GLUTEN-FREE KIDS
Wheat and grain-based foods are all around us. We love our bagels, pasta,
bread, and breakfast cereals. Without a doubt, wheat plays a major role
in our diets. It supplies about 20% of the total food calories worldwide,
and is a national staple in most countries. As science is increasingly
showing, eating wheat increases the potential for a surprising number of health problems.
Today's hybridized wheat contains novel proteins that are not typically found in either the parent or the plant — some of which are difficult for us to properly digest. Consequently, some scientists suspect that the gluten and other compounds found in today's modern wheat is what's responsible for the rising prevalence of celiac disease, "gluten sensitivity," and other problems.
Gluten is a protein composite of gliadin and glutenin that appears in wheat as well as other grains like rye, barley, and spelt. The problem, however, is in how it is metabolized; we do not have the enzymes to break it down properly.
Thus, it creates an immunogenic response which increases intestinal permeability, thus triggering systemic inflammation by the immune system — what can lead to any number of autoimmune diseases, including celiac, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease and stroke. And this holds true for people who don't have celiac disease.
Wheat also raises blood sugar, the glycemic index of wheat is very high. Consequently, two slices of whole wheat bread increases blood sugar levels higher than a single candy bar.
