What is gluten?
(Resource: wisegeek.com)
Gluten is a special type of protein that is commonly found in rye, wheat, and barley. Therefore, it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread. Not all foods from the grain family, however, contain gluten. Examples of grains that do not have gluten include wild rice, corn, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, quinoa, teff, oats, soybeans, and sunflower seeds.
Gluten can be removed from wheat flour, producing wheat starch. All of the gluten in wheat flour, however, cannot be removed. Still, according the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), if a certain amount of the gluten is removed, the food product can be labeled "gluten-free." (This is somewhat similar to food products that can be labeled as 0 Calories even though a serving contains 4 or less Calories.) Gluten helps make bread elastic, providing it with that chewy texture it has when eaten. For this reason, flour that has had most of its gluten removed, produces a sticky dough that feels much like chewing gum.
Gluten provides many additional important qualities to bread. For example, gluten keeps the gases that are released during fermentation in the dough, so the bread is able to rise before it is baked. In addition, gluten firms up when it is cooked and, with the help of starch, helps ensure the bread maintains its proper shape.
Some people suffer from celiac disease. If a person with celiac disease eats gluten, the lining of their small intestine becomes inflamed and damaged. That hampers the absorption of nutrients and can lead to malnutrition and weight loss. Celiac patients also struggle with distressing symptoms, such as diarrhea, stomach upset, abdominal pain, and bloating.
In some cases, celiac disease may take years to diagnose because doctors mistake it for irritable bowel syndrome or other diseases.
Ingredients to avoid: (This is only a partial list) to fine a complete list - google gluten ingredients to avoid.
Durum wheat(pasta)
Barley
Semolina
Malt
Oats
Wheat flour
Bran
Whisky
Beer
Mixed (pie) spice
Malt vinegar
Gluten found where?
Creamed condensed soup (wheat flour)
Lipton onion soup mix (barley)
Soy sauce (come contain wheat)
Corn flakes (malt flavoring)
Canned tomato soup (wheat flour)
