Gluten Intolerance? Celiac? Or Gluten-Free for Weight Loss?

A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Your Waistline

Photo by Wesual Click on Unsplash

It’s why French bread holds together. Why pasta has that perfect texture. Why New York bagels are so delicious. Gluten is the glue that holds together these baked goods, along with pasta and the foods we love so much. For some, these favorite foods cause bloating, gas, or abdominal pain. For others, they’re buying the gluten-free alternatives assuming they’re healthier and may help them lose weight. This is often a mistake.

Let’s start with understanding gluten sensitivity. Gluten is the protein found in some grains — wheat, barley, and rye are the big ones. The word gluten comes from the Latin word for glue. It acts as a glue that helps to maintain the shape of, and gives that chewy texture to, these foods. Those who react poorly to gluten range on a spectrum from gluten sensitivity to celiac disease. There are in fact two spectrums to consider: the severity of the symptoms and the amount of gluten needed to create a reaction. For some, it may only take as little as an amount the size of the small white part of your fingernail!

When a person experiences reactions like bloating, gas, and abdominal pain, their body is having a hard time or is unable to break down the gluten. As the body attempts to digest the proteins with tremendous…