Important Information About Gluten-Free Nutrition

Gluten-free diets have recently become one of the popular nutritional trends. However, discussions about gluten-free eating continue. Ulaş Özdemir, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist at Anadolu Health Center, noted that gluten is a plant-based protein found in wheat, barley and rye, stating: "If your body shows a negative reaction when you consume gluten, then it is certainly right not to consume it, but if you don't consume gluten despite your body having no reaction to it, you are giving up an excellent prebiotic." Ulaş Özdemir, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist at Anadolu Health Center, pointed out that gluten consumption can be perceived as a harmful substance by the body's defense system in some individuals and trigger a response from immune cells, stating: "If consumption continues, this reactive environment leads to long-term damage and intestinal injuries can be observed in the long run. However, if you have no weight problems or complaints related to gluten and still do not want to consume gluten, you may be exposed to uncontrolled weight loss due to energy loss and hypoglycemic effects, resulting in intestinal deformations."

Weight Loss Is Related to Insufficient Energy Intake, Not Gluten

Özdemir noted that since gluten is a substance found in the structure of most carbohydrates, removing simple carbohydrates from daily diet indirectly helps weight loss, stating: "The weight loss effect is entirely dependent on insufficient energy intake. In other words, most carbohydrates such as barley, rice, pasta, bread and bulgur contain gluten. When these are removed from the diet, the rate of weight loss naturally increases."

Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity Are Not the Same

Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist Ulaş Özdemir emphasized that gluten should be examined in two stages: celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. "If you feel uncomfortable and bloated when consuming foods such as barley, rice or pasta, or when eating bread, or if you experience more severe symptoms, it would be beneficial to see a gastroenterologist, because in that case you may not only have sensitivity but be a celiac patient. This is usually revealed through a blood test. However, if you don't notice any bothersome symptoms and only feel slightly bloated or uncomfortable when consuming it in large quantities, then you have gluten sensitivity," he said.    

Increase in Gluten Sensitivity Due to Increased Awareness

Ulaş Özdemir, noting that the primary reason for the increase in the number of people experiencing gluten sensitivity recently is increased awareness, stated: "Besides this, particularly each new generation's intestinal flora is more sensitive than the previous one. As a result of factors such as medication use, agricultural chemicals, urban problems and stress, our intestinal flora is primarily affected. As each increasing factor occurs, sensitivity increases," he explained. "The primary treatment of celiac disease is gluten-free eating"

Gluten Enables Bread Fermentation

Ulaş Özdemir, Nutrition and Dietetics Specialist, stated that gluten is responsible for the structure of dough formed during bread making, and that bread does not ferment and rise without gluten, noting: "Because wheat contains many different types of protein, and only two of them—glutenin and gliadin—form a gum-like rigid and elastic substance known as gluten when combined with water. When wheat flour is mixed with water and kneaded, these two proteins retain water and bond together to form elastic gluten chains," he stated.

Gluten-Free Foods

• Meat and meat products
• Milk and dairy products
• Raw nuts
• Corn
• Olive oil
• Vegetable soups
• Dried legumes