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Chloe
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One protein component often found in grains like barley, rye and wheat is called gluten. It gives an added texture to baked goods and is often responsible for that chewy goodness that we love in baked products. Gluten is also used in various foods. It’s used to enhance flavors, to thicken dishes and as a supplement to protein. But there have been instances when people develop gluten- intolerance, and a diet free from gluten aids in lessening the symptoms and also prevents the body from being damaged.
What Foods Have Gluten
Gluten is found in grains like durum, einkorn, faro, graham, semolina, spelt and wheat. Many of these grains improve flavor, add extra protein to foods and bind and thickens them. Grains are commonly used in the cereals we eat for breakfast and other baked goodies, but they’re also added in different foods in subtle ways.
As a thickening agent, gluten is incorporated in gravies, marinades, salad dressings, sauces and soups. Bouillons, vinegar and other spice blends also benefit from gluten. Coffee lovers, as well as those who like dairy and liquors should be thankful that gluten is around to make their favorites even more sumptuous. Interestingly enough, gluten’s also the component used in sealing envelopes.
One important use of gluten is as a supplement for those who can’t get protein and is extremely important in making hearty vegetarian and vegan dishes. Wheat meats like seitan and other imitation meats are often comprised of condensed gluten.
Gluten’s Four Main Proteins
There are four major proteins found in glutein - glutelins, prolamins, albumins and globulins. The first two are highly concentrated in wheat and the last two have high concentrations in rice and corn. Gluten is often connected in people’s minds to wheat since it’s those kinds of proteins that are often linked to health problems like celiac disease. A particularly dangerous protein to people who’re prone to intolerance due to how their body acids break down these proteins is glutelins.
As much as 80% of wheat protein is comprised of glutenin, which is derived from glutelin and the prolamin known as gliadin. These components change when they are mixed together and a chemical reaction ensues. More often than not, they become flexible enough to stretch and this is what gives dough a light and chewy characteristic. It’s the reason why this type of protein is often found in most baking products like flour.
Gluten in Bread
One essential ingredient in any baked good is the dough. Kneading it makes those threads that aids in combining glutenin and gliadin molecules together. More strands are made the longer a dough is kneaded and this affects how chewy a bread or baked product ends up becoming. Plus, these proteins also become thicker when heat is applied. This traps carbon dioxide created by the yeast and is the reason why baked goods become bigger during baking while still holding their shape.
How much gluten is in the flour has a big effect on the product’s texture. For example, flour used in bread has more gluten so it doesn’t become too crumbly or dense while flour in pastry has less because it has to be light and flaky. Glutens are measured out using a farinograph, which is an apparatus that shows the elasticity and density among the other ingredients in the flour.
What is Gluten Intolerance?
What we call gluten intolerance is a label that encompasses three conditions – celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. Research shows that 5 to 10% of the population is affected by some type of gluten sensitivity. However, diagnosing the three illnesses are challenging and this often causes people to suffer from various health dilemmas, unaware that gluten is the reason behind it.
Gluten intolerance often happens when the body’s immune system responds abnormally to wheat and its derivative proteins. Some symptoms of a wheat allergy are digestive disorders, having difficulty breathing and hives. In worst case scenarios, it can result in the life threatening anaphylactic shock. Celiac disease, on the other hand, damages the small intestine and causes it to be inflamed. Those with celiac disease might experience symptoms like bloating, headaches, fatigue and weight loss since the body is having a hard time getting the nutrients it requires.
Living Life without Gluten
Gluten intolerance can make life challenging, especially since avoiding gluten totally is the best way to minimize any ill effects caused by this symptom. However, avoiding gluten 100% is very hard to do since it requires knowing what it is and what products carry it. And since gluten is so prevalent, a person on a gluten-free diet must go through all the labels and check for gluten. Basically, when we say "gluten-free" it’s implicitly implied that the product has lower amount of gluten compared to the basic standard. However, the basic standards of how much gluten is used in different products differ from country to country. Another challenge to someone on a gluten-free is the fact that countless food has these proteins so finding a substitute for the different nutrients that are needed to have a healthy lifestyle is daunting.
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