Often when it comes to figuring out sensitivities, a common problem is wheat and/or gluten. However, wheat sensitivity and allergy is different than gluten sensitivity. Let’s try to figure this out now...
Wheat sensitivity is exactly as it sounds. When you or your baby consume wheat, you get symptoms that suggest a reaction such as rashes, gas, funky stools and mucous. It’s not life-threatening nor does a sensitivity show up in traditional allergy testing. People that are sensitive to wheat should avoid wheat including products that say “may contain wheat.”
A wheat allergy occurs when the immune system becomes sensitized and over-reacts to wheat. The body’s immune system puts up a fight to attack the allergen and this shows up in a variety of symptoms including rashes, hives, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, asthma, and anaphylaxis. To test for an allergy to wheat, a skin-prick test or a blood test which measures IgE antibodies in the blood are most commonly used by allergists. A wheat allergy is potentially life-threatening and needs to be managed by avoiding all sources of wheat and wheat contamination. Some people may even require the use of an epi-pen or other medicines to mitigate against serious reactions.
A non-celiac gluten sensitivity occurs when people eat gluten products and have reactions similar to a wheat sensitivity but do not have the autoimmune response in the body that a person with Celiac Disease has when they eat gluten. In addition, people with gluten sensitivity have to avoid more than just wheat.
If we think of these sensitivities in a hierarchy of consequences, a wheat allergy stands on its own because allergies are different than sensitivities and allergies can be life-threatening.. When it comes to sensitivity, the hierarchy will be wheat sensitivity, followed by gluten sensitivity, followed by Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the body in response to eating gluten and it is THE reason for the gluten free lifestyle. People with diagnosed Celiac Disease have great consequences on their health than those with wheat or gluten sensitivities.
Avoiding gluten is a bit more challenging than just avoiding wheat. Unlike wheat, which is a top 8 allergen that must be identified on food labels, you will not find labeling on a food package that says “this product contains gluten.” So when shopping, you really need to be familiar with what gluten is and where it could be found in food. People that are sensitive to gluten must avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale and other wheat and barley derivatives such as couscous, farina, farro, durum, barley malt. There is a host of hidden ingredients that may indicate gluten and nearly 80% of processed food items contain gluten. It is found in the most unexpected places including chocolate and other candy, dressings, soy sauce and other condiments, seasoning mixes and the list just goes on and on. Here is a link for ingredients to be avoided when on a gluten free diet. http://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsafe-Gluten-Free-Food-List-Unsafe-Ingredients/Page1.html
We often see on our board, “What grains are safe for someone avoiding gluten? Gluten sensitive people can still eat rice, quinoa, corn, buckwheat, sorghum amaranth, millet.
Another common slip up is oats. Read this: Oats are gluten free. I repeat oats are gluten free. That said, people avoiding gluten or wheat should be purchasing certified gluten free oats. This is because oats are commonly contaminated by wheat and the only safe product for those avoiding wheat and gluten is certified gluten free oats.
So how do you avoid wheat and gluten and make wise shopping choices? The easiest is to first choose foods that are already naturally free of these products including butcher meats, fruits, veggies, gluten free grains, beans, legumes, nuts, eggs and dairy. These items are on the outside perimeter of your grocery store. Remember, many processed foods contain gluten. The second is to read all labels carefully. If a product says “may contain wheat” avoid it for now. Third, if you must want to find a suitable substitute for your favorite bread or pasta, choose a labeled gluten free food. For a food to be labeled gluten free, the gluten content in the product must be below 20ppm. This means it’s a safe product for those with Celiac Disease. Fourth, avoid choosing items in bulk bins. Flour flies!! Bulk bins are a major source of contamination for other allergens. Fifth, if you don’t recognize the ingredient or can’t remember all the potential sources of gluten, just avoid the product and make another choice.
