Is Gluten Free a Wise Choice?
Poor Gluten…
It gets such a bad rap. But why? What has it done to deserve this?
Do you really know WHAT Gluten is? And WHY it’s almost a ‘dirty’ word?
Or WHY you may be blaming your digestive disorders on GLUTEN when it could be something completely different?
Let me break it down, so first you can understand what Gluten is, and second, ascertain IF it is the ‘reason’, or one of the reasons, for your digestive disorder(s).
Gluten has only been around for approx. 10,000 years, which in the evolutionary scheme of things, is quite a short time.
Gluten is basically two proteins (gliadin and glutenin) but also lipids (up to 10%) and some starches and is found in cereal grains such as wheat, barley, cous cous, rye etc.
On consumption, the breakdown of ‘gluten’ starts in the mouth with salivary flora related to the metabolism of gluten. Although the ‘gluten’ stays in the mouth for a relatively short time… “the number and types of flora in the saliva are significantly greater than those colonized in the stomach and duodenum” [1].
After leaving the stomach ‘gluten proteins’ pass through the small intestines and ‘Protease’, a pancreatic enzyme, converts these proteins into free amino acids, which are then easily absorbed by the cells of the small intestinal wall and used by the body. However, Gliadin proteins cannot be completely broken down by (pancreatic) Protease. On that note… Children DO have the capacity to completely break down gluten up to the age of approx. 9-months old from there on it gradually decreases until about ±8 years old, where it cannot be completely broken down.[2]
Thus, in all adults there is a there is a portion of ‘proteins’ that resist digestion and pass through the small intestines to the large intestines.
“Once it enters the large intestine, it is in close contact with a large number of microorganisms in the gut. Due to the diversity of bacterial genes in large intestine and their different biochemical pathways from the human body, it makes certain intestinal microorganisms have the ability to metabolize gliadin”
“Researchers have found that there are flora related to the metabolism of gliadin in the human intestine (such as the genera Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Clostridium, Bifidobacterium). These microorganisms not only exist in the large intestine, but also in the small intestine to metabolize gluten.” [3,4']
What that means… for individuals with a well functioning Gut Microbiome, that have a diverse range of beneficial gut flora, it can be broken down.
However, for individuals with an altered immune response to the breakdown of these two proteins, Celiac/Coeliac disease (a serious autoimmune disorder in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine) can develop (1-3% of the population).
Many people think…
“I’m not Celiac, but if I eat bread, or anything with Gluten in it, I get abdominal bloating and pain – what’s up?”
This is what we call ‘Non-coeliac gluten-sensitivity’ [NCGS]. A condition that is neither autoimmune nor allergic, yet on consumption of ‘gluten’ results in symptoms similar to those who have coeliac disease e.g. Irritable Bowel symptoms [IBS] and even post consumption ‘vague’ symptoms such as a skin rash, fatigue, fogginess or joint pain.
Recent research has shown that NCGS may be due to a number of factors…
The fructan component of wheat, rather than gluten.
Dysbiosis (imbalance in gut bacteria e.g. beneficial bacteria vs pathogenic bacteria.
Gut barrier dysfunction, triggered through use of antibiotics, NSAIDs and inflammatory pathogenic bacteria.
Differences in the developing microbiome from birth through to 3-yrs of age, and then alterations through to adulthood.
Intestinal damage which can lead to a myriad of food sensitivities through poor digestion, including but not limited to, gluten.
But that’s not all.
Digestive complaints and/or disorders can have a variety of causes…
The modern, Western-style diet contains a much larger proportion of foods that use ‘gluten’ in them to provide flavour and texture. Gluten is used in salad dressings, soy sauce, soups, beer, chocolate, lollies, pasta, biscuits, crackers, condiments etc. Let me provide an example of how our ‘gluten’ consumption has exponentially risen over the years…. Back in the 1950’s the average person was consuming 4-6g of gluten a day, or every few days through the (obvious) sources of a sandwich or pasta for dinner. Fast forward to the modern day western diet and approx. 40-60g of gluten is consumed through ‘non-obvious’ sources.. The recommended upper limit is 15 g of gluten/day., with 10g of gluten/day being in the normal acceptable range. Consuming large amounts of gluten, day in and day out, is far more than the human digestive system can handle. Being bombarded by excess gluten PLUS all the other non-food substances in these processed food products slowly erodes gut barrier function resulting in bloating, abdominal aches and pains, disrupted bowel movements and more.
The over-use of Roundup (Glyphosate) in Australia, and many countries around the world, along with other pesticides and herbicides. These products are used as a harvest aid and for weed control. In fact, Glyphosate has been linked to autoimmune disease…. a steady increase in Celiac disease has been shown in individuals who are exposed to an increased use of Glyphosate being sprayed on crops. [5] It is believed that the toxic overload from substances such as glyphosates may be responsible disrupting how our beneficial intestinal bacteria function and thus cause the digestive symptoms that so many individuals experience. Glyphosate residues are greatest in sugar, corn, soy and wheat but also other grains, beans, legumes and has serious effects on your health…
Glyphosate inhibits an enzyme called Cytochrome P450 (CYP).
CYP’s are in the liver in intestines and one of their roles is to break down a large variety of xenobiotic (toxic) substances in the body so they can be eliminated.
CYP enzymes are in charge of the majority of the liver’s phase I detoxication where it metabolises drugs into safer substances for elimination so that their extremely damaging make-up doesn’t damage the body.
When you ingest Glyphosate – found on non-organic food stuffs, not only does it interfere with this important enzyme causing a cascade of inflammatory reactions, but the Glyphosate itself has the ability to disrupt the gut lining and thus can induce inflammation and disease.
What to do?
Firstly: Do NOT choose Gluten-Free products. They are generally full of additives that do more harm than poor little Gluten could ever do!
Gluten-Free products are generally full of additives that do more harm than poor little Gluten could ever do!
Here’s an example of ingredients found in a Gluten-Free wrap… Water, Modified Tapioca Starch, Rice flour, Maize Starch, Soy flour, Maize Polenta, Rice bran oil, sugar, Vinegar, Dried Yeast, Egg white powder, Soy protein, Iodised Salt, Vegetable Gums, Anticaking agent, Emulsifier, Acidity regulator and preservative.
A list of products that WILL definitely cause digestive distress and WILL cause the erosion of your Gut Microbiome.
Instead CHOOSE a Gluten (included) Organic Wrap which has ingredients such as… Organic Spelt Flour, Sea Salt, Dried Yeast and Olive oil. I
So ACT NOW… Clear your fridge and pantry of condiments that are not just including ‘gluten’ but all the rubbish that is compromise your Gut Health!!
FOCUS on eating a VARIETY of whole fresh whole foods – fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, organic gluten free grains (buckwheat, amaranth, corn, quinoa, rice etc), nuts and seeds. This will allow the gut to repair and reduce the inflammatory response.
Unless a diagnosed Celiac/Coeliac… you can safely include ‘gluten’ grains (wheat, rye, barley etc) in your diet up to 10%… In fact, removing ‘gluten’ all together can be detrimental to the health of your Microbiome!
“It is important to note that a gluten free diet can actually decrease populations of generally regarded healthy bacteria such as bifidobacterium, b. longum and lactobacillus and increase populations of potentially unhealthy bacteria such as “e. coli and total enterobacteriaceae, which may include opportunistic pathogens.” [6]
And focus on these GLUTEN grains being ORGANIC. More information on Organics and produce HERE
I hope this helps article helps you and your health.
If you want to know more about my programs that are designed to IMPROVE your Gut Health then head HERE or if you want to eat your way back to health — one meal at a time — check out my Gut Health Recipe Compendium. Nat xx
REFERENCES
Wu, X., Qian, L., Liu, K., Wu, J., & Shan, Z. (2021). Gastrointestinal microbiome and gluten in celiac disease. Annals of medicine, 53(1), 1797–1805. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2021.1990392
Fernández-Pérez, S., Pérez-Andrés, J., Gutiérrez, S., Navasa, N., Martínez-Blanco, H., Ferrero, M. Á., Vivas, S., Vaquero, L., Iglesias, C., Casqueiro, J., & Rodríguez-Aparicio, L. B. (2020). The Human Digestive Tract Is Capable of Degrading Gluten from Birth. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(20), 7696. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207696
Macfarlane GT, Allison C, Gibson SAW, et al.. (1988). Contribution of the microflora to proteolysis in the human large intestine. J Appl Bacteriol.
Caminero A, Herran AR, Nistal E, et al.. (2014). Diversity of the cultivable human gut microbiome involved in gluten metabolism: isolation of microorganisms with potential interest for coeliac disease. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2014;88(2):309–319.
Samsel, A., & Seneff, S. (2013). Glyphosate, pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac sprue and gluten intolerance. Interdisciplinary toxicology, 6(4), 159–184. https://doi.org/10.2478/intox-2013-0026
Sanz Y. (2010). Effects of a gluten-free diet on gut microbiota and immune function in healthy adult humans. Gut microbes, 1(3), 135–137. https://doi.org/10.4161/gmic.1.3.11868