{"id":218,"date":"2013-03-10T14:23:51","date_gmt":"2013-03-10T14:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/happyglutenfree.com\/?page_id=218"},"modified":"2013-03-18T21:03:58","modified_gmt":"2013-03-18T21:03:58","slug":"what-is-gluten","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/happyglutenfree.com\/what-is-gluten\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Gluten?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Gluten, as it is most commonly referred to – and as we refer to it throughout this website, \u00a0is a protein composite that comes primarily from wheat, barley, and rye.<\/p>\n
The word gluten is pronounced “glue-ten<\/em>“.<\/p>\n It cannot be seen with the naked eye – it is microscopic.<\/p>\n Gluten is in flours made from wheat, barley, or rye. However, the gluten proteins can be isolated and added to products that are not made from flour.<\/p>\n Other grains that contain gluten are spelt, semolina, farro, durum, einkorn, and kamut.<\/p>\n Gluten has certain characteristics that make it useful in a variety of foods and products:<\/p>\n Given these benefits, it is not surprising that it can be found in all kinds of products you consume.<\/p>\n For example, many processed meats (read: fake meats) are made from a combination of meat broth and gluten. The gluten (and several other chemicals) make the stuff seem like meat, and gluten gives it protein and flavor.<\/p>\n Gluten is present in some cosmetics, in flavored drinks, and even in shampoo.<\/p>\n Not all gluten is bad. In particular, the gluten protein from wheat, barley, and rye is the one that causes an immune response from people with celiac disease and causes those with an intolerance to gluten to have a reaction.<\/p>\n Corn and rice gluten do not have the same protein structure and they do not cause the same reaction in people with sensitivities.<\/p>\n Many gluten-free products are made from rice and corn flours because they are considered gluten-free grains.<\/p>\n Gluten cannot be removed from wheat (or rye) bread by any method. There is no such thing as gluten-free wheat flour or gluten-free wheat bread.<\/p>\n Oats are often mentioned as one of the gluten grains. Oats have a protein with a similar structure to gluten and some in some studies, that protein causes a reaction just like the gluten protein.<\/p>\n In addition, oats are often processed on the same equipment as wheat, barley, or rye and they are then cross contaminated.<\/p>\n\u00a0Why gluten is everywhere<\/h2>\n
\n
What about rice and corn?<\/h2>\n
Why are oats often listed as a gluten grain?<\/h2>\n