Is gluten bad? Understand facts and myths – 04/14/2024 – Balance

Pizza, cakes, breads, pasta—all of these tasty treats usually contain wheat, barley, or rye. And therefore gluten.

For most people it is pure pleasure. For others, eating these foods is followed by agony: stomach pain, nausea and other unpleasant symptoms. And the number of people who are gluten intolerant is increasing.

This information doesn’t just come from individual country data, like Finland. A 2020 meta-analysis also shows that in recent decades, an increasing number of people have developed celiac disease – a particularly severe form of gluten intolerance.

And it doesn’t have to go as far as celiac disease: a wheat allergy or so-called non-celiac gluten sensitivity can also cause painful symptoms. Is gluten the villain food that everyone should avoid?

What is gluten?

Gluten is nothing more than one of the various proteins found in cereals. In wheat products, for example, it ensures that a dough has elasticity and can be kneaded and rolled. In addition to wheat, rye and barley, their derivatives and crosses also contain gluten.

“Gluten is very interesting, as it has great functional properties and turns wheat into great bread,” says Katharina Scherf. She is professor of Food Chemistry at the Leibniz Institute for Biology at the Technical University of Munich. The professor, who has gluten as one of her main areas of research, warns: “on the other hand, gluten is a trigger for certain diseases.”

What reactions can gluten trigger in the body?

Sherf explains that there are three most common types of wheat intolerances. Wheat allergy is a classic food allergy that can be detected by certain antibodies in the blood. These so-called immunoglobulins E (IgE) are formed in the body of people who are allergic to one or more wheat proteins.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, symptoms of this allergy can include itching and swelling in the mouth, throat or eyes. More serious allergic reactions can cause shortness of breath, nausea, cramps and even circulatory collapse. “Wheat allergy is more common in children than adults,” says Scherf. It may worsen over the years or disappear as you grow.

Unlike wheat allergy, non-celiac gluten sensitivity is more difficult to detect, Food Chemistry explains. Abdominal pain due to gas or constipation, diarrhea and tiredness are among the symptoms. Adults are affected more frequently than children. And unfortunately, there is still no marker to diagnose non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

What is celiac disease?

Celiac disease is the most well-researched disease associated with gluten intolerance. However, according to the German Disease Society, celiac disease is neither an allergy nor an intolerance to wheat or gluten. Instead, gluten triggers an autoimmune reaction: Antibodies attack the body’s own tissue.

In the case of celiac disease, this means that the mucous membrane of the small intestine becomes inflamed and ruptures. “This reduces the surface area of ​​the intestine,” explains Scherf. In addition to being very painful, it can lead to serious nutrient deficiencies. Celiac disease is, at least in part, genetic. However: “Many people have the corresponding genetic condition, but not everyone develops celiac disease,” says Katharina Scherf.

How do I test for gluten intolerance or celiac disease?

Celiac disease and wheat allergy can be detected through blood antibody tests. However, it still takes a long time for sufferers to be diagnosed with celiac disease, says Scherf. “Especially in adults, as the symptoms are usually not typical gastrointestinal complaints.” Instead, they tend to experience fatigue and exhaustion, which can be explained by damaged intestinal mucosa and the resulting nutrient deficiency.

“However, diagnoses have improved significantly,” says Katharina Scherf. This may be one of the reasons why the number of patients with celiac disease has increased.

In the case of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, it is not yet possible to identify specific antibodies that indicate the disease. If in doubt, the only remedy is to avoid all products containing gluten. “To date, there is no alternative to a gluten-free diet,” says Scherf.

A gluten-free diet seems easier than it is. “You need to be very attentive to the topic of nutrition”, says the food chemist. As gluten is also hidden in many ready-to-eat meals as a binding or emulsifying agent, it is sometimes difficult to identify and avoid.

The good news is that when you give up gluten, the unpleasant and painful symptoms disappear. Even an inflamed intestine caused by celiac disease recovers in most cases.

And for all people without allergies or intolerance to wheat: gluten is not harmful, you can continue eating your bread.