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Health and Wellness: All About Gluten

Over the last several years following a gluten-free diet for health became popularized by books, magazines, and celebrities, all touting how avoiding gluten, a protein found in grains, had helped them lose weight, cure insomnia, and improve thinking. As a result many people jumped on the “bandwagon” and started cutting out gluten from their diet without even understanding what gluten was or how it affected the human body.


Buffalo Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Bowl

The decision to consume or not consume gluten is not an option for people diagnosed with Celiac Disease (CD) as they must avoid gluten to maintain their health and wellness. Celiac is an autoimmune disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with nutrient absorption when gluten is ingested. The US Department of Health and Human Services determined through scientific studies that 1 and 141 people have CD and that many are undiagnosed. Symptoms of CD can include, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, weight loss, chronic fatigue, anemia, and reproductive issues. The onset of these symptoms can occur within weeks or after years of gluten exposure and can happen at any age.

Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Bell Peppers

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For many years scientists and physicians did not feel there was evidence of any benefits to following a gluten-free diet for people not diagnosed with CD. But in 2015 an expert panel of researchers agreed that there are individuals who suffer from what was initially called Gluten Sensitivity (GS) and subsequently became Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS) to differentiate it from CD. NCGS is a non-specific immune response that is clinically recognized as less severe than CD and does not result in the intestinal mucosal damage and permeability that occurs in CD. It does however carry similar intestinal symptoms as well headaches, muscle tingling/numbness, and “foggy brain” and it is the non-intestinal symptoms that often prevail. NCGS symptoms occur more quickly and typically appear within hours or days of gluten ingestion.

New Mexican-Style Braised Pork (Carne Adovada)

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Gluten is found in the endosperm of grains and is a mixture of hundreds of proteins, but the two primary proteins are gliadin which helps with rising and glutenin that provides elasticity. Gluten acts to hold a baked product together and gives it that chewy texture that makes bread products pleasant to eat. Food products that contain gluten include those made from wheat, rye, and barley in the form of baked goods, alcoholic beverages such as beer, and additives such as maltodextrin and food starch, that are in many condiments, sauces, processed foods.

Shrimp and Grits with Andouille Sausage

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Cutting gluten out of your diet can be a challenge, but Suvie is here to help. Suvie can cook all of your gluten-free grains or pastas. When cooking gluten-free pastas be sure to rinse off any excess starch that is left on the pastas. Most gluten-free pastas are made with pea or bean flour and the extra rinse will help make them more pasta-like. Check out the recipes in this article for more gluten-free meal ideas.

Cashew Chicken and Rice

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*Please note the information provided here should not be considered medical advice and any changes in your diet should be made in discussion with your physician.

CategoriesChicken Pork Shrimp
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