What’s up with Being Gluten-Free?

It was less than ten years ago that anyone who wanted to be or had to be gluten-free didn’t have many options. Restaurants weren’t serving gluten-free meals. Grocery stores didn’t carry gluten-free baking mixes. In fact, if you wanted to bake, the only option was rice flour that could be occasionally found at local health food stores. You couldn’t hope to find cookies that tasted “normal” and gluten-free pasta was just a passing, hopeful thought. Fortunately, for individuals who don’t have a choice about being gluten-free, the newest health food trend seems to be just that.

Michael Specter, from The New Yorker, explains what gluten actually is: “Gluten, one of the most heavily consumed proteins on earth, is created when two molecules, glutenin and gliadin, come into contact and form a bond. When bakers knead dough, that bond creates an elastic membrane, which is what gives bread its chewy texture and permits pizza chefs to toss and twirl the dough into the air.” This protein is closely related to caseinate, a milk protein, and is directly related to an autoimmune disease that is found in less than one percent of the world population. However, more and more people are claiming that whether or not they’re actually allergic to gluten, they simply feel better not consuming gluten in their diet.

Many have argued that gluten-free is just the new fad diet; however, there are some studies that suggest otherwise. A few studies have recognized that some people simply don’t do well with gluten protein, as gluten protein is a known inflammatory agent.  Actual evidence is scarce. Doctors and individuals are predominantly acting on anecdotal evidence with the main point being, “If you feel better without gluten in your diet, then don’t eat it.” This has led to roughly 30 percent of the American population to give up consuming gluten, with Europe and Canada not far behind, according to NPR.

While many people look at being gluten-free as a fad weight-loss diet, in reality, it’s more of a lifestyle choice. For most individuals, if they opt to be gluten-free, they’re choosing to listen to their body and feel better. Whether the diet change, which typically means less processed foods, or removing gluten makes them feel better does not matter. The point is to feel better. Further study will need to be done by the scientific community to fully understand the effects of gluten on the body.

The Harmony Company understands the importance of choosing what you put in your body, especially when it comes to natural health supplements. That’s why many of our products, produced by American BioSciences, are gluten-free. Just look for the blue “Gluten-free” label on our products to be able to trust that your supplements are fully gluten-free for your health. Shop online today!