ALL ABOUT GLUTEN, YOU NEED TO KNOW! These four categories of people can be having other category of wheat protein disorders and hence this is a very complex issue. The above Venn diagram (figure 1) helps to some extent in the visualization of the complexity involved. VALUE GLUTEN ADDS IN THE FOOD CHEMISTRY? Gluten is a heat stabilizing compound and it has the capacity to bind and extend the structures around it. When water and flour is mixed, gluten plays the lead role in creating sticky glue-like dough with elasticity. This makes bread rise in the process of baking. In short, gluten adds the determining rheological [30] [31] dough properties in the bread making. This is the reason it is used to give baked items texture, makes wheat products fluffy, gives it a chewy character, gives flavors, provides browning and helps baked products retain moisture. DIFFERENT KEY WHEAT COMPOUNDS
Agglutinin wheat protein is a toxin produced by wheat to protect wheat seed from insects. In humans this will produce immune reaction for up to six months after consumption of wheat, if you are allergic to this protein or if the unbroken (undigested) protein molecules (amino acids) enter your blood stream.
Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) [32] is a lectin present is in the kernel of wheat and its main function also is to protect the seed from insects, yeast and bacteria. WGA molecular structure looks very much like insulin and it binds to the human cell insulin receptors producing insulin resistance in the person, which is the root cause of diabetes. Moreover, the blockage of insulin receptors starves cells from getting glucose; this will send signal to the brain for more food, making the infected person cravings for more food [33]. The food cravings will cease to exist for WGA is out of your system, which is approximately four to six months after the last consumption of this protein.
Gliadin and glutenin together represent about 80% of the total proteins in wheat flour and are present in approximately equal amount. Gliadin and glutenin are the most important determinants of the functional and rheological dough properties as stated above.
Gluten within humans also works in suppressing leptin enzyme, which is an adipose tissue secreted peptide hormone. Its main function is to let you know, you are full and eaten enough. This communication is crucial for maintaining healthy metabolic function. Blockage of this communication pathway results in all kind of problems, as you can imagine. This blockade results in gliadin appetite stimulation. Make you eat more in a single sitting or make you feel hungry over short span of time. Both conditions will ultimately result in obesity, promotes development of metabolic syndrome and possibly get you to the doorsteps of diabetes. If you’re already diabetic, it will make your blood serum glucose so high, your diabetic medications will not work effectively and that will lead your doctor to prescribe insulin. Eating wheat increases the average person’s calorie intake by 385-400 calories a day [34] [35]. Gliadin also has opiate-like properties, which make it “addictive” [36]. Moreover, gliadin contains peptide sequences that are highly resistant to gastric, pancreatic, and intestinal proteolytic digestion in the gastrointestinal tract [37]. Gliadin protein is responsible for most of the negative health effects in people who are sensitive to this wheat gluten derived protein.
Amylopectin-A
of wheat is a chemical compound unique to wheat and it is NOT a protein, rather a type of starch a.k.a. carbohydrate. Amylopectin are of type A, B and C. Wheat has Amylopectin-A, which has a huge glycemic load [38] [39] meaning it will release to much of glucose in your blood in a very short span of time. Which is an absolute problem for people with diabetes. That means, eating two slices of bread will raise your blood sugar more than eating “one sugar treat” of double the amount of quantity, but not made from the wheat! Amylopectin-A is also associated in the trigger reaction of small LDL particles in blood vessels creating inflammation and leading to huge range of cardiovascular diseases [40]. When wheat is removed from the diet, these small LDL particle levels are reduced by 90% [36]. At this point we can state that Canadian nephrologist Dr. Jason Fung, M.D., [41] [42] recommendation of removing amylopectin-a from diet and fasting as well as Wisconsin cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, M.D. [43] [44] recommendation of amylopectin-a removal from diet has worked on putting diabetes into remission for the volunteers we are
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