Recently, there had been a lot of fuss on the consumption of gluten rich foods on the public fora and social media. I have read posts that attributed the consumption of gluten to cause cancer and even death.

There are broadcast messages on whatsapp and other social media platforms warning people about the consumption of gluten rich foods. One of the foods people have been advised to desist from is wheat because it is rich in gluten.

Gluten is a protein found in the endorsperm of various cereal grains. It occurs as glutelin which is a storage protein in cereals. True gluten is limited to these four cereal grains which are wheat, barley, oats and rye. Gluten is present in beer and soy sauce.

Gluten is responsible for dough elasticity during bread production. It allows the expansion of dough when there is yeast fermentation. It also found it’s uses in cosmetics, shampoo and other hair products. Gluten’s elasticity property makes it an important ingredient in hair products, sprays and shampoo.

It is believed that gluten can’t be properly metabolized. Recent scientific research shows that humans have proteases for breaking down gluten, the only part not properly digested is gliadin. Though we can’t refer to this has improper digestion, but rather a definite digestive process or pattern in we humans.

Gluten has been majorly linked to celiac disease, wheat allergy and gluten sensitivity in genetically susceptible people. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder which occurs in genetically susceptible people when they ingest or consume gluten. The gluten generates an immune reaction in the small intestine of the patient. It affects the villi in the small intestine of such people which hinders absorption of nutrients from the food.

This may deprive the body organs the nourishment they need. In such people, the immune system sees gluten as an enemy anytime it is ingested, so the immune system tries all ways to get rid of it. Taking some bacterial protease enzyme may be helpful for celiacs because it helps to further digest gliadin. And this could make gluten safe for them.

Symptoms include bloating, diarrhea, constipation, smelly faces, irregular weight loss, rash, hive, joint pain, anemia, anxiety, depression, headache and irritation of the mouth and throat.

Strictly adhere to gluten free diets. All these foods should be avoided unless it is labeled gluten free or it is made with gluten free grains(corn, rice or millet). Foods to avoid include soups, sauces, salad dressings, pastas, macaronis, cookies, candies, cakes and pies, breads and beer.

Foods that are gluten free include the following; rice, millet, corn, buckwheat, fresh eggs, fresh meat, poultry, fish, beans, quinoa, tapioca, fruits and vegetables and amaranth.

However, cutting gluten out of one’s diet may result in nutritional deficiencies. This is because, foods highly rich in gluten tend to have high content of fiber, vitamin B12, vitamin E(in wheat), zinc, iron, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and phosphorus. Wheat is a good source of selenium, manganese, copper and floated.

My recommendation is that there is no need of sticking to a gluten free diet if you don’t have an auto-allergic reaction or gluten intolerance to the ingestion of gluten.