Any food with the “gluten free” label has been popular among people living the healhty lifestyle. But what is gluten actually? And why is it considered unhealthy?

The term gluten comes from the Latin word for “glue.” And just like the name suggests, gluten is something in wheat flour that makes food maintain their shape by acting like a glue that holds everything together. In the bread making process, gluten allows the dough to rise and gives it its chewy texture. In another culinary field, gluten is used to make artificial meat for vegans.

Gluten is commonly found in wheat, rye, oats and barley. To some people, gluten may not have significant short-term effects on their body or health. But to some others, gluten is highly dangerous and is completely banned from their diets. So who are not allowed to have gluten, and why?

Gluten’s Not Good for the Digestion of People with Celiac Disease

Gluten is very dangerious for people diagnosed with celiac, a hereditary autoimmune disease. This disorder can’t be treated lightly. To people with this condition, even a very small amount of gluten can lead to the damage of the small intestine that will then cause the body’s failure to absorb nutrients from food. It would further cause diarrhea, bloating, malnutrition, anemia and other complications.

Gluten Triggers Allergic Reactions

Not only for people with celiac disease, gluten is forbidden for all people who have digestive issues. It should also be avoided by people who have gluten hypersensitivity and wheat allergy. They may show several allergic reactions, from headdache to skin irritation, after consuming gluten.

Hyperactivity

Additionally, those with autism are not allowed to have gluten included in their diets. In exchange of being unable to process gluten like normal people, autistic people will produce morphin-like enzyme that leads to hyperactivity.

Obesity

Anything containing gluten is usually not easily digested by the body. This may increase obesity risks. And due to the fact that it isn’t easily processed, gluten causes someone to get sleepy and find it hard to focus on something.

Brain-Related Illnesses Risks

Gluten doesn’t only affect the digestive system, but also the brain. Having too much gluten increases the risk of getting Alzheimer and dementia, two of diseases heavily associated with stress and depression.

Some of the aforementioned disorders, like celiac, are incurable and can only be controlled by having a strict gluten-free diet, which requires the patients to stay away from gluten. However, the awareness of gluten’s danger is still pretty low among Indonesians. The result: there’s not too many gluten-free products people can choose from.

If you’re looking forward to a healthier life, from now on start paying attention to what you consume every day. Go gluten-free with FiberCreme that’s low in sugar, calorie and free from cholesterol. This multi-purpose creamer can also be added to any food or drink to make them tastier and high in fiber. FiberCreme can also replace your regular dairy milk and it’s safe for anyone with lactose intolerance or whey allergy.