Gluten

What are glutens?

Glutens are proteins that occur naturally in certain grains such as wheat, spelt, rye and barley. Gluten, for instance, make bread fluffy. Gluten are digested in your gastrointestinal system. When gluten cannot be properly digested in the gastrointestinal system, they are a risk factor for the formation of gas in the intestines.

Coeliac disease

For people with celiac disease, the body reacts violently to the intake of gluten. The body produces antibodies that attack the body’s own cells. This causes an inflammatory reaction in the lining of the small intestine, damaging it. A damaged intestinal wall cannot absorb nutrients as effectively, causing deficiencies.
Coeliac disease is a serious condition, seeking medical help is important here. This page is not about celiac disease.

Difference between glutens and fructans

There is sometimes some confusion about the difference between fructans and glutens.

Gluten are proteins found in various cereal products such as wheat, rye, spelt and barley. Fructans are also found in wheat products, which is why glutens and fructans can be confused. Fructans are also found in various vegetables and fruits, these products do not contain gluten.

What foods contain gluten?

Gluten is found in products made from certain grains such as wheat, spelt, barley and rye. Below are the most common gluten-containing products, but the complete list is much longer.

• Bread, luxury rolls, rusks and crackers
• Breakfast cereals
• Pasta, noodles, vermicelli, couscous
• Pizza
• Flour and cake mixes
• Pastries and cakes
• Beer

Gluten may also be present in products in which gluten-containing binding agents have been used or which may contain a gluten-containing breadcrumb or spice mixture. These include:

• Sauces
• Soups
• Stock
• Gravy
• Processed meat, sausages and minced meat
• Confectionery and crisps

There are also a number of cereals that are naturally gluten-free, but often contain gluten due to cross-contamination. These include:

• Oats
• Buckwheat
• Quinoa

How do you deal with gluten?

If gluten is a risk factors for you for developing intestinal gas, there are fortunately a number of things you can do about this. One of the things you can do is adjust your diet.

Dietary adjustments

By limiting the consumption foods rich in gluten, you can reduce the risk of gas forming in the intestines. The types of food that pose a risk of gas can vary from person to person.

Finding out which foods pose a risk for you is often quite a quest. But if all goes well, you will eventually get to know your body and know which foods pose a risk of forming gas for you. If you find this difficult, a dietician can help you with this.

Digestive enzymes

Legislation regarding health claims on dietary supplements, cosmetic products and medical devices unfortunately prevents us from providing information on the use of supplements (containing digestive enzymes).