Gluten Free
BAKES by Sarah.
What is gluten?
You've probably heard of gluten at some point in your life, because it is everywhere and in almost everything, but rarely do people know how vital gluten is to consistency and texture in everything we eat! Gluten is a family of sticky, elastic proteins found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye, that gives baked goods its shape and elasticity, as well as being used as a stabilizer in many recipes and sauces.
What is gluten most commonly found in?
Did you know that approximately 80% of food products contain gluten? Aside from the commonly known breads and beers, gluten can also be found in most soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, salad dressings with malt vinegar, brown gravy mixes, marinades, barbecue sauces, breadcrumbed meat, sushi and imitation crab, ice cream with cookie/dough crumbles, candy bars with crispy/wafer/cookie fillings, licorice, granola bars, chips, most premadde soup cans, ramen, broth cubes, pastas, vitamins and supplements, and cereals. Thats only a cursory glance at what gluten is found in.
Is gluten dangerous?
For most people, not at all! Gluten has been a staple of society for thousands of years. However gluten allergies often went unacknowledged until the mid-20th century. Today we know approximatly 1% of the United States population has Celiacs disease, and 6% has a non Celiac related gluten sensativity. Thats 1 in every 100 Americans with a gluten allergy, and 83% of Americans with celiac disease are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to react to the gluten protein and attack the lining of your small intestine, which can lead to a series of painful symtoms, and, if ignored, can eventually cause stomach and gastrointestinal cancers. The only way to stop the autoimmune response is though an entirely gluten-free diet. The problem is that gluten is very sticky, which means that it is extremely easy to be cross contaminated if proper precautions aren't considered. Any food that shares the same factory or prep station can be dangerous for someone with Celiac Disease. Even a single crumb can trigger a serious auto-immune attack.