"Is there gluten here?" Even people who have no problems with it are increasingly asking themselves this question. Numerous consumers swear by a low-gluten or gluten-free diet . But is this renunciation healthy at all?
In this post, we will first give you an overview of what gluten is and what benefits a low-gluten diet can offer. We also introduce you to gluten-free foods for your meals. And finally, you'll learn what your delicious, gluten-free breakfast can look like.
What is gluten?
Before we deal with the question of whether it is healthy to abstain from gluten, it is first necessary to clarify what gluten is all about.
Simply put, gluten is made up of various proteins found in the seeds of certain grains. You may have heard the term glue or glue protein before. This is due to the properties of gluten: mixed with water, gluten binds wheat flour to a homogeneous dough.
The food industry uses this effect, which is why you can also find gluten as a thickener in many ready meals.
Intolerance vs. celiac disease – the difference
Even though gluten is contained in many products and certain basic foods, not all people can enjoy it. The diseases in which gluten causes symptoms are listed under the collective term "gluten intolerance" .
Thus, a supply of gluten in celiac patients leads to damage to the intestinal mucosa. These inflammations in the small intestine ensure that nutrients are not absorbed properly. In addition, those affected report sometimes severe symptoms such as fatigue, weight loss, flatulence, etc.
The difference between celiac disease and "normal" gluten intolerance is that the former is an autoimmune disease and the latter can be counted as allergies. Antibodies are formed after the intake, as the proteins are seen as a danger by the body. The symptoms are also generally milder.
In addition, there is the so-called gluten sensitivity , in which sufferers report intestinal complaints after eating gluten-containing foods. However, this is not an autoimmune disease or allergy. An increased incidence of this type of intolerance can be observed in patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.
A slightly different form of intolerance is wheat allergy . Here, symptoms such as respiratory and skin problems occur upon external contact. However, an allergy to wheat rarely occurs in adults and is more likely to affect children.
The benefits of a gluten-free diet
Apart from the fact that many people are not allowed to eat gluten-containing products due to intolerances or allergies, many voluntarily abstain from gluten. That certainly has numerous advantages, right?
One reason may be modern wheat. Over the past few centuries, the wheat has been " bred up ", that is, the original plant has been increased by selection and crossing in the number of chromosomes (structures in the cell that consist of our DNA and various proteins). The reason is that the modified wheat has a higher resistance to environmental conditions or pests and a higher yield. However, the immune system can also react sensitively to the large number of proteins, as the structure differs significantly from the original grain.
Are there disadvantages?
As with any one-sided diet, malnutrition can also occur here. Replacement products often have less fiber and a higher fat and calorie content.
This also invalidates the argument that a gluten-free diet is suitable for weight loss. If you compare normal products with the gluten-free alternative, the latter often contain more.
It is important to mention at this point that we do not want to make a recommendation for or against the consumption of gluten. If you feel that a gluten-free diet is good for you, then a consultation with your doctor is advisable.
Avoid these products
Now that you know so much about gluten and the reasons for abstaining, let's introduce the foods you should avoid or are allowed to eat.
Basically, gluten is found in cereals , especially in wheat, spelt, barley, rye, bulgur and couscous. This applies to all possible forms such as flour, flakes, semolina or bran.
Products similar to cereals such as amaranth, buckwheat, corn, rice, millet or quinoa can be eaten with confidence.
Attention should also be paid to foods where wheat products are further processed , such as breaded products. Even if food does not contain gluten, cross-contamination with gluten-containing ingredients can occur in production. Therefore, if you want to be sure, pay attention to the "gluten-free" label.
As already briefly mentioned, gluten-containing products may be used as thickeners in the production of food. However, gluten should not be confused with glutamate , also known as E 620 to E 625. However, these are flavour enhancers that are often used in Asian cuisine. They consist only of individual amino acids and not – as with gluten – of a complete protein.
Are oatmeal gluten-free?
You may be wondering at this point if oatmeal contains gluten. In principle, the flakes contain a very small amount or no amount of the substance. However, there is often contamination with gluten during the production process, which is why the flakes cannot be described as gluten-free.
Did you know that a large number of criteria must be met for the production of gluten-free oatmeal in order to be allowed to use the term "gluten-free"? For example, the processing machines must be thoroughly cleaned to comply with the regulations.
Verival does this for you
Of course, we at Verival are also aware that more and more people have to renounce gluten or voluntarily do so. That's why we have our own "gluten-free" category , with which you can conveniently view our complete gluten-free range.
For those who just don't tolerate gluten that well, we can recommend trying our products with whole grain cereals. For these muesli variations, old varieties were recultivated and produced in our own contract cultivation. Because these old Urkorn varieties are very natural and not "highly bred", they are easier to digest and are better tolerated.
Our gluten-free breakfast idea
Fancy making your own gluten-free breakfast? Then try our simple gluten-free recipe. Overnight oats can be prepared the night before and are therefore ideal as a meal prep.
Gluten-free overnight oats with berries
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 refine them with toppings of your choice. Especially fresh or frozen berries go very well with this overnight oats variant.
