Wheat intolerance and Gluten Intolerance

What is Wheat Intolerance?

Most of us consume a certain amount of wheat every day; Wheat is a staple and nutritious diet for many people around the world. However, many people do not realise that the underlying cause for some of their ailments could be due to wheat intolerance. A person with wheat intolerance does not have the digestive enzymes to digest wheat thus making the person feel unwell.

Symptoms of wheat intolerance

The symptoms of wheat intolerance are often similar with other ailments and are often overlooked. Symptoms such as aching joints, bloating, flatulence, fluid retention, eczema and joint pains can be relieved with medical help and by eliminating wheat from our diet.

Many people find it difficult to eliminate wheat as it is found in many food products. Wheat are made into bread, noodles, pasta and pies which is a staple diet for many, it is also found in sauces, thickening agent, tin soups, sausage and more.

What is Gluten Intolerance?

Wheat is one of the main problems for people who suffer from gluten intolerance. However, wheat intolerance is not necessarily linked to gluten intolerance. People suffering from gluten intolerance are sensitive to the gluten, a protein found commonly in wheat, barley, rye and oats.

A person with gluten intolerance could develop a inflammatory condition called Celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder caused by a reaction to gliadin, one of the main proteins in gluten. Exposure to gliadin damages the lining of the small intestine (villi). These intestinal villi play a significant role in digestion and absorption of nutrients. The damaged and inflamed intestinal villi interfere with the absorption of water and nutrients such as vitamins, folic acid, iron and calcium.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance

Celiac disease is a lifelong inflammatory condition. It can affect a person at any age. You will be more susceptible to celiac disease if it runs in the family. People with suffer from Type 1 Diabetes, thyroid problems and ulcerative colitis have an increased chance of developing celiac disease.

Diarrhoea, weight loss, fatigue are some of the common symptom of gluten intolerant. The inability to absorb nutrients efficiently would also result in several ailments such as:

Weight loss, fatigue and lack of energy due to poor absorption of carbohydrates.
Poor absorption of iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 could give rise to anaemia.
Could develop lactose intolerant causing intolerant to milk products which is high in calcium. Malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D will result in poor bone density and development of osteoporosis.

Consult your doctor if you have some of the symptoms or if you are worried about celiac disease. Celiac disease can be diagnosed through blood test which is test to check for anaemia and test to detect antibodies which are often found in celiac disease. Further test is needed to diagnose the disease and this is through endoscopy and biopsy.

Food to avoid for gluten intolerance

As gluten intolerance could be a lifelong condition (in relation to celiac disease), the most effective way of treatment is eliminating the food that will make you unwell. Peter Tremayne - Author of 'The Essential Gluten Free guide" states that for the newly diagnosed celiac, a life without wheat and other gluten containing grains can be a daunting prospect, particularly as it appears in various guises in foods you wouldn't suspect.

Here's a list of foods that contain gluten:

Food that uses wheat, rye, barley and oats as an ingredient to make cakes, bread, flour, biscuits, soups, sausages, gravy and foods cooked in batter.
Real Ales, home-made beers, low alcohol beers and lagers also contain gluten.
Flour such as Spelt, Kamut and other flours that are suitable for people who are wheat intolerance are not suitable for as these products contain gliadin which is a source of gluten.

Gluten free alternatives

Gliadin free flour is rice flour, cornflour, maize flour, soya flour, potato flour and arrowroot.
Foods such as rice, sago, tapioca, sweetcorn, buckwheat, tofu and quinoa are suitable alternative to a gluten free diet.
Alcoholic drinks like whisky, wine, spirits, liqueurs and malt whisky is also gluten free.
Nowadays it is possible to buy gluten free food such as gluten free bread, gluten free cakes, gluten free biscuits and even gluten free fish fingers at health shops and major supermarkets.