter eggs, chicken nuggets: The global market for gluten-free food is already estimated at an incredible 7.59 billion US dollars in 2020 and demand is growing the fastest in Europe. Restaurants that don't offer gluten-free dishes need to hurry up. Now you can even enjoy gluten-free holidays!

In the past, gluten-free nutrition was only important for people who suffer from celiac disease (1-of-100 people). Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which the presence of gluten causes destruction of the intestinal tract. This disease causes a lack of absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, infertility and even cancer. In some cases, even a gluten-free diet doesn't help to eliminate the problems caused by celiac disease. Between two to four percent of people with celiac disease suffer from refractory celiac disease, where the intestines are so damaged that a gluten-free diet alone is no longer helpful.

For centuries, humans have been eating gluten, which consists of two protein groups — gliadin and glutenin. These combine when flour and water are mixed together to form a sticky dough. For many people, the gluten-free diet is now part of a “healthy lifestyle” that supports weight loss, reduces bloating and fatigue, and even cures autism (there is little solid evidence for this information but a lot of media reports).

Dr. Daniel A. Leffler, professor of medicine at Harvard University, advises against a gluten-free diet if you don't currently have celiac disease or a food allergy. He says: “People who are sensitive to gluten will feel better by following a gluten-free diet. But the majority of people will not be able to benefit from this. You just waste money because these products are very expensive. ”

5 steps to become gluten-free in a healthy way:

1. Book an appointment with your general practitioner.
Talk to him about your symptoms and ask for a blood test. This allows you to check the state of the antibodies when gluten is present in the blood. If these levels are shown to be elevated, then your doctor will make an appointment for an endoscopy to examine the intestinal tract.

2. Don't stop eating gluten until you have the final test results.
If you abstain from gluten during your trial period, it's impossible to find out whether you have celiac disease or intolerance.

3. The medical diagnosis was positive? Find out more!
Find out which foods you can and cannot tolerate. It's not just bread, pasta and pizza. Gluten is sometimes hidden in other products, such as soup cubes or lipsticks.

4. Create a gluten-free environment
Gluten likes to stick. That means you should replace any pots, pans, and baking sheets you've used to bake or cook with in the past. If you do not have a dishwasher, it is best to clean your kitchenware with an extra pot cleaner or scrubbing cloth.

5. Talk to family, friends, roommates, and colleagues.
As already reported, many people are irritated by this topic. The actual intolerance or illness receded into the background at some point and somewhere in the world of nutritional trends. Make it clear to loved ones that they need to keep their food away from yours to avoid cross-contamination. You should also not spread gluten-free butter on normal toast or use the same container for normal and gluten-free pasta. Even the smallest crumb can trigger a reaction in people with celiac disease.

Posted on sustenance