08/19/2025
◼️More and more people are eating gluten free these days, you probably know someone that does◼️
👉Here’s what you need to know: 👈
🔸Gluten is a protein found in plants like wheat and barley
🔹Some people have trouble digesting gluten and it can cause a variety of health problems
🔸Modern farming methods and seed hybridization have produced wheat with higher concentrations of gluten than what we saw a hundred years ago
🔹Reactions to gluten can vary from mild digestive upset, to bloating, swollen painful joints and life-threatening allergic reactions
🔸Simply, modern wheat in countries like America is not the same as the wheat produced generations ago (or even in different countries)
🔹Gluten is most commonly found in products like: bread, cereal, pasta, baked goods, cake, and anything with wheat flour
🔸Modern farming methods also include the spraying of pesticides and herbicides, chemicals which many people react to
◼️Now that we have done a crash course on gluten, let’s do some True/False to answer some questions and myths about gluten: ◼️
🟣True/False: Only Celiacs should eat gluten free.
False: While it is true that Celiacs have to eat gluten free, no exceptions, others with digestive problems, inflammation, etc. find benefits from cutting out gluten.
🟣True/False: Gluten increases inflammation in the body
True! This is why those with other health conditions may not tolerate gluten as it pushes their inflammation higher
🟣True/False: Gluten sensitivities and allergies are the same thing
False: An allergy is a full-blown immune system reaction, like what we see in Celiacs. Some individuals do not have this, but they have sensitivities to gluten, meaning that they have a milder reaction that does not involve the immune system
🟣True/False: Sourdough is gluten free right?
False: traditional sourdough made with wheat flour still contains gluten. The difference is the fermentation process in sourdough helps break down the gluten and make it more tolerable for some people. However, those that are Celiac still cannot eat sourdough unless it is made from a gluten-free flour (or an ancient grain/European type flour)
🟣True/False: People aren’t really reacting to the gluten in foods; it’s the chemical pesticides and herbicides.
This is a tricky one, the answer is really both
▪️It’s true that some people are reacting to the chemicals found on non-organic GMO wheat, and that is a valid problem
▪️It’s also false in the sense that people are truly have reactions to the gluten itself
👉The big issue here is that we in the United States are chronically inflamed due to our environments and lifestyles.
👉Gluten and these chemicals are both inflammatory and make everything worse
It’s the perfect storm in a sense
Key take away:
▪️Gluten is inflammatory
▪️We as Americans eat a ton of wheat (aka gluten) in our diets
▪️Some people benefit from taking a break from gluten (at minimum two weeks) and then reintroducing later
▪️Others need to be off gluten long term
▪️Those with severe gluten allergies (like Celiacs), have to be careful of cross contamination
▪️While sourdough is a better option for eating gluten, it’s not tolerated by everyone
▪️If you due tolerate gluten, I highly recommend eating organic, non-GMO wheat if you can (avoid the chemical pesticides and herbicides)
▪️For those sensitive to gluten, they can consider trying Ancient grains, European flour blends, Almond flour, Coconut flour, Rice flour etc.
