What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein that is found in almost all products, for example, it can be an ingredient in bread, pasta and beer, as well as added to cosmetics and food additives.
It is a natural protein, although it also exists in concentrated form and acquires the function of an additive, flavor or texture in food and other products. Gluten is sometimes a binding agent, namely, it is used to bind processed foods and give them the desired shape.
Humans have digestive enzymes that help break down food. An enzyme called protease helps the body process protein, but this enzyme cannot completely break down gluten. Undigested gluten easily reaches the small intestine - despite this, most people cope with it without problems, although in some bodies this protein causes an autoimmune reaction and other unpleasant symptoms. This autoimmune reaction is medically known as celiac disease.
It is important to note that it is possible for a person to have no history of celiac disease but still feel unwell when eating foods containing gluten, with symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, headaches and allergic-type rashes. Keep in mind that this may be a reaction to poorly digested carbohydrates rather than a sensitivity to gluten itself. People with sensitive stomachs experience discomfort from this fermentation, and not always due to gluten.
Gluten is harmful to people with the following diagnoses:
- Celiac disease;
- Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, also known as gluten intolerance;
- Wheat allergy;
- Gluten ataxia - a rare neurological autoimmune disorder that causes your body to attack parts of the brain in response to gluten.
Source:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-is-gluten-and-what-does-it-do
