Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Eating Well
Learning to be gluten-free
Jessica Kovarik, RD, LD, Extension
Associate, University of Missouri Extension
Gluten-free is a term appearing on food labels, being mentioned in health articles and you may have even heard your family and friends talking about gluten. However many consumers may not know what gluten is or why finding a gluten-free product is so important for some shoppers.
Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, rye and
barley. Oats may also have gluten due to
cross-contamination, which means they have come into contact
with gluten during processing. When baking, gluten helps
give structure, texture and strength to baked foods, such as
bread.
Most people can eat gluten, but for some people, gluten
causes their small intestine to become damaged. When damaged, the small intestine, which is part of the gut, has a hard
time getting nutrients out of food into the body. When
nutrients can’t get into the body, a person can become
malnourished.
This reaction to gluten is a genetic disorder called
gluten-sensitive enteropathy, celiac disease or gluten
intolerance. Gluten intolerance is a genetic disorder with
symptoms that can be different from person to person and may
be the same as symptoms of other health problems. Some
symptoms include weakness, appetite loss, weight loss,
chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramping, bloating, muscle
cramps and joint pain. Because gluten intolerance symptoms
are like many other health problems, diagnosis of gluten
intolerance may be hard and in some cases can take many
years. A person of any age can develop gluten intolerance,
however the disease is usually diagnosed in the adult years,
about ten years after symptoms first appear.
The only treatment is lifelong avoidance of gluten. Once
gluten is taken out of a person’s diet the small intestine
can begin to heal, symptoms disappear and nutrients can once
again get into the body.
Because gluten is found in wheat, rye, barely and sometimes
oats, a person with gluten intolerance should avoid these
grains and products which contain them. In addition, foods
that might come into contact with these grains or gluten
should also not be consumed.
If you are looking for gluten-free foods, start by reading
the ingredient list on a food label to determine if the
product is gluten-free, or made without gluten. Identifying
gluten-free products involves more than just looking for the
words wheat, rye, barley, oats or buckwheat in the
ingredient list. Wheat may also be called durum, farina or
semolina; gluten can also be found in buckwheat, additives,
seasonings and flavorings. And a food originally gluten-free
may come into contact with equipment gluten is on or may be
processed in an area that also contains gluten.
Since a food label may not be able to tell you if a product
has gluten in it, looking for the phrase gluten-free is very
important. If you see the words gluten-free, then you know
the product should not contain gluten. Another way to make
sure a product is gluten-free is to contact the
manufacturer. Some grocery stores also may have signs,
gluten-free lists and in-store dietitians to help you with
gluten-free shopping.
There are also national and local support groups anyone can
join to learn more about gluten-free shopping, eating and
living. Some of these groups also provide gluten-free lists
and recipes. If there isn’t a support group in your area,
consider starting your own.
Keep in mind that lists and signs do not take the place of
reading a food label. Always double check to be sure a
product is gluten-free, even if that means calling the
company.
Finding gluten-free foods may seem like an impossible task,
but once you know what to look for, shopping can become a
breeze.
For more information check out the following celiac support groups:
- Celiac Sprue Association at www.csaceliacs.org
- Celiac Sprue Research Foundation at http://www.celiac.com/
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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