The Risks of Including Gluten in Your Diet
Explore why avoiding gluten might benefit your health. Wheat is widely consumed, but its proteins can cause gut inflammation, increased permeability, and immune system issues. Switching to gluten-free foods can promote better digestion and overall wellness.
Understanding Why Gluten Should Be Avoided
Wheat accounts for nearly 20% of the world's calorie intake due to its easy cultivation, storage, and shipping. While wheat consumption via bread, pasta, and noodles may fluctuate, it remains a common ingredient hidden in many processed foods, from soups and sauces to spreads and frozen vegetables. Incorporating gluten-free options into your diet can promote better health and reduce potential risks.
What makes wheat potentially harmful? As a grain rich in carbohydrates, wheat is a primary energy source, but it also contains proteins like gluten, wheat germ agglutinin, and amylase trypsin inhibitors. Excessive carbohydrate intake can lead to metabolic issues such as blood sugar imbalances, but the proteins in wheat can trigger gut inflammation. These proteins irritate the gut lining, causing increased permeability and inflammation.
This gut inflammation enables toxins to seep into the bloodstream, as gluten prompts the release of zonulin, a protein that increases intestinal permeability. Additionally, gliadin, a gluten component, mimics body tissues, potentially triggering autoimmune responses where the immune system attacks healthy tissues. For these reasons, choosing gluten-free foods can benefit overall health and digestion.
