Why do some get sick from gluten while others enjoy bread freely?

Gluten causes nausea, digestion issues, brain fog, and depression in at least 6% of the world population. As a result, 30% of Americans now eat gluten-free food, and that numbers is growing. But is gluten bad for you? Read to find out.

What is gluten? And why are some people sensitive to it?

Gluten is a group of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, and even in products like makeup and multivitamins. When activated with water and kneading, it gives dough its elasticity and croissants their flakiness. But the enzymes in our stomach can’t completely break down these proteins, and they pass into our intestines undigested. For most people, this isn’t a problem. For others, ingesting gluten can cause severe stomach and mental issues.

Despite a lot of research, scientists still need to figure out why. Unlike celiac disease patients, gluten does not cause an autoimmune response in gluten-sensitive people. Nor does it seem to be an allergic reaction. Some scientists believe that gluten sensitivity may be due to a difference in the intestinal walls of gluten-intolerant people. The lining of the intestine is supposed to hold everything in. However, scientists think that the lining of gluten-intolerant people might not work as it should, allowing bacteria to leak into the blood and the liver, causing inflammation. Other research has also shown that some gluten-intolerant people may not be intolerant to gluten at all. Instead, a specific carbohydrate found in wheat may be the true culprit. FODMAPS, a group of carbohydrates found in various foods like apples, yogurt, barley, and cauliflower, are not properly digested by some people. Instead, these stay in the gut and ferment over time, causing sickness and bloating.

So, instead of one cause, different things may trigger similar symptoms in different people. In addition to trouble with digesting FODMAPS or gluten, some may have a wheat allergy, while others may be in the early stages of celiac disease. But even if the cause or causes of gluten sensitivity are unknown, one thing is for sure: gluten intolerance is a real issue that affects approximately 6% of people. For these people, one of the cheapest and most easily available foods, wheat, is causing mental and physical illness. And without accurate tests and effective medication, they only have one solution: to avoid gluten entirely.

Is gluten bad for you?

So, if gluten can do so much damage, most of the time without a person even knowing, isn’t it better to avoid it? Prevention, after all, is better than cure. Especially if there isn’t a cure in the first place. If you agree, you wouldn’t be the only one. A 2014 survey showed that 63% of the participants felt that avoiding gluten would improve their physical and mental health, and according to the American Diabetes Association, as many as 30% of adult Americans strictly follow a gluten-free diet. The only problem? If you’re not sensitive or allergic to it, gluten isn’t bad for you.

Gluten can play a vital role when it comes to your health, and the lack of it can have serious consequences. Gluten is a prebiotic. This means that it acts as food for the good bacteria in our gut and helps improve digestion and metabolism. It also lowers blood sugar and reduces inflammation in the body. In fact, people who follow a gluten-free diet are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They can also develop anemia and nutrient deficiencies by not getting the recommended daily doses of vitamin B, folates, iron, zinc, and potassium. A 2017 study with over 100,000 participants showed that non-celiac people who avoid gluten have a higher chance of developing heart diseases.

Additionally, people who think of gluten as bad for health may not realize that gluten-free junk food, like cookies and cakes, is still junk food, and if foods containing gluten are not replaced with healthy choices like fruits, vegetables, and legumes, the risk of developing high blood sugar and cholesterol increases.

So, what should you do? Well, like a wise person once said, don’t try to fix it if it’s not broken. If you do not have a gluten intolerance, then gluten is, without a doubt, good for you. So the next time you go to a store and see a gluten-free box of cookies, leave them on the shelf for someone who needs them, and pick up a box of regular ones instead.