Gluten Intolerance – Everything You Need to Know About Celiac Disease

Gluten hides in many everyday foods. Above all, it is contained in cereal products such as bread, cereal, or pasta , but is also found as an additive in many industrially processed products and ready meals.

If you suffer from gluten sensitivity or even celiac disease , i.e., if you experience abdominal pain or worse symptoms after eating gluten-containing products, you should change your diet as soon as possible in order to feel completely comfortable again. Suspected of being gluten intolerant or recently diagnosed? Check out our blog post for everything you need to know to get started.

What exactly is gluten?

Gluten is a gluten protein that is mainly contained in the seeds of various cereals such as wheat, spelt, rye, barley, einkorn, and emmer. The term " gluten protein " is a little misleading because gluten consists of carbohydrates and fats in addition to protein. The proteins they contain are called glutenins and gliadins and are insoluble in water. The water insolubility subsequently ensures that the two proteins combine to form gluten upon contact with water and absorb multiple times their own mass of water.

The following applies: the higher the proportion of adhesive protein in a flour, the more water can be bound, and the larger and more elastic the dough ultimately becomes.

While the gliadins play an important role in the deformability of the dough , glutenins ensure the elasticity of the mass desired during baking. If the dough is kneaded sufficiently, the glutenins form a dense network of protein strands. This network in turn indirectly ensures that the dough can rise properly during baking .

Because of these properties, gluten-containing flours are so popular in the food industry . Wheat enjoys the greatest attention, which is due to the fact that it is particularly rich in gluten proteins. Although this is desirable for the production of tasty products, it can cause problems for sensitive individuals.

Why are so many people unable to tolerate gluten?

But why do many people tolerate gluten while others do not? The reason for this is usually due to a genetic predisposition . If you have these, the immune system incorrectly recognizes gluten as a foreign body and forms defense cells accordingly. However, these immune cells are also directed against the body's own tissue and cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. This overreaction of the immune system is called celiac disease .

In wheat allergy , certain antibodies are formed, which are directed against certain allergens of wheat. However, as the name suggests, this is an allergy and not an autoimmune disease like celiac disease.

Gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, or wheat allergy? How to tell the difference

With all the terms now used to describe the condition when people tolerate gluten poorly or not at all, there can be confusion. In addition, because they are often mistakenly used as synonyms . If you take a closer look at the supposed synonyms, three terms primarily emerge. Gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, and wheat allergy.

Celiac disease – this is what it is

The most serious form, celiac disease , is an autoimmune disease that can trigger chronic inflammation and thus destroy the body's own structures. The immune defense is directed against the proteins contained in gluten. This excessive immune reaction causes inflammation of the small intestinal mucosa, which can be damaged in the long term. This in turn ensures a reduced absorption capacity of nutrients . Thus, some macro- and micronutrients can no longer be adequately absorbed, which is why some people subsequently struggle with deficiency symptoms of various vitamins, minerals, and the like.

However, this disease rarely occurs, which is why the likelihood of actually suffering from celiac disease is, in principle, rather low. For example, in most countries where gluten-containing foods are part of the daily diet, only one percent of the population is affected . Therefore, it is more likely to be one of the following two issues.

Facts about wheat allergy

In wheat allergy , on the other hand, the immune defense is directed against certain components of wheat, usually proteins contained in it. Again, an overreaction of the immune system to actually harmless components is the reason for the problems. In most cases, a genetic predisposition is also responsible for this, but the effects are less serious than with celiac disease.

While wheat allergy is still relatively common in childhood, it is no longer common in adulthood.

Interesting facts about gluten sensitivity

People who do not suffer from a wheat allergy or celiac disease, but who are still sensitive to gluten, are usually affected by a so-called gluten sensitivity . Whether this is actually a disease is controversial in scientific and medical circles . The causes of this sensitivity have also not yet been clarified, but more and more people are reporting problems after eating gluten-containing foods.

The question now is how the different problems manifest themselves. Therefore, we will now take a closer look at the symptoms.

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is usually characterized by gastrointestinal complaints. However, the symptoms can vary greatly, which is why this autoimmune disease is also referred to as the "chameleon of gastrointestinal diseases".

However, the most common complaints include the following problems:

However, the symptoms can also be felt on other levels. Because of the destroyed mucous membrane and limited absorption capacity of nutrients, nutrient deficiencies can occur. This can, in turn, manifest in a wide variety of symptoms. Find out more here.

Wheat allergy symptoms

The wheat allergy is generally manifested by very similar symptoms to celiac disease. Here, too, gastrointestinal problems are the focus, but the signs are also very versatile.

The most common complaints are as follows:

Symptoms of gluten sensitivity

The symptoms of gluten sensitivity are very non-specific and can be manifested by a wide variety of complaints. However, the most common symptoms again include gastrointestinal complaints . Abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, fatigue, and headaches are just some of the possible signs. However, muscle discomfort or bone and joint pain is also occasionally reported.

If you have noticed any of the symptoms mentioned, it is advisable to see a doctor . This is the only way to clarify what it is actually about. For wheat allergy as well as for celiac disease , there are certain test methods for diagnosis – however, the diagnosis of gluten sensitivity is much more complicated, since there are no direct test methods and therefore some factors must first be excluded before a diagnosis can be made.

Gluten-free diet – that's how it's done

If you now have an intolerance to gluten, you should avoid the gluten protein as much as possible. People affected by celiac disease in particular should take it very seriously, as even small amounts can have serious consequences.

But how do you eat gluten-free at all ? Which products should be avoided, and which alternatives are available? We will now take a closer look at these questions.

If you plan to eat gluten-free, you should avoid the following cereals and products produced from them:

This means that all products made from these cereals or containing them in any form are eliminated. Baked goods and pasta can be affected as well as highly processed products such as meat products, ready meals or breaded foods. The insidious thing about the latter products is that you wouldn't necessarily expect gluten for many of these foods. It is therefore advisable to always take a close look at the ingredients or list of ingredients.

How do I recognize gluten-free products?

You can identify gluten-containing ingredients by different indications. On the one hand, some manufacturers indicate "gluten-free" on their packaging. This is usually supplemented by the symbol of the crossed-out ear to highlight the characteristic of the product.

If a product is not obviously declared gluten-free, it is worth taking a look at the ingredients list . You can use these to see whether allergens are present. You can recognize these by the fact that they are printed in bold – usually, they are marked with an asterisk, indicating which allergen it is.

What gluten-free products are there?

The list of gluten-containing products can be overwhelming at first glance, but due to increasing demand, there are now a variety of gluten-free alternative products .

You can find a selection of gluten-free foods in the list below:

Recipe: Quinoa porridge with berries

Preparation time 5 min.

Cook Time 20 min.

Total time 25 min.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 70 g quinoa
• 150 ml plant milk
• 2 tbsp agave syrup
• 50 g berries
• 15 g walnuts

Preparation

• Put the quinoa in a pot with twice the amount of liquid and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes of cooking, add the plant milk and the agave syrup to the pot and simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Once your quinoa porridge is ready and has a creamy consistency, turn off the heat and add the berries, stirring to combine.
• The best way to enhance the flavor of the quinoa porridge is to add some agave syrup, if necessary.
• As a topping, you can use different nuts; here, we have chosen walnuts. Coconut flakes are also suitable.

As you can see, there are many natural substitutes that work just as well. It's best to unleash your creativity, as giving up something can also mean discovering new things . You can find some gluten-free recipe ideas to inspire your creative side here.

Is oats gluten-free or not?

As you may have noticed, oats are both on the list of gluten-containing foods and on the list of gluten-free foods. This is because oats often come into contact with gluten-containing cereals in the production process and thus contain gluten, albeit in small amounts. However, if you have celiac disease and must avoid any contact with gluten protein, you should ensure that the oats are declared "gluten-free" . Because only then can you be certain that they have not come into contact with gluten during the manufacturing process.

Easy gluten-free breakfast

After everything revolves around breakfast, we would like to give you a few tips for your gluten-free breakfast. Some of our cereals and porridges are basically gluten-free – you can recognize them by the crossed-out ear on the packaging. So you can enjoy these products without hesitation .

However, if you have a little more time to prepare your breakfast, it may be worthwhile to take a look at our recipes. Gluten-free overnight oats, for example, are a delicious way to start the day stronger.

Gluten-free overnight oats with berries

Preparation time 5 min.

Let it steep in the fridge 2 hrs

Total time 2 hrs 5 min.

Servings: 1

Ingredients

• 60g Verival Strawberry Chia Porridge
• 180 ml milk or gluten-free plant-based drink (e.g., rice drink)
• Fruit of your choice (raspberries, strawberries)
• 1 tsp agave syrup

Preparation

• Place the gluten-free Verival Strawberry Chia Porridge in a jar of your choice. For example, in a mason jar.
• Then add about twice the amount of liquid and mix everything together well. If you like, you can also add a teaspoon of agave syrup.
• Then put the gluten-free overnight oats in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• After the overnight oats have swollen in the fridge, you can enhance them with toppings of your choice. Especially fresh or frozen berries go very well with this overnight oats variant.

In addition, there are many ways to maintain your old breakfast habits by simply replacing the gluten-containing ingredients with gluten-free alternative products . For example, if you are a fan of fluffy pancakes, you can replace the gluten-containing flour with rice flour or ground gluten-free oats.

For cornflakes lovers, there are now gluten-free cornflakes based on corn, for bread fans, there are gluten-free flour mixtures, and for cereal junkies, there are also nutritious cereals.

So, we wish you a pleasant start to the day and a good appetite!