Celiac disease: the differences between intolerance and allergy, the precautions, the permitted foods

Gluten allergic? Or sensitive? Intolerance, hypersensitivity, allergy are not the same thing, but there is still a lot of confusion about it.
Celiac disease It is an intolerance with an autoimmune componentin which an abnormal response to gluten by the immune system triggers aninflammation chronic that produces its damage in the long run.

The case of aallergy to wheat, in which the immune reaction
it is immediate and seriousas well as generally directed against wheat proteins such as albumin, gliadine, globulin and glutenin.
Specific antibodies are created in the food allergy against an allergen giving acute reactions that can arrive up to anaphylactic shock.

In case of celiac disease gluten is toxic But it does its damage over time, through the inflammation of the tissues that starts from the intestine but then affects the whole body a bit: for example, damages the uterus to
To bring to infertility, increases the cardiovascular risk and can lead to disorders such as headaches and neuropathies, while the malabsorption of nutrients slowly can cause anemia or osteoporosis.

Hypersensitivity

For some time now we have been talking about gluten hypersensitivity, or sensitivity
to gluten does not celiac, but it is a condition still to the studythere are no certainties that it is a real disease and what are, in the event, the mechanisms that unleash it.
It has been defined as an hypersensitivity to gluten in which, however, there are no lesions of the mucous membrane of the intestine or alterations of markers in the blood; It is therefore identified above all by exclusion. As he observes Marco Silanoat the head of the scientific board of AIC, « we must however keep in mind that Gluten in itself is difficult to digestfor everyone; In addition, we introduce it by eating baking products, in which the presence of yeast can further slow down digestion ».

In many cases there is therefore no intolerance but one digestive difficulty which can then be manifested with symptoms such as pain, meteorism, diarrhea
Or even tiredness, headache, annoyed mind.

Gluten -free foods today healthy and good

Who is celiac (And between not much even at birth it will be possible to understand if you are) must Eliminate gluten from the dietforever.
Thus the inflammation is fulfilled, the intestine returns to having a healthy appearance and functioning as it should, the self-antibodies return to the norm and the risk of complications is averted. All good news, as well as the greater ease in following a gluten -free diet today compared to the past, when it was a bet to find the products gluten free To replace foods such as bread, pasta, biscuits that are often based on wheat flour or other cereals that contain gluten.

Today these foods, which by law contain less than 20 milligrams of gluten per kilo so that even in the event of excessive consumption, celiacs are not likeing anything, they are found on the shelves of any supermarket and not only in the pharmacy, more they are good and healthy. In some cases, the composition of ready gluten -free industrial products can include less proteins and fatter and sugars than the counterparties with gluten, to ensure the pleasantness of the taste or texture of the food, but Almost never there are nutritional differences such as to justify a demonization of gluten -free foods.
For example, in the biscuits on average there are a little more fatbecause otherwise they would be less attractive, and in general the products gluten free They have a lower protein content: however, just read the labels and choose the most balanced products to have no problems.

Moreover, having to follow a gluten -free diet could actually be a health opportunity because i Naturally gluten -free foods There are many, from vegetables to fish, from cheeses to eggs, from fruit to fruit, to cereals such as rice, corn, buckwheat: choose these ingredients as a base for cooking your gluten -free meals allows you to follow one balanced Mediterranean diet without effort and renunciations, but also without having to resort to ready industrial products Gluten Free.

The good

The problem is rather that specific foods for celiacs they still cost
a little more Compared to the standard ones because production is quantitatively lower and making them is often more complicated, starting from the research necessary to create tasty and balanced recipes without being able to use gluten.
From the 1980s in Italy they have been disbursed vouchers With which to cover a part of the cost of food gluten free: today I am digital In almost all regions, thus facilitating their use everywhere, even far from home. The amount varies by age group and sex because it takes into account the different energy needs:
The vouchers are used to cover 35% of daily calories from carbohydrates That it is estimated can come from replacement products, while the remaining 20% ​​to reach the total of the daily need in carbohydrates is considered to come from foods naturally gluten -free.

Avert contamination

Contaminations can create problems because they lead to an unchanged, involuntary hiring and not quantifiable of gluten And this can keep inflammation « on ».
However, we must not become obsessive, because they are enough Few precautions In the kitchen in order not to risk: keep the tools well clean (it is not necessary to have a battery of pots especially for the celiac of the house, just wash them well), cook the version first gluten free foods, preserving gluten -free products in a separate area and making them recognizable is very useful, as well as closing the container of wheat flour well e Clean the work surface After using it, because « sprinkle » a lot around, or use two different jars of rooms for preparations with and gluten -free because it is easy to contaminate it without realizing it. The same goes for packs that remain open for a long time (jams, sauces, butter).