What is Gluten ?

In Italy, the number of people with celiac disease is increasing, but the number of gluten-sensitive individuals is also growing. The reason for the increase in these eating disorders lies in the fact that the grains grown today contain more gluten than those grown in the past; the wheat that arrives on our tables today has been selected so that it is able to withstand the weather, rains and winds. The result is that this cereal brings with it genetic changes, including a higher gluten content. In addition, overconsumption of wheat products has meant that the amount of this protein reaching the gut is greater than what we should be consuming. 

What is gluten? It is a protein found in some grains such as wheat, spelt, rye, and kamut, which in some genetically predisposed individuals can do more or less damage.

What it is used for. It is responsible for the formation of the "bubbles" typical of good bread, makes pizza doughs more elastic, keeps dough cooking more "al dente," gives right texture and crispness to baked goods.

The more flour contains gluten, the more CO2 is trapped during the rising phase, the more the dough "swells" the greater the feeling of fullness and abdominal bloating can be. This occurs especially if our intestines are already inflamed: we eat poorly, take a lot of medications, smoke. In this case, intestinal cells that should be well connected to each other, become detached and various substances that should not cross the intestinal barrier (microorganisms, toxins, gluten etc.), arrive undigested in the bloodstream, triggering an immune response that does not necessarily have to turn into celiac disease. In fact, there are people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS), which is a kind of adverse reaction to gluten with much milder manifestations than celiac disease. In this case it is sufficient to suspend the consumption of cereals with gluten for a few days and evaluate a possible regression of the discomfort.

Celiac disease, on the other hand, is a true autoimmune disease. In celiac individuals, the ingestion of gluten causes an immune reaction that flattens the intestinal villi resulting in chronic inflammation, causing malabsorption and nutritional deficiencies. 

Symptoms are varied: abdominal pain, intestinal bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss, joint pain, headache, fatigue, dermatitis, anemia. The primary diagnosis, which is also the fastest and least invasive, is made by assaying specific antibodies. If these come back negative, one may consider under medical advice to undergo biopsy of the intestinal mucosa.

Because even very small traces can trigger symptoms, the person with celiac disease must completely eliminate foods that contain gluten. Not only should foods not be contaminated during preparation, but it is also of paramount importance to carefully read the labels of any food product; only by following a strict gluten-free diet will intestinal inflammation recede and the individual can remain healthy.

In any case, whether the person has celiac disease or is sensitive to gluten, it is important to choose the right foods: some industrial products intended purely for celiacs are not so healthy. These are often blends of refined flours from which gluten is removed (deglutinates), which, in addition to containing many preservatives and chemical thickeners, have a high glycemic index and high calorie content due to the addition of fat and sugar. Therefore, it is better to prefer raw materials from naturally gluten-free grains such as rice, quinoa, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, and corn.

Dr. Benedetta Matarese