A Gluten Free Life Online

by mia3mom

Going Gluten Free

Article by R. Frericksen

You probably have heard the term gluten free, but have you researched what that means? What is gluten and what is an allergic reaction to it. These are just a few things discussed in this article.

Gluten is the elastic, rubbery protein present in wheat, rye, barley and to a lesser degree in oats. It binds the dough in foods such as bread and other baked goods. It contributes to spongy consistency. Rice and maize do not contain gluten.

Wheat allergies can create many different symptoms or adverse reactions. What is wheat allergy? Wheat allergy refers specifically to adverse reactions involving immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to one or more protein fractions of wheat, including albumin, globulin, gliadin and glutenin (gluten). Allergic reactions to wheat may be caused by ingestion of wheat-containing foods or by inhalation of flour containing wheat (Baker’s asthma).

Clinical experience suggests that wheat allergy is relatively uncommon, but there are no accurate figures for prevalence. The allergy is more prevalent in certain groups: e.g., wheat allergy is responsible for occupational asthma in up to 30% of individuals in the baking industry.

Allergic reactions to wheat usually begins within minutes or a few hours after eating or inhaling wheat. The more common symptoms involve the skin, hives, eczema, swelling, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, oral allergy syndrome and the respiratory tract (asthma or allergic rhinitis).

The diagnosis of a wheat allergy may be easy if a person has the same reaction repeatedly after eating wheat-containing food. More often the diagnosis is difficult because wheat is usually consumed with other food. Diagnosis usually entails clinical evaluation (medical history, family history, food history) supported by appropriate laboratory tests (CAP