Gluten Free of Flee

Ahh the latest dietary restriction. I know many people who live a gluten free life. In fact, the gluten free market is expected to be valued at 14 BILLION in the next ten years according to Statista. More and more Gen Z and millennials are choosing to not consume gluten.

But what even is gluten?

It is basically the structural protein found naturally in wheat grains. Gluten can also be found in barley and rye.

Wheat grains can include:

-Common wheat

-Durum

-Emmer

-Spelt

-Einkorn

-Khorasan

People choose to become gluten free for a variety of reasons:

• Celiac disease: immune reaction in the small intestines to consuming gluten causing damage overtime with failure to absorb nutrients (malabsorption).

• Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: symptoms similar to celiac disease without the intestinal damage.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Irritability in the large intestines/colon when consuming gluten.

• Wheat allergy: Body creates antibodies to the proteins that are in wheat.

• Gluten ataxia: Damaging neurological condition to gluten proteins.

• Gluten intolerance: Simply not feeling well after consuming gluten.
  

  • Dermatitis herpetiformis: Blistering and/or itchy skin caused by gluten.

In the 1940s, after World War II, wheat became a scare resource for many Europeans. As a result, less wheat was consumed, and more direct research found less children were dying of certain sicknesses. Researchers then observed through a biopsy the diagnosis of celiac disease. 30 years later, the celiac gene, HLS-DQ2, was found to be the culprit to many newly observed immunological disorders. Word finally reached the United States in the 1990s and further details in a 2003 journal JAMA Internal Medicine explaining different gluten studies and the outcomes. Slowly grocery stores began adding sectioned spaces on shelves highlighting "gluten free" products. By 2013, the market for gluten free products was worth more than $10 billion.

Trends continue to increase for a gluten free diet. As mentioned earlier, the industry is expected to reach 14 billion.

Even with the increase of demand for products without gluten, there are still a few bumps to smooth out.

1. Labeling:
   

   1. "Gluten free", "free of gluten", "without gluten", and "no gluten" on a label actually means there has to be <20ppm, the lowest detection level, of gluten. This is considered a tolerable amount for people with celiac disease according to the FDA. Restaurants are required to follow the same criteria, but the consumer should also ask how the food is prepared, the definition of "gluten free" for the restaurant, and what ingredients are in the food.

1. Marketing: Even if a product is naturally free of gluten, like fruits, vegetables, and eggs, the product can still be labeled as "gluten free". Because products that are made without gluten is such a high demand right now, many companies are eager to add a banner or circle label on their packaging to help attract customers. According to Statista, an article, Gluten-free foods market in the U.S.-Statistics and facts, 5% of consumers are willing to purchase gluten free products every chance they get. This demand increase has allowed more than 1,000 new gluten free products to enter the market in the US in the last few years.

2. Price hikes: With the increase in demand for these products, companies are seeing a new way to profit. Some reports show consumers paying 76-518% more for gluten free products. There are more testing and stricter guidelines to prevent cross-contamination for these products but spending 5x more for these products is out of reach for many people.

3. Gluten substitutes: Packaged foods will need a substitute for the previously used gluten ingredient that will deliver a similar experience, taste good, and will not affect the bottom line. Many of these substitutes can cause further problems to the gut and overall health.
   

   1. Oils: Gluten free packaged foods often contain higher amounts of processed oils, hydrogenated oils, and industrial oils. Check out my previous submission, Slippery Seeds, to learn why these oils deteriorate health.

   2. Sugar: Often sugar is added to help with texture, taste, and used as a leavening agent in packaged foods. Sugar content is often higher in packaged foods and even higher in gluten free packaged foods. This sweet and highly addictive ingredient is well known to be dangerous to human health including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, gut health issues, neurological problems, cancer, tumors, and the list goes on.

   3. Gums and emulsifiers: Because gluten is usually the ingredient that holds other ingredients together, when it is removed from foods, a replacement needs be found. Processed foods than contain this dangerous duo have been linked to causing inflammation by destroying healthy gut biome and microorganisms and even contributing to ulcerative colitis.

   4. Cross-reactive ingredients: These ingredients fool the body into thinking it is consuming gluten when it is not. The body can then attack the food item the same way it would if it had consumed gluten.

1. Losing out on nutrition: Many people who follow a gluten free diet or have celiac disease are also deficient in fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. This is because many gluten free products are higher in saturated fats, sodium, and carbs.

2. Another culprit? Of course, if someone tests positive for celiac disease, gluten is the issue for them, but a new name has entered the conversation. Glyphosate. This chemical herbicide is sprayed on many food products including wheat. It has links to reproductive issues, birth defects, kidney disease, and cancer. This product cannot be washed off or baked out because it is already absorbed in the plants. The FDA continues to work towards safer testing.

Arsenic is another problem child. People who have celiac disease or are gluten free often choose rice as close substitute. High levels of rice consumption often raise the risk of arsenic in the blood stream. Arsenic does not build up in the system, however, increased exposure can also raise the risk of harm to the skin, bladder, liver, and the kidneys.

Direct substitutions for products may not always be the closest resolution. Especially when the choice is living a gluten free diet. If I am choosing to become gluten free, the goal is to live a healthier life my body agrees with. Not finding another upsetting factor. For example, choosing a gluten free Oreo instead of regular Oreos is a generalization fallacy in assuming the Oreo is a healthier option just because it is now gluten free. Just because there is no longer gluten in the Oreo, does not make the Oreo healthier. In fact, it could be worse.

So, what are good gluten free substitutes?

Choose naturally gluten free foods like:

-Dairy

-Beans

-Nuts

-Seafood

-Meat

-Poultry

-Eggs

-Legumes

-Fruits

-Vegetables

-MORE

Impacts on the environment:

-Garbage: Processed and packaged food requires heavy packaging. As we know packaging often ends up in landfills and in our oceans. The less packaging we purchase, the less we contribute to our landfills.

-Air: Currently there is a large issue with Ozone pollution causing damage to crops. Countries around the world like Mexico and India continue to see their crops effected.

-New research also looks at the agricultural air pollution on communities. Aerosols from downwind of farms mix with car exhaust and industrial plants creating harmful air quality for residents. The fertilizer used on these farms emits an ammonia blend of nitrogen oxides and sulfates causing lung and pulmonary disease, estimating 3.3 MILLION deaths each year according to Columbia Climate School. As the populations around the world rise, more food will be needed, and more fertilizers used to keep up with production demand.

-Farmers are also exposed to high amounts of pesticides and fertilizers that stay on their clothing and into their skin.

Insects: Our poor bees. Pesticides used on crops like neonics, have destroyed bee and butterfly populations. Without bees, much of our food does not stand a chance becoming pollinated.

-Water: Rodenticides, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, and insecticides all have chemical side effects including lowering IQ, developmental delays, hormone disorders, neurological disorders, and cancer. 88% of our streams and rivers have detected pesticides. You can check your local water supply here. Not to mention 90% of Americans also detect pesticides in their bodies.

-Nutrient runoff continues to wreak havoc on oceans, lakes, rivers, and ecosystems with nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers used on crops. Remember my comment for MOOOOO about algae filled ponds and lakes? Algae overgrowth causes almost every living thing in the water to die. "Deadzones" in the Gulf of Mexico can also be attributed to nutrient runoff of fertilizers and agricultural waste.

-Logistics: Consider all the components to the purchased product. Did this product begin from a farm? Did the farm use regenerative practices? Were heavy fertilizers and pesticides used on this product? Is there a lot of packaging associated with this product? If yes, how much oil was used to create the plastic wrap? Could I have bought this in bulk or without the packaging? Was this shipped across seas or the country? Could I have purchased the product from a local farmer instead?

Becoming gluten free may be a trend for some but for others it is the best choice for their body.

We all have different bodies that process foods in a unique way. Listening to the body allows us to realize what is benefiting us and what is hurting us.

Thank you for reading!

*Reminder* I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Please refer to your medical practitioner for details pertaining to your specific health.