I was recently talking with my mother and she was telling me she had tried a gluten free diet, but just wasn't able to stay full on the diet. Curious, I asked her what foods she had been eating and what she had cut out. She told me she had stopped eating grains altogether: wheat, potatoes, oats, rice, etc. Wow, mom, no wonder you were hungry! I explained to her that gluten is mostly in wheat, barley, and rye. Potatoes and rice are safe and she can still eat those.
I think everyone (or close to everyone) has probably heard the term "gluten-free", but I've found that most people still aren't clear what the heck gluten is.
So what IS gluten?? And why are so many people cutting it out?
Figure 1: Glutinous grains.
Gluten is a protein in grains like wheat, barley, and rye. It gives the grains their elasticity (stretchiness) and helps them stick together, like glue. This makes baking gluten-free foods particularly tricky because it takes quite a bit of patience (and sometimes screaming, arm flailing, or even cursing) to develop a dough that doesn't crumble and fall apart without any "glue".
So what's up with everyone going gluten free lately?
More and more people are being diagnosed, either by doctors, nutritionists, or themselves, with gluten related disorders. Figure 1 shows the different types of these disorders, which are either autoimmune, an allergy, or gluten sensitivity caused by neither.
Figure 2: Flowchart of gluten related disorders.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that occurs in nearly 1% of the population, although most of them go undiagnosed. It can be diagnosed at any age and is a lifelong disease. Celiac is caused by a combination of two factors: a genetic predisposition to celiac and ingestion of gluten. When gluten is ingested, not all of it can be broken down as it moves through the body. The parts that don’t break down act as toxins that can remain the intestines and possibly pass through the intestinal lining. In people with celiac disease, these toxins will then attach to specific molecules on cells in the sublayer of the intestine, causing an immune response.
The immune response caused by celiac disease blunts the small, finger-like structures lining the intestine (called villi) and causes the grooves between them (known as crypts) to elongate (crypt hyperplasia). Diagnosis of celiac disease requires both an intestinal biopsy showing the damage from the autoimmune response and a positive response to a gluten-free diet.
But a diagnosis isn't required to start treating celiac or a gluten intolerance. Eating gluten free has never been easier (or tastier)! Grocery stores now regularly carry GF pastas, breads, cookies, and even pizza. Local and chain restaurants have increasingly more options every year.
Here at O’Malley’s Oven, we work hard to provide artisanal, gluten-free foods. From savory hand pies at the farmers’ market to custom wedding cakes, and everything in between, we strive to provide something for everyone.
Through this new blog, we’ll also be providing GF recipes, tips for eating GF in households with mixed diet needs, guides to eating GF in the capital district, and so much more! Let us know what you enjoy, or what you’d love to see more of through email, social media, or stop by and see us at the Troy Farmers’ Market!
Leah Smith
Information in this post was sourced from:
Green et al., N Engl J Med 2007; 357:1731-1743.