Gluten is one of the most common ingredients in the western diet, but only a few people know a thing or two about it. Many health conditions are also linked to the consumption of foods that contain this, that’s why no one’s really off the hook when it comes to this topic.
What is it, really? Gluten is a protein, it is a fusion of the proteins glutenin and gliadin. It can be found in grassy grains namely wheat, rye, and barley.
We use gluten for several reasons, one is for binding purposes. It acts as a binder to help keep certain ingredients blend together. In addition to that, it can also be used to give heavier substance to certain products such as sauces. So if you think or know for a fact that you are sensitive gluten, you are supposed to check soy or barbecue sauces to see if they do contain gluten.
Also, it is mostly used because it gives high protein value. It is usually added to foods that are otherwise low-protein. So you are likely to find it in meat-substitute foods, such as vegetarian sandwiches.
But the most common use of gluten is in baked goods as it provides chewy elasticity that we all root for in bread, cakes, cookies, and other pastries. In the modern times, we have come to love incorporating gluten into our usual diet as it is easy to manufacture and process since. The grains where it comes from are usually stout and tough making them easy to harvest.
While some of us believe that gluten is a healthy part of a diet, there are those who are tad too concerned about gluten. Yes, they do have nutritional benefits such as fiber, protein and certain vitamins, but many people experience grave symptoms every after consumption of gluten.
Gluten is the specific substance that triggers the autoimmune celiac disease. The intensity of gluten sensitivity vary in each individual, some are even fatal.This just teaches us to be more astute in what we and the people around us eat.
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