All About Wheat and Gluten!
I recently turned 40. And, against my better judgment (caused by the “I can’t believe I am 40-blues”) I decided to treat myself to the most delicious, amazing chocolate coconut cake in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Only major problem is that it was NOT gluten-free (GF). And, I have been pretty much 100% gluten-free for about 8 years now. If you are wondering, I came upon this cake before my GF days and ever since I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.
I don’t drink. I eat cake. The hangover from this gluten-laced cake was so intense. My head hurt (major stuffy nose, eyes sensitive to light and headache), my joints ached, my stomach felt funky, I was exhausted and irritable. Not fun when you have a 7 month old and a 4 year old! I must add that this feeling was not just a “day-after” thing like most alcohol-related hangovers. It was more like a 2-3 “days-after” thing. I would have been better off downing a bottle of white!
Ok, so now you all know that I can’t tolerate gluten. I realized this many years ago when I felt worn down all the time (experiencing the above symptoms on a daily basis including bloating and sharp stomach pains). My acupuncturist recommended that I remove gluten from my diet. Seeing as though I was a professional chef (trained at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts) and early in my formal nutrition training (studying for my Masters in nutrition at Columbia University), you think I would have been able to figure this one out!
So, I removed the gluten and within a week I was feeling better. I knew how to cook GF so I just applied it. And finding the BEST GF products became my personal quest. I have had a private practice for close to 10 years now and because of my personal experience (as well as professional training), I have been able to guide all of my clients needing and wanting to go GF.
So, for all of your novices out there, here is the low-down on gluten…
WHEAT OR GLUTEN FREE?
Firstly, people often confuse wheat-free with gluten-free so let me add a little clarity to the situation.
Wheat-free means that a person avoids all foods containing wheat.
Why does a person avoid wheat? He/she has a sensitivity to wheat, typically in the form of gastrointestinal distress such as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, reflux; skin issues such as rashes; and allergies/asthma such as congestion and wheezing.
If a person is symptomatic and eliminates wheat, typically after a week symptoms should start to improve. It can sometimes be dramatic.
What contains wheat? Foods containing wheat are anything made with white or whole wheat flour such as cookies, cakes, breads, tortillas, pizza, pasta, pancakes, waffles, most fried food, tempura, dumplings, wontons, etc.; anything made with bulghur such as tabouli; wheat berries; cous cous; sauces that are typically thickened with white flour; soy sauce (although San-J has a wheat-free option).
What are the other options? Don’t worry, there are plenty of great alternatives to wheat (spelt, kamut and all gluten-free grains—see below) containing foods including breads, tortillas, pasta, pancakes, waffles, etc. Just make sure to read labels. Most products that are wheat-free will say so on the package. Also, anything that says gluten-free is also wheat-free (even if it does not say so).
Gluten-free means that a person avoids all foods containing gluten.
What is gluten? Gluten is the general term used to describe the protein found in many grains including wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, oat, triticale, semolina, pumpernickel and farro.
Why does a person avoid gluten? The absorptive surface of the small intestine is damaged by gluten resulting in malabsorption of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins and minerals, all of which are needed for good health (Gluten Free Diet by Shelley Case). This condition, called Celiac Disease (or Celiac Sprue), is an autoimmune disease that can be very difficult to diagnose for symptoms can range from everything from diarrhea and constipation to chronic fatigue and depression.
Celiac disease is a serious disease that can be diagnosed through blood tests and intestinal biopsy. Should you suspect that you have, seek medical attention immediately. Please note that there is a large population of people who are sensitive to gluten though don’t have full blown celiac disease. These people also benefit from a gluten-free diet. Again, seek medical attention if you suspect you are sensitive to it.
What are the other options? Here is a list of gluten-free grains. Rice (all kinds but beware of rice pilafs and mixed grain rice mixes); buckwheat (if it says buckwheat soba make sure you look at ingredient list, for most times the buckwheat is mixed with wheat); teff; amaranth; quinoa; corn (as in polenta). These grains and other starchy foods such as beans, potatoes and tapioca are used to make all gluten-free products. There are many amazing products on the market that are gluten-free including breads, pastas, cookies, cakes, pancakes, waffles, etc. It is very important to read labels. Take note that a product that says “wheat –free” only is NOT necessarily gluten-free.
Living GF has totally changed my life. I feel alive and well every day (as well as you can feel with two small kids, working part-time and not enough rest). I have never formally been tested for a gluten allergy, no need. I know I feel better off it, so I just stay off of it. Except on major birthdays!
If you suspect a wheat or gluten sensitivity, I suggest first removing wheat. This may do the trick. If not, go down the GF road. I just contributed to a book, The Source, Unleash Your Natural Energy, Power Up Your Health and Feel 10 Years Younger by Dr. Woodson Merrell and Kathy Merrell. I created a 21-day plan and 70 recipes, all of which are nutritious, delicious (if I must say so myself) and GLUTEN FREE!
Feel free to e-mail me any and all questions! sbs@stefaniesacks.com
Some amazing GF resources/products are:
Resources
www.celiac.com
www.glutenfreediet.ca
www.celiacchicks.com
www.glutenfreepassport.com
Products (GF favorites!)
Yummies:
Pamelas cookies, dessert mixes, pancakes
Georges baked goods
Glutino
Glutano
Whole Foods (the store) gluten free bakery
Breads:
Food for Life (also rice torrillas)
Corn tortillas (found in freezer section of heath food market)
Whole Foods (the store) gluten free bakery
Make Your Own Bread
Bob’s Red Mill
www.glutenevolution.com
Pasta:
Tinkyada (other brands too but this rocks!)
Snack Foods:
Glutino
Glutano
Ener-G
- Posted by Stefanie on May 12, 2009 at 8:21 am
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Tagged as: diet, gluten, wheat
Other posts by this author:
I just started eliminating gluten and wheat a few weeks back. On Mother’s Day I had a very small amount of regular pasta and I felt so heavy and sick at night. Yesterday my stomach was still getting over it (I have Crohn’s disease). I am definitely not going back to the dark side!
Thanks for all the info!
Thanks for such an amazingly helpful post, Kris! this is really informative for those seeking real answers about gluten and wheat.
So quick question, I am a holistic nutritionist and I advise my some of my sensitive clients to come off gluten, but if they are not celiac I usually allow them after a couple of weeks to add in sprouted grain products like Ezekiel bread and manna bread (which they seem to do fine on) what are your thoughts on this – especially in regard to the cleanse.
I’ve been wheat-free for a few years now. My allergies and asthma have improved so much, I don’t catch ever little cold and bug going around like I used to, and my belly doesn’t constantly feel like it’s churning anymore. It was the best decision for me. And, I recently found gluten-free cookie dough “ice cream.” So, it’s all good.
Great article Stephanie! I strongly encourage everyone to consider gluten-free or wheat-free as a simple step in identifying confusing health challenges. I find that if this one step is missed, it often contributes to many a difficult road of diagnostic confusion and frustration, and often slows and impairs healing of all sorts. Keep it up.
Hey Stephanie! Thanks for all the great info … The more I read about gluten, the more I think I have a sensitivity to it. I’m always SOOO tired and have itchy skin. Over the last few weeks (even with eating lots more veggies & fruit and trying to avoid breads & carbs), my tummy is constantly rumbling – I have no idea what that’s about.
Here’s to the 40 year old working mom’s! Thanks for this great post very helpful info for newbie-me. I am seriously thinking of taking my 7 year old off wheat to see if his eczema clears up.
Thanks for the great info. We are Glutenfree/wheatfree household for 6 years now and loving it. It has improved our health overall and we feel better since.
peace and Gluten free grains.
Great post! Gluten is the devil to me. Now that I have regained my health it is a lot harder for me to have the will power to keep it out of my diet. I crave cake and bread more than anything. After a week travelling in Ireland- being served all kinds of homemade Irish soda bread- I am struggling to get my jeans done up from the gluten-bloat hangover.
Great post! I went wheat/gluten free in January to see if it helped with eczema. The results were almost immediate. For over a year, my hands were so itchy and dry, I scratched them raw and bloody. I tried everything to try to clear it – dermatologists, every cream in the book. The only thing that helped was going wheat and gluten free. Now I have no symptoms of eczema.
Is brown rice OK?
What a great post! Thanks for all the info and especially for the products list!I love it that I know exactly what to look for in the store.Thanks!
I know that Stefanie, and she’s the greatest! Truly helped both my husband and me (eliminated my GERD), and we still ONLY go to her for advice. Everyone should have a Stefanie in their life if that want to BE and STAY healthy!
First of all thanks for the low down on wheat and gluten. I have two questions; Does bean thread contain gluten or wheat? The package noted Sulfite under allergens. Secondly, what about salsa purchased from the store?
The Celiac Sprue Association web site (http://www.csaceliacs.org/) has a wealth of authoritative info for those who need to avoid gluten.
Wow!!! Love all of your comments and questions. I am going to try to address everything here.
Ezekial and Manna bread typically contain wheat or other gluten-containing grain (even if sprouted). Thus, it is my experience that if a person is sensitive to wheat they react to both. Have to take it case by case. If a client of mine does well off gluten, I keep them off and if they do want to eat gluten containing foods once and a while, I suggest rye, spelt, kamut, barley for they all have less gluten than wheat and usually wreak less havoc.
Brown rice does not contain gluten. Nor does bean thread or salsa.
Keep them coming.
OMG, did I not list the gluten-free grains. Here they are:
Rice (all kinds but keep an eye out for pilaf’s and “mixed grain rice”
Quinoa
Teff
Amaranth
Buckwheat
Corn (not a grain but used like a grain as in polenta)
Pastas/noodles made with beans (mung, lentil, etc)
I am so so sorry.
Thanks Stefanie. We are on the same track–case by case is key!! A couple more GF items to add to the list…Millet, Wild Rice…
Stefanie,
You are not going crazy. You did list the gluten-free grains. Thanks for this helpful article.
PEACE!
-Lori
I thought Ezekial Bread was ok because the grain is sprouted. I can’t thank you enough for that info alone!
Hi. I have an exercise induced wheat allergy. This means that if I have wheat and then exercise I will break out in hives and end up with anaphylactic shock. I’ve landed in the hospital several times. So I now avoid ALL wheat ALL the time. I can still eat oats and some of the other grains. What I am constantly confused by is spelt and kamut. I know that it’s an “ancient grain” and part of the wheat family yet I always see it being used as a substitute for wheat and labeled wheat-free. Even in this blog. Can anyone comment on this? I typically avoid those as well. Thx!
Magda,
If your allergy is that dramatic, I would avoid spelt and kamut. You are right on that they are both ancient grains and “ancestors” of wheat. The reason wheat poses so many problems is that it is “newer” and many of us don’t have the ability to properly digest. Also, it has been genetically modified for years (yes, without us knowing) so who knows what could have happened along the way.
And, thanks for adding millet to the list. Wild rice falls in the rice category.
Best
Stefanie,
Your blog is one of the best summaries of wheat & gluten that I’ve read. I didn’t realize that spelt and kamut have gluten. Thank you for this wealth of info!
Thank you so much! Really appreciate. Try to simplify all nutrition related information as best I can.
Hindsight is 20/20. As I was contemplating the rice cereal I am giving to my 7 month old this morning (should I switch to another grain?), I realized that I forgot to discuss OATS. So, this is the low down. Not a gluten-free grain, but some gluten sensitive people can tolerate and others cannot. Some can tolerate small amounts. If full blown celiac, oats should typically be avoided. Shelley Case (who is mentioned in my blog) is the mother of all gluten-related issues and can address oats very specifically in her book (and on her website).
Going GF has helped me so much… it’s crazy how much it was messing up my tummy. I’ve been GF about 8 months and wow I am finally starting to gain weight back! And I feel full after I eat! It’s great… I definitely recommend anyone with suspicion they have gluten intolerance to get it checked out and tested. Keep in mind– I haven Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis and also have to eat soy, dairy, egg, peanut, sesame, and sugar free to relieve my pain. So it’s definitely worth getting checked out because you may find out about others foods too!
superb info stef! – you’re always providing such thorough info in such a digestible manner
. . .thank you , my friend!
You can also be gluten intolerant yet asymptomatic, so anyone with chronic health issues should try going off it and other potential allergens for several weeks.
Re sprouted wheat; I used to have it every morning in my breakfast smoothie, because if you can tolerate them they’re powerful detoxifiers. BUT they turned out not to be hypoallergenic after all and ironically were damaging for my health.
Strengthening digestion is important in overcoming allergies.
Thanks for the blog!
More blogs on food allergies please!!
If an ingrediant says wheat, in it, does that mean it is gluten?