For those of you that willingly choose to be gluten-free: I’m sorry, I do not like you. Sure, in some respects it is healthier. But only because it narrows your choices of a handful of foods you can and cannot eat. Being gluten-free has become more popular because there are more people being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Thus, more large companies are making their foods gluten-free and more companies are being created to make gluten-free food. For example, Cape Cod Chips, Cheerios, Smartfood, Udi’s, Barilla, Glutino, Chex, Bisquick and many more are some of the companies included.
To answer many of your pressing questions, let’s start with this one: What is gluten? Gluten is a composite of storage proteins termed prolamins and glutelins. They are stored together with starch in the endosperm of various grass-related grains. It is found in wheat, barley, and rye which make up the majority of most baked and processed foods.
The reason why it makes me mad when people willingly go gluten-free as a diet choice is because it isn’t necessarily all that much healthier for you. People with Celiac are allergic to gluten and thus when eaten, it deteriorates your intestinal tract. This causes them to not be able to process the nutrition from many foods they eat. So, most people with Celiac, before being diagnosed, weigh less and when on the gluten free diet, gain weight.
Another reason the gluten-free diet is used as a blanket statement when it really isn’t “healthier” is because they eschew those dreaded wheat proteins, the sodium content is higher, and the fat content is higher in order to make it taste good.
Go ahead, if the diet makes you feel better and keep you healthy, then all the more power to you. But just be knowledgeable about it. Don’t order a salad and then eat the croutons or the appetizer of bread at the table; that’s just naive and offensive.
There are also people that are sensitive to gluten but don't have Celiac. Yeah, I don’t understand it either, but sometimes the blood work just won’t say you have the Celiac gene, but you could be having all the symptoms. That area of gluten is more scientific. We won’t get into that here.
Another prize winner: it’s hereditary. So, when I found out that I had Celiac, my whole family had to get tested, because it could be harmful to your health if you don’t go on the diet. The lucky winner, who I got it from, was my dad. He was not very pleased. Our diets had to change when I was a senior in high school and we were not too happy. But it was an adventure to be had and we made the most of the struggles together. At least when we went out to dinner as a family, we could still share our meals!
I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my mom’s help. Despite her not being Celiac, or gluten-sensitive, she did everything in her power to make this transition easier for me and my dad. She went crazy in the kitchen, learning every recipe and secret stir of the spoon to make every meal taste amazing.
Becoming diagnosed with Celiac was a stepping stone in my life because it called for a lot of dietary changes and I went through many challenging obstacles with my health that arose because of it; both my dad and I did. Researching about Celiac is also what made me interested in becoming a Biology major!
It is important to know your body: what it likes and doesn’t like. There are many little symptoms of Celiac that most doctors miss, which is why it took most of my life to realize I have it. Being healthy is important and changes may seem bad at first, but they are worth it in the long run! I am a gluten-free pro now, and I have never been happier because of it!
