Alex Ram

Gluten free foods are popping up everywhere and it's becoming easier and easier to find breads, desserts, etc. that are made from gluten free grains.What the Heck is Gluten?Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley.Gluten is one of the most complex proteins consumed by man and has a very large molecule that is hard for your digestive system to break down.Problems seem to begin when gluten reaches your small intestine.If you are very sensitive or gluten intolerant, gluten can actually tear holes in the lining of your gut. This produces problems like leaky gut syndrome and allergic responses by your immune system.This intestinal damage will weaken your ability to absorb essential nutrients from your food which will then lead to malnutrition and later to more serious health problems like a full blown disease.Some of your favorite grains do not contain gluten such as corn, rice, and pure oats. Some of the more exotic gluten free grains are quinoa, buckwheat, millet, teff, and amaranth.Naturally oats do not contain gluten, but cross contaminated oats will. This usually happens when oats are processed in the same plants with grains that contain gluten such as wheat, rye, and barley.The following are all very popular wheat gluten grains and contain gluten. Wheat bran, wheat germ, wheat berry, wheat grass, durham, bulgar, couscous, udon, graham, spelt, semolina, farina, einkorn, farro, seitan and matza.What are Gluten Intolerance Symptoms to Watch Out For?If you are gluten intolerant you will likely experience skin rashes, itchy skin, headaches, irritability, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, cramps, tingling and numbness. The longer term problems will likely be weight issues, depression, nutritional deficiencies, casein intolerance, irregular menstrual cycles, and slower child development.Gliadin which is a protein found in gluten can trigger a full on immune system response in people with Celiac disease whenever gluten is consumed. People with Celiac disease are very gluten intolerant.This inflammation flattens the lining of your small intestine and impedes your small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients from food.If you have Celiac disease, the odds are that someone in your family has it as well. This is a fairly common issue and without knowing about it you could become Diabetic.The only way to effectively deal with this disease is a strict gluten free diet.An Up and Coming Gluten Free Grain is the Quinoa GrainYou'll find lysine in quinoa which is a amino acid and quinoa is also higher in protein than most grains.This is one of the amino acids that most grains are known for not having.This amino acid is needed for the absorption of minerals such as calcium and for muscle building.Your body uses lysine to produce its hormones and enzymes.Quinoa is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids.Gluten Free Food AdviceGluten free desserts can be made by replacing gluten containing flours with gluten free flours. There are a lot of beautiful cookbooks being produced to show people how to make wonderful gluten free treats.Gluten free foods that come to you from nature are fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, eggs, whole dairy products, animal meats, fish and seafood.Trying to avoid gluten in your diet, is like trying to avoid aging. You must be on the ball at all times and read every label as most processed foods contain gluten in disguise.For more ideas from this writer about this subject , go to Gluten Free Foods. For useful Healthy Eating Guidelines, visit Destination Healthy Foods.