What is gluten?
Gluten is a group of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye. It gives dough its stretch and helps bread rise and keep its shape.
When flour is mixed with water and kneaded, two proteins, glutenin and gliadin, link together into a stretchy network. This network traps the gas produced by yeast, so bread rises and gets a chewy texture. Pasta, pizza crust, cakes and many processed foods contain gluten.
For most people, gluten is harmless. But people with celiac disease have an immune reaction to it that damages the small intestine, so they must avoid gluten completely. Others have wheat allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Gluten-free foods
Rice, corn, potatoes, quinoa, meat, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables and most dairy products are naturally gluten-free. Oats are gluten-free in themselves but are often contaminated with wheat during processing, so people with celiac disease look for certified gluten-free oats.
Did You Know?
About 1 percent of people worldwide have celiac disease, and many do not know it. A doctor can test for it with a blood test before a person stops eating gluten.