What is Gluten Free? What You Should Know About the Gluten Free Diet
We all have that one friend in the team that goes, “I eat gluten free!” The idea of gluten free food seems crazy. However, some people with celiac disease have no other option but to avoid gluten. What exactly is Gluten though? It is a protein found naturally in grains like wheat, oats, barley, and rye. Gluten is a complex mixture of hundreds of related but distinct proteins, mainly gliadin and glutenin. It's also found in some dairy products like milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt. Gluten comes from a Latin word meaning ‘glue’ because of the sticky consistency it gives wheat when mixed in water. Know the chewy texture of breads? Thanks to gluten! If you are on a gluten-free diet, you HAVE to avoid foods that contain this protein. But, seriously, WHY would someone want to go on a gluten-free diet? Giving up on mouth-watering delicacies seems bizarre! Well, turns out, not so much. People with gluten intolerance, or celiac disease (autoimmune disease) need to have a diet excluding gluten.