The truth about gluten.

There appears to have been a big swing to gluten-free eating of late. But what is 'gluten' ?.

Ask the average person and they will tell you thet "gluten is a fat, so by going gluten-free, i'm eating healthily". These people are not very well informed. Glute is, in fact, a protien. In fact, it is the protien that makes bread 'elastic' and cakes 'spongey'.
It is NOT (and never has been) a fat.

Gluten is found only in wheat, barley and rye. It is NOT found in meat, vegetable or dairy products. Neither is it found in fish, fruit or drinks, despite what the supermarkets may tell you.

I have noticed that there are a growing range of 'specialist' food ranges on the supermarket shelves. however, a big deal is being made about items being 'Gluten-free' with whole swathes of products from bread to yoghurts all boasting their gluten free pedigree. Apart from bread, cakes and any products made with wheat, barley or rye flour, the likelyhood that a product will contain gluten is in fact, 0% as anyone who suffers from coeliacs disorder will tell you.

Coeliacs suffer from a disease in which the intake of gluten-based products causes the small intestine to release anti-bodies to attack the gluten protiens. However these anti-bodies also attack and flatten the 'hairs' contained within the small intestine, thus preventing them from 'grabbing' passing food particles and digesting the goodness from them. This inturn can cause issuses with anemia, drowsiness and lack of energy.

Coeliacs have to avoid gluten at all costs or end up suffering.

Everyone else can eat gluten without any issues.

When gluten is removed from food, something else needs to be added to make the food more palletable. This is normally either suger or fats, so that 'healthy' gluten-free diet you are on is actually quite bad for you with all that added fat and sugar.