- Food contains gluten
- Gluten-free foods
- Benefits of a gluten-free diet
- Does gluten make you fat?
- When should I give baby food with gluten
Gluten is a type of protein that can be found in cereals such as wheat, rye or barley, which helps food to maintain its shape, acting as a kind of glue, which guarantees greater flexibility and a particular texture.
Eating food with these cereals can cause abdominal problems for those who have gluten intolerance, such as celiac patients or people who have sensitivity or allergy to gluten, as they cannot digest this protein well and, therefore, when they consume food with gluten they get symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain and swelling. Learn more about celiac disease and how to identify it.
Food contains gluten
Foods that contain gluten are all those that can be made with wheat, barley or rye such as crackers, cakes, cookies, breads, toast, beers and any pasta that contains wheat flour in its composition such as pizza dough and pasta, for example.
In general, the diet has many foods with wheat, which causes gluten to be consumed in large quantities, which is why some people report improvements in health, especially in the regulation of the intestine, when they reduce the consumption of this nutrient. In addition, drinks like beer and whiskey also contain gluten, as they are made from barley malt. See a more detailed list of foods that contain gluten.
Gluten-free foods
Gluten-free foods are mainly:
- Fruits and vegetables; Rice and its derivatives; Corn and its derivatives; Potato starch; Meat and fish; Sugar, chocolate, cocoa, gelatines and ice cream; Salt; Oils, olive oil and margarines.
These foods and other products made only with these ingredients, such as potato starch cake, for example, can be eaten on a gluten-free diet. Industrialized foods that have the label " gluten free" or " gluten free" on the label, mean that they do not contain gluten and can be consumed by people intolerant of this protein.
Benefits of a gluten-free diet
Starting a gluten-free diet may not be easy, and whenever you start you must read the nutritional label of the products before consuming, as they must indicate that they are "gluten free" or "gluten free", in addition, this type of diet does not it is usually cheap because products that do not contain gluten are more expensive.
The main benefit of removing gluten from food is the exclusion of industrialized and caloric foods from the diet, such as stuffed cookies, pizzas, pasta and cakes. Even if the gluten-free diet is carried out by people who do not have gluten intolerance, they start to feel better because they start to eat healthier, which improves the functioning of the intestine and the body as a whole.
In addition, gluten withdrawal can contribute to the reduction of gas and abdominal bloating in those people who are more sensitive to this protein. Symptoms of constipation and excess gas can indicate problems with gluten. Check out 7 signs of gluten intolerance.
Does gluten make you fat?
Gluten-rich foods that are fattening are mainly those that also have fat as ingredients, as is the case with cakes, biscuits and cookies, for example.
However, foods such as bread or toast, although they have gluten, are only fattening if consumed in large quantities or accompanied by other foods rich in fats or carbohydrates, such as jam or butter.
Although removing gluten from food is common in some weight loss diets, this does not mean that it will put on weight. This strategy is used only because gluten is present in many caloric and unhealthy foods, and its withdrawal contributes to improving the quality of daily food.
When should I give baby food with gluten
Gluten should be introduced into the baby's diet between 4 and 6 months of life, as children who have contact with gluten before or after that period are more likely to develop celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and allergy to wheat.
Gluten-free products should be offered to the baby gradually, while the baby is still breastfeeding, and attention should be paid to symptoms of intolerance such as swollen belly, diarrhea and weight loss. If these symptoms appear, the baby should be taken to the pediatrician for tests for gluten intolerance to be performed. See what it is and what the symptoms of gluten intolerance are.
