Gluten Intolerance – The Hidden Trap of the Modern Diet

Glutenum – a mixture of proteins: gliadin and glutenin

🔬 What Exactly Is Gluten? An Expert Explanation
📌 Biochemical Definition:
Gluten is a collective name for a mixture of storage proteins – prolamins and glutelins – found in the seeds of certain grains:

• Wheat (Triticum aestivum) – gliadin and glutenin
• Rye (Secale cereale) – secalin
• Barley (Hordeum vulgare) – hordein
• …and wheat variants like spelt, durum, and kamut.

These proteins serve as nitrogen reserves for the germinating plant. From a baker’s point of view – a marvel of nature. From the perspective of a sensitive gut – a ticking time bomb.

📜 Where Does the Word “Gluten” Come From?
From Latin gluten, meaning… “glue.” And what a fitting name it is. Gluten acts like a culinary superglue: it binds water, traps fermentation gases, and forms an elastic network that lets dough rise. Without it, bread would be flat and lifeless – like a pancake that’s had a rough day.

⚙️ What Happens When You Mix Flour and Water?
When you add water to flour and knead it:

• Gliadin and glutenin are activated
• They form a protein network that traps fermentation gases
• The dough “breathes,” rises, and doesn't crack
• Gluten becomes the elastic framework of the bake

But – here’s the catch – that same network can hinder digestion in sensitive individuals.

🧬 Gluten From a Digestion and Immune System Perspective
The human body does not fully digest gluten – especially gliadin fragments rich in proline and glutamine. We lack an enzyme capable of completely breaking them down.

In most people, these undigested fragments pass through harmlessly. But for those with HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 genes:

• Gluten can trigger immune reactions
• Increase intestinal permeability (→ zonulin)
• Cause inflammation and microbiome imbalance

That’s a fast track to celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or leaky gut syndrome.

❓Does Gluten Harm Everyone?
No. Gluten isn’t a poison. But:

• For 1–2% of people with celiac disease, it’s a deadly enemy
• For 6–10%, it can cause brain fog, abdominal pain, fatigue, depression
• In children with ADHD – it can worsen focus and sleep
• In people with insulin resistance – it may intensify symptoms

So: no panic – but stay alert.

🧠 Gluten and the Brain
Fragments of gluten can cross the blood–brain barrier and:

• Stimulate the immune system within the central nervous system
• Disrupt neurotransmitter balance
• Cause symptoms of depression, anxiety, fatigue, and mental fog
• Affect serotonin and dopamine levels

So yes, you can literally eat your way into a bad day.

🧪 Scientific Evidence and Research:

Author / Year	Conclusion
Fasano (Harvard, 2015)	Gluten increases zonulin – opens intestinal walls
Volta (2012)	Gluten intolerance causes symptoms even without celiac disease
Czaja-Bulsa (2014, Poland)	Children with ADHD improved after removing gluten and casein
Samaroo et al. (2010)	Immune cross-reactions between gluten and neurons
Kresser (2021)	Gluten elimination improves mood in depressed patients

📦 Where Is Gluten Hiding?
Not just in bread! Also in:

• Beer (barley)
• Soy sauces
• Mustard
• Medications and capsules
• Pre-mixed spice blends
• Vegan meat substitutes
• Barley malt in bars and cereals
• “Gluten-free” products contaminated during processing

⚠️ Beware: What Replaces Gluten on Labels?

Ingredient	Why It Might Be a Problem
Corn starch	High glycemic index
Glucose-fructose syrup	Simple sugar, promotes insulin resistance
Xanthan gum, guar gum	May cause bloating
Rice flour	Low nutritional value, low fiber
Potato starch	Empty filler with no value

Gluten-free = yes, but choose natural, not chemical replacements!

🧭 What’s Next? Your Personal Action Plan

• Observe your symptoms – do you keep a food diary? Start now!
• Try elimination – 3 gluten-free weeks can work wonders.
• Don’t fall for traps – a gluten-free bar with 10 ingredients ≠ healthy.
• Cook at home – your kitchen is your healing lab.
• Support your gut – fermented foods, L-glutamine, ashwagandha, flaxseed.
• Change habits slowly but mindfully.

🥖 Recipe: Fermented Buckwheat Bread
Ingredients:
– 500g raw buckwheat groats
– 250ml water
– 1 tsp salt
– Seeds: sunflower, flax, nigella

Instructions:
Soak groats for 24h.
Blend with water and salt.
Let ferment for 12–18h.
Bake 60 min at 180°C.
Cool completely – tastes even better the next day!

🍎 Recipe: Apple Millet Pancakes
Ingredients:
– 1 cup cooked millet
– 1 egg
– 1 apple
– 1 tbsp coconut flour
– Cinnamon, salt

Instructions:
Mix ingredients, shape into small pancakes, pan-fry without oil.
Serve with coconut yogurt and fruit.

🌱 Gut-Healing Support Products:

Product	Benefits
Fermented foods	Probiotics, gut flora balance
L-glutamine	Repairs intestinal lining
Ashwagandha	Reduces stress, supports HPA axis
Flaxseed	Soothing, fiber-rich, calming
DPP-IV enzymes	Help digest gluten residues
Ginger infusions	Anti-inflammatory, support digestion and motility

😄 Did You Know…
– Gluten may contribute to iron, zinc, and vitamin D deficiencies?
– Italian gluten-free lentil pasta is taking the world by storm?
– Even ketchup may contain gluten – not just sugar?
– In Japan, gluten is exotic – rice and miso reign supreme.
– Even toothpaste can contain gluten (look for the GF certificate!)

❓Questions for You:
– Have you ever tried living gluten-free?
– What product surprised you as a “hidden source” of gluten?
– Do you ferment at home?
– Do you have a favorite gluten-free recipe to share?

---