Gluten Free Grains
Gluten is a sticky protein found in many grain crops, wheat, oats, rye and barley being the main ones found in the western diet. As these are found in many pre-processed meals and restaurant offerings, either directly or indirectly by way of inclusion in sauces, they represent a problem to Celiacs and there is often a search for altenative gluten free grains.
Part of the problem appears to be that these grain crops have developed faster than man’s ability to evolve to digest these food products. A sizeable percentage of the population has some sensitivity to gluten resulting in mild and stomach upsets through to full gluten intolerance and coeliac disease.
There has long been a debate as to whether oats can be considered a gluten free grain. The debate is complicated by the means of production. To produce a gluten free grain crop gluten needs to be excluded all the way from the first sewing in the field through the harvesting and on to the manufacturing plant resulting in the final bag of flour. Often there is a greater risk of cross contamination of the crop in the field by air blown seeds from wheat crops. Once these crops have been harvested there is risk of cross contamination in the milling and bagging production line where the factory would either need to be dedicated to gluten free grains or to undergo a complete cleaning process before processing oats.
On a positive note there are many stable products which can be included as gluten-free grains in your daily diet and they include corn, rice,coconut flour, legumes, millet, soybean and tapioca.
With the arrival of genetically modified foods are there is always in the potential in the future for the development of a reliable gluten-free grain crop which had all the normal properties of wheat but excluded gluten. One potential concern here is that, by trying to do good, man actually creates another problem and introduces some new components into the DNA of these crops which causes other dietary problems.
With a little imagination it is possible to introduce gluten free grains into your normal daily diet and have a varied menu whilst treating your body kindly.
Similar Gluten Free Articles
- Gluten Free Oats
Gluten Free Oats Are oats gluten free and can you get gluten-free oats are questions that are often asked. Whilst it is often quoted that Celiacs should avoid wheat, rye, barley and oats the question - Wheat Free Diet
Wheat Free Diet If you have been advised to follow a wheat free diet you will probably start to question whether there is anything in the normal Western diets that you can eat! Relax, people with coe - Inedible Gluten Food Products
Inedible Gluten Food Products Having coeliac condition means that you need to avoid ingesting gluten. Gluten of course is that nasty little substance which is often hidden in food and is contained i - Coeliac Disease Facts
Coeliac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and rye (and something similar in barley and possibly oats). This immune reaction to antigenic factors damages the mucosal lining of the small intestine, flattening the villi and reducing its ability to absorb nutrients. The resulting symptoms of malabsorption which occur - Eat Gluten Free
After you have been diagnosed with Coeliac condition you may wonder how you can eat gluten free and how much of a change to your normal habits this will be. Gluten is a sticky protein that is found in a number of common grains such as wheat, oats, rye and barley and as such seems all