Physical health largely depends on diet, since the human body is directly affected by the properties of foods. The composition of dishes and food is of particular interest, as cases of allergies have become more frequent. Cereal seeds contain gluten (wheat, rye, barley), intolerance to which is a congenital disease of celiac disease. To distinguish the disease from hypersensitivity, testing is recommended.
What is gluten and what foods contain it?
A group of plant proteins (glutelins, glutenin, prolamins) forms a sticky substance - gluten, contained in cereal seeds.
Characteristic features of the substance:
- viscoelasticity;
- adhesive property;
- Gives elasticity to the dough, helps it rise and retain its shape during fermentation.
Conventionally, products can be divided into two types - with obvious and hidden gluten content. The first group (with obvious gluten): grains of rye, wheat, barley, wheat and rye flour and cereals, barley, baked goods, pastries, pasta.
Products containing hidden gluten: breakfast cereals, sausages, thick sauces, sweets, yoghurts, pureed canned vegetables, ice cream (wheat flour is used as a thickener).
How is it harmful?
For healthy people, gluten is not dangerous and even exhibits beneficial qualities. Substance intolerance is a genetic disease and occurs in approximately 1-2% of the population. Symptoms of the disease can manifest differently in children and adults:
- Children are characterized by regurgitation and vomiting after eating, diarrhea, swelling, caries or delayed tooth growth, rickets or delayed weight gain, weakened immunity;
- in adults, flatulence and bloating, blood clotting disorders, anemia, low blood pressure, arthritis, stomatitis, a decrease in the size of the spleen, sexual dysfunction are observed, the level of microinflammation increases, immunity decreases, and metabolism deteriorates. Women often experience menstrual irregularities. Often constipation alternates with diarrhea.
The most health problems due to consumption of foods with vegetable protein occur in people over 40 years of age. This is caused by the body's inability to digest gluten. With regular consumption of food containing gluten, persistent disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract are observed, which contribute to the death of intestinal villi. In order for the body to fully recover, it is recommended to follow a gluten-free diet for at least 6-7 months.
Does rye contain gluten?
Any product has both negative and positive qualities. Due to their beneficial properties, rye products help solve various health problems and are included in the diet menu. However, it must be taken into account that rye grains contain 20% vegetable protein, consisting of glutelin, globulin, and gliadin.
How to detect intolerance
To ensure that you do not have celiac disease or a grain gluten allergy, you must undergo appropriate testing at a medical facility. If this is not possible, you can test your body’s reaction to gluten yourself at home.
To do this, it is enough to exclude gluten-containing foods and products from your diet for a month. During this time, you need to monitor your health (monitor the activity of the digestive tract, the state of the immune system, blood pressure).After 30 days, you can return to your usual diet, controlling the appearance of alarming symptoms. Moreover, you should gradually add food containing gluten to the menu (eat a small piece of rye bread for lunch or breakfast).
It must be admitted that in some people the body reacts negatively to foods containing even “traces” of gluten. Therefore, when creating a menu or diet, it is necessary to clarify the composition of the food. If you know the list of products containing gluten, the procedure for creating a menu is greatly simplified.
