Gluten

Gluten is a protein present in cereals such as wheat, rye, malt or barley, which, together with water, forms a type of gel, acting as a kind of glue, which ensures greater elasticity in foods such as bread, pasta and cookies.

Because it is a vegetable protein and is present in cereals with good sources of fiber, foods with gluten can be consumed freely by people who do not have celiac disease, allergies or intolerance to this protein.

However, people with celiac disease, gluten allergy and people who have gluten intolerance, cannot digest these types of food well, and may experience symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea and weight loss. 

Foods that contain

Foods containing gluten are all those that can be made with wheat, barley, malt or rye such as cookies, cakes, biscuits, bread, toast, beers, pasta and pizza dough, for example.

In general, a balanced diet includes many foods with wheat, which causes gluten to be consumed in large amounts. Therefore, some people observe improvements in health, especially the balance in the functions of the intestine, when they reduce the consumption of gluten. In addition, drinks such as beer and whiskey also contain gluten, as they are made from malt and barley.

Foods that do not contain

• Fruits and vegetables ;
• Legumes, such as beans, soybeans, chickpeas or lentils;
• Cereals, such as rice, quinoa, amaranth, corn and its derivatives;
• Tubers, such as potatoes, potato starch, cassava, yams,
• Proteins, such as meat, chicken, eggs, tofu and fish;
• Sweets, such as sugar, chocolate, cocoa, jellies and ice cream;
• Seasonings, such as salt, thyme, basil, oregano;
• Fats, such as olive oil, butter, coconut oil, linseed, pumpkin and chia seeds.

Benefits of a gluten-free diet

The main benefit of removing gluten from the diet is the exclusion of industrialized and high-calorie foods from the diet, such as stuffed biscuits, pizzas, pasta and cakes. Even if the gluten-free diet is carried out by people who do not have protein intolerance, they feel better because, generally, they start to eat a more balanced diet, which improves the functioning of the intestine and health as a whole.

Going on a gluten-free diet may not be easy, and it is always recommended to check the nutritional information of products before consuming them, as they must indicate that they are “gluten-free” or ” gluten-free”. In addition, this type of diet is not usually very affordable, as products that do not contain gluten are generally more expensive. 

Is it fattening?

Foods with gluten that make you fat are mainly those that also have a high fat content, as is the case of cakes, pizza, cookies and biscuits, for example.

However, foods like bread or toast, despite having gluten, only make you fat if they are consumed in large quantities or accompanied by other foods rich in fats or carbohydrates, such as jam or butter.

Although removing gluten from your diet is common in some weight loss diets, this does not mean you gain weight. This strategy is only used because gluten is present in many high-calorie and unhealthy foods, and its removal helps to improve the quality of the diet and reduce the calories in the diet.

When should I give gluten-containing foods to my baby?

It should be introduced into the baby’s diet after 6 months of life, when new foods are introduced into the child’s diet. It is important for babies to eat gluten-containing foods, such as pasta, from the 6th month onwards, as the later the child’s contact with the protein, the greater the chances of developing an allergy or intolerance to gluten.

These products should be offered to the baby gradually, and attention should be paid to symptoms of intolerance, celiac disease or allergy, such as a swollen belly, diarrhea, vomiting or weight loss. If these symptoms appear, the baby should be taken to the pediatrician for gluten intolerance tests to be carried out.