Gluten is considered a mixture of two proteins that is most commonly found in wheat and bread-related products. When gluten enters the body of individuals who have a gluten sensitivity or intolerance, they may quickly experience a variety of unpleasant symptoms. Knowing some of the most common foods with gluten that are available on the market today and the benefits of avoiding gluten altogether is a way to make more educated and informed decisions when shopping for groceries.
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a combination of two proteins that do not agree with all individuals who consume them, triggering adverse effects and uncomfortable digestive and mental symptoms. Avoiding gluten is a matter of becoming educated and aware of the most common foods that contain gluten to further avoid them when shopping for groceries or preparing meals in your household.
What is Gluten Free?
Gluten free is a diet choice for individuals who are sensitive to gluten or allergic entirely. Avoiding gluten is a must for the sake of their health, as symptoms can interrupt everyday life overwhelmingly. Asking restaurants and fast-food stops what is gluten free is often necessary to avoid coming in contact with any form of gluten.
What Foods Have Gluten?
Some of the most common household grocery items that have gluten within the ingredients include crackers, bread, pasta, and even seasoning mixes or spices that aren’t pure. What starch, wheat germ, couscous, cracked wheat, kamut, barley, rye, oats, and seitan are also commonly associated with gluten. Although many groceries naturally contain gluten, there has been an increasing number of gluten-free options available at most large grocery stores today.
Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity
Celiac disease is a disease that is inherited and affects the immune system as a response to gluten, also known as an autoimmune disease. Celiac disease affects the digestive process of an individual’s small intestine, triggering inflammation and potential damage to the organ itself. Other symptoms of Celiac disease include fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and skin rashes due to an allergic reaction to gluten. Most individuals who have celiac disease have an allergy or intolerance to gluten altogether.
Seeking a proper diagnose to better understand how your body reacts to consuming gluten is possible by visiting a specialist such as a Nutritionist, Immunologist, or your Primary Care Provider (PCP). Testing for additional food allergies is also recommended if you have an intolerance or a sensitivity to gluten to ensure you choose a diet that does not cause new symptoms to arise. MRT tests are given to show your own reactions to gluten to better diagnose you and provide you with a plan of action to avoid reactions and “flare ups” from gluten at any time.
A gluten sensitivity causes GI symptoms to trigger from stress due to gluten. An individual with a gluten sensitivity may have the ability to handle gluten in small amounts, but will likely experience some of the GI symptoms associated with an intolerance to gluten. Some GI symptoms that are common for those with a gluten sensitivity include diarrhea, bloating, gas, and nausea in addition to insomnia and lethargy.
Symptoms of a Gluten Intolerance
If you have an intolerance to gluten, the most common signs and symptoms you are likely to experience include skin rashes, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, and potentially vomiting (depending on the severity of the allergy or sensitivity). Shortly upon digesting foods that contain gluten, an individual is likely to begin experiencing GI symptoms. Heartburn and ulcers are also common in individuals who are having an adverse reaction after digesting gluten in the body.
Over time without a change in one’s diet, an individual may begin to feel more lethargic and fatigued without their usual sleeping habits or daily energy. Losing the ability to concentrate and focus is also common in those with a sensitivity or intolerance to gluten who are still consuming gluten regularly. Individuals may feel spacey or unable to think clearly on a diet filled with gluten, as the proteins aren’t being accepted by the body, triggering adverse reactions.
Relieving Symptoms of a Sensitivity to Gluten or Intolerance
To get help for any symptoms you experience due to consuming gluten, it is important to consider a thorough cleanse your body by eliminating all access to foods that contain gluten. Learn more about alternative options for your groceries to avoid finding yourself with GI symptoms and potential damage or inflammation of your small intestine. Getting educated on gluten-free foods and cooking recipes is a way to eliminate the health risk in your body while also giving you more control over your GI symptoms, reducing or ridding them from occurring altogether.
Choosing a diet that is gluten-free is another way to regain motivation, concentration, and the ability to solve problems without feeling “cloudy” or “disconnected”. Eating gluten free is highly advisable whether you are entirely intolerant to gluten or if you have a small sensitivity, as gluten tends to impact individuals with chronic consumption over time. Avoiding gluten altogether is a way to get the most out of life and the health of your body.
Understanding the gravity of a gluten allergy or sensitivity is imperative if anyone in your household experiences traditional symptoms of a gluten intolerance. Being able to identify a gluten allergy is a way to eliminate all gluten symptoms from the home while selecting healthier and tasty alternatives that are equally as satisfying.
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