Page 102 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 13

Wholeness

A GLUTEN FREE GUIDE

Harriet Chebet Ng’ok

ood can be so technical, and a lot of discomforts. For the some of the gluten-free foods that
but once you understand majority of people, gluten is neither are readily available in our ecosys-
some basic principles, it detrimental nor essential for your tem and can be included as part of
Fgets easy to enjoy and meet health, however, there are also a a varied and extra nutritional food
your nutritional needs. What exactly small group of people who develop source.
is gluten? Gluten is a type of protein sensitivity to gluten and can suffer
found primarily in wheat grains in- symptoms like cramps, diarrhea
cluding barley and rye made from a and bloating when they consume it.
combination of gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is not a toxin and despite the
It gives dough it’s stretchy texture concerns, certain foods that some
and bread sponge-like properties. manufactures claim to be ‘gluten
Is it good for you? Gluten causes free’ might not mean they are more
an autoimmune response in people natural, healthier or lower in calo-
with celiac disease, a chronic diges- ries. There are many options these
tive disorder, that ends up damaging days in the gluten-free range that
the small intestine which can lead can be used as replacements, espe-
to major nutritional deficiencies cially for wheat flour. We look at

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