What is gluten?

Living gluten free may be a fad to many but there are health related reasons as to why some people exclude it from their lifestyle. Dr. Mercola's article goes into depth on what is gluten and how it can affect your health if you are sensitive to gluten. 

Gluten is a protein made up of glutenin and gliadin molecules, which in the presence of water form an elastic bond. Gluten is most commonly found in wheat, rye and barley.

Glsuten can also be found in countless processed foods without being labeled as such. For example, gluten can hide under a variety of labels, including the following: 

•    Malts

•    Starches

•    Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)

•    Texturized vegetable protein (TVP)

•    Natural flavoring

Celiac.com has a long list of label ingredients that typically contain hidden gluten.1

How Gluten May Damage Your Health

The word "gluten" comes from the Latin word for glue, and its adhesive properties hold bread and cake together. As noted in the video, bread makers may also add extra gluten in order to create a more spongy texture.

But those same “binding” properties also interfere with the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, including the nutrients from other foods in the same meal. The result can be likened to a glued-together constipating lump in your gut, which can impede proper digestion.

The undigested gluten then triggers your immune system to attack the lining of your small intestine, which can cause symptoms like diarrhea or constipation, nausea and abdominal pain.

Over time, your small intestine becomes increasingly damaged and inflamed. This in turn can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and nutrient deficiencies, anemia, osteoporosis and other health problems.

The condition can also cause a wide array of other symptoms that are not gastrointestinal in nature, including neurological or psychological problems, and problems related to the skin, liver, joints, nervous system and more.

Celiac disease is also connected to autoimmunity. If you’re diagnosed with celiac’s after the age of 20, your chances of developing an autoimmune condition skyrocket from the average 3.5 percent to 34 percent. Undiagnosed celiac disease is also associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of premature death. 

source: Dr. Mercola