Excerpt From My Book - Gluten - What Is It?

Gluten – What is it?

“Gluten is a composite of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. These exist, conjoined with starch, in the endosperms, of some grass-related grains, notably wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is an important source of nutritional protein, both in foods prepared directly from sources containing it, and as an additive to foods otherwise low in protein” (Wikipedia.com). Gluten may also be found in contaminated oats that are manufactured in a gluten-containing facility. Surprisingly, gluten can be found in seasonings such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), soy sauce and some salad dressings to name a few. Because gluten is found in so many processed foods if you don’t know how to read a label, you may ingest it without knowing.

Gluten is healthy for those who can tolerate it, but 1 in every 133 people suffers from Celiac Disease, or an intolerance to gluten (celiac.org) “Celiac Disease (CD) is a lifelong, digestive disorder affecting children and adults. When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. Damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present (celiac.org).”

Throughout my years as a lifestyle coach, I found that many people had issues with wheat or gluten. I personally can tell the difference when I eat wheat products vs. eliminating them from my diet. I retain about 5 extra pounds, which I believe is water retention from the allergy. Because I saw so many people struggle with gluten related issues, I made it my mission to do research on what foods are low-glycemic (GI), but also gluten-free. I found that when I was looking for alternatives myself, I was struggling to find good options. Many of the common gluten-free alternatives in processed foods are ingredients such as potato flour, rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca flour etc. These are all high-glycemic and will raise your blood sugar very quickly when ingested. I knew that there had to be a way to avoid these ingredients, but still make those delicious chocolate chip cookies I couldn’t live without. You will see that the majority of recipes in this cookbook are gluten-free, or have a gluten-free option associated with them. I am committed to creating recipes that will help you maintain a healthy weight, while also having the option of eating gluten-free.

A great way that I found to test for gluten sensitivity, or wheat intolerance, is to eliminate gluten from your diet for at least 3 weeks. If you lose a tremendous amount of weight (7-15 lbs) in the first week, this may be a sign. You should also measure your waist in inches before you go off gluten. After a week of being gluten-free, measure your waist again. If you lose 5 inches or more, this could be a sign of gluten sensitivity. Also, if your rings on your fingers feel really tight after eating something with gluten in it, this may be a simple sign that it is not agreeing with your body. There may even be a couple days delay for this symptom to take place.

I lost 7 lbs in the first week that I went off of gluten. I found, through trial and error, that I am most sensitive to wheat. I do not have Celiac Disease, but people that do may have awful symptoms from gluten such as, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, bloating, fatigue, eczema, dehydration, abdominal distention and the list goes on. If Celiac Disease is not diagnosed and treated it can lead to many diseases down the road. Some of these include:

· Cancer
· Fibromyalgia
· Delayed Growth
· Type 1 Diabetes
· Osteoporosis
· Reproductive Issues
· Neurological Issues
· Liver Disease
· Depression
· Rheumatoid Arthritis
· Miscarriage

If you do have Celiac Disease, check out Elizabeth Hasselbeck’s book, The G-Free Diet. It has a ton of great information on Celiac Disease, gluten and what foods do and do not have gluten in them.

Gluten-free, low-GI flour options for making cookies and baked goods:
· Quinoa Flour – great for baking and using in place of regular flour
· Almond Flour
· Soy Flour
· Bean Flours
· Coconut Flour
· Buckwheat Flour
*You can find all of these at www.bobsredmill.com

Common grains/ingredients that you should stay away from if you have a gluten sensitivity (The G-Free Diet):
· Wheat flour
· White flour
· Bran
· Semolina
· Bulgur
· Couscous
· Rye
· Barley
· Oats (that don’t say “gluten-free” on the packaging)
· Triticale
· Dextrin (containing wheat)
· Some Soup Bases
· Most Cereals
· Soy Sauce (you can get gluten-free)
· Some Salad Dressings and Marinades (you need to look in the ingredients)