Until less than a decade ago, we were footloose and fancy free when it came to wheat and gluten- no-one gave it a second thought. Nowadays however, the fast emerging interest in the gluten-free (GF) diet means that sales of GF products are worth billions and restaurant menus and supermarket shelves are proudly stacked to the rim with the ‘gluten-free’ label. It seems everyone and their dog are jumping on the bandwagon. But before you chow-down on your cardboard-esque gluten-free bread, here the lowdown…
Gluten - What's the problem?
Gluten is a type of protein found in cereals, grains and breads made from wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and kamut. There are various disorders associated with gluten, such as celiac disease (a serious autoimmune disease whereby one must strictly avoid gluten) and wheat allergies (whereby an individual may experience a sudden reaction to wheat products, such as asthma or anaphylaxis).
However, the new kid on the block is ‘non-celiac gluten sensitivity’ (NCGS) – a condition that is starting to become recognised by health experts as a distinct clinical condition, as suggested by many well designed placebo controlled studies such as this one1.
The symptoms
Do you have a gluten sensitivity?
Gone gluten free and still feel scrummy?
The verdict
Good luck with your journey! I love to hear from you so do keep in touch via the comments below,
Rose X