The Effects Of Gluten On The Body

Gluten is described as “a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye.” Gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture. Sounds harmful enough right? So what’s all the hype about with Gluten free products then? Simply put….over time excessive gluten consumption clogs our intestinal tract with a sticky substance and prevents essential nutrients from being absorbed into our body from the food we eat. Think of your colon as a long tube that is wavy inside, all along this tube are little “finger like protrusions with little hairs” called Villi. Once our food is processed through the digestive tract, finally reaching the colon, the nutrients that are left from the food we eat get absorbed into our body by attaching themselves to the Villi. Too much gluten in our system essentially clogs up the colon and covers up the “hairs” so they are no longer available to receive the nutrients from the food we eat. Over time we become nutrient deprived and low in essential vitamins and minerals because we aren’t getting the full value from our food. Seniors could argue they grew up eating a staple of white bread and homemade baked goods on a regular basis and they were fine……or were they? Maybe they were nutrient deprived and didn’t know it. Given present day illnesses, perhaps gluten was the instigator for ailments afflicting seniors today. Common ailments plaguing today’s society are celiac disease, food allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid issues, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and osteoporosis to name a few that are linked to gluten intolerance. Some of you may recall a time when wheat was mixed with other grains or nuts; today pure wheat flour has since been milled into refined white flour. The proportion of gluten protein in wheat has increased enormously as a result of hybridization. We have an abundance of gluten in our foods today, from breads to sauces and even ice cream! Gluten may be hiding in processed foods like ready-made soups, soy sauce, candies, cold cuts, and various low fat products just to name a few, under labels such as:

So the takeaway message here is eliminate consumption of processed foods, breads, pastries and read labels carefully to avoid harmful substances that our bodies were not meant to consume. Save the cakes and pastries for special occasions (unless you are unable to have gluten in your diet at all due to Celiac disease) and your colon will thank you! Whats that old saying …. “to be forewarned is to be forearmed”.