What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

[QC]

Seriously, I went to buy some Rice Checks for Mrs. QC and the store brand was $2 cheaper so I got those. She says, "but the real ones are Gluten Free", so I check the box and these are Gluten free too, so I dodged that bullet Anyway . . . I said to her this morning "why don't I want this Gluten stuff?" And she says "I dunno, I think it makes people bloated". LOL, WTF? I swear I am going to start asking for extra Gluten when I order at a restaurant. When someone says I can't have it I am pretty sure I want more of it . . . :redface:

 

[Jerryh3]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Some people are allergic to it.

 

[j_martin]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Gluten is the plastic like protein that makes bread rise. If you chew on some wheat berries for a long time, some of it will develop into a gum of sorts. Us country folks call it wheat gum.

Low gluten wheat makes lousy bread.

Like any protein substance, some people are alergic to it. A mild case will make your tummy upset a bit and feel bloated.

If she eats ordinary bread with no ill effects, gluten isn't a problem.

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

As John said.
If you are both over...say... thirty, and haven't found a reason for you not to eat gluten-containing foods, there probably is no reason.

Gluten-free bread is kind of like decaffeinated coffee, or no-alcohol beer; better than nothing but only just...

 

[rbh]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Some people cannot digest it, celiac disease, immune system disfunction.

 

[QC]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Gluten-free bread is kind of like decaffeinated coffee, or no-alcohol beer; better than nothing but only just...

I knew I wanted more of it . . .

Sorry if I sound inconsiderate of other's allergies. We have a few with lactose issues here, so I get that. It just seems like everywhere I look now there are Gluten warnings or labels. Don't recall ever hearing of Gluten say 10 years ago. I guess this is Wheat based only?

 

[Brewman61]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Those who are allergic to wheat glueten usually know it and have to do what they need to do to avoid it. The rest is simply advertising hype- the plaster "Gluten Free" on a box of cereal and the lemmings figure gluten=bad (without researching it at all) and snap up the gluten free product. It's nice though that those who need to avoid the stuff have the choices. But I'm not buying the gluten free craze as anything other than a way for food makers to generate some sales. After all, people have had gluten allergies since Adam was in diapers, but only just now we get the gluten free craze?
Kinda like putting "Fat Free" on a product that doesn't have any fat in the first place. Like Lettuce.
Or gluten free popcorn- the gluten in popcorn isn't the same as wheat gluten and there doesn't seem to be much of a need for the stuff.
Marketing....................

 

[QC]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Kinda like putting "Fat Free" on a product that doesn't have any fat in the first place. Like Lettuce.

Yeah, like Gluten Free Rice Checks . . .

 

[salty87]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

lactose is one of the first items to check in a diet when the person is bloated or having digestive issues. it's relatively easy to cut dairy out to see if the symptoms improve. if they don't, move on to gluten and after that all sorts of crazy stuff like eliminating alcohol from their diet.

my wife recently eliminated dairy, gluten, beer, and red wine from her diet...i mean our kitchen. she doesn't mind if i have a few cold ones at least.

anyway, turns out in her case it was the gluten. she's gotten back on dairy with no ill effects....hello again queso!!! a dairy free diet is a cruel punishment. gluten free isn't much better. rice generally has no gluten and you can find pasta and all sorts of stuff made out of it. the pasta is pretty good.

 

[DJ]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

You like big FAT enriched steaks?? Guess what the cows are fed, at the feed lot?

Guess what-GLUTEN! Pounds pay the bills-NOT qaulity

Nuff said.

 

[southkogs]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

I actually have to watch gluten. It can cause me some problems digestively and with weight. It's kind of a pain - especially when you REALLY like pizza However, both my wife and my daughters like experimenting with alternative flours that don't have the gluten. The plus side is we wind up with a lot more protein and roughage in our diet, and less carbs. And I'm having an easier time keeping weight off ... especially when I sneak a pizza

Interestingly, one of my girls is gluten intolerant (worse than me), and switching to grass fed beef has been a plus for both of us (as DJ said, most cows are fed a grain diet). And I think the free range stuff tastes better anyway. I guess I'm kinda' getting on the "less processed" food bandwagon some.

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Growin up on the farm we pushed 1500 to 2000 head of cattle through every year. My Dad started adding Gluten to the feed in bout 1982. Our live weights on the amimals jumped about 15%. Gluten is fed to "mature" the cattle. They gain more weight faster. It isn't fat as previously stated. Muscle weighs more than fat. It's meat. It acts as a growth Hormone. The theory goes, when you feed gluten to the cows, it builds up in their muscles and stays there adding mass and since we eat the muscle of the animal, it builds up in us and our children.
Gluten has been linked to early puberty in children, Alziemers, Dimentia, ADD, Autism and Cancer. I mixed it in the feed on a daily basis.
If I knew then what I know now, I'd have never fed it.

 

[rbh]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


Mad cow disease????

 

[Fishing Dude too]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Okay here is the real poo on Gluten as told to me by the great gods. A gluten is a small creature that lives in the woods, being small as it is gets caught up in the farm equipment, being ground to a pulp, and mixing in with the grains of harvest. PETA has been aware of this for many years, to stop the painful demise of these creatures they launched a gluten free campane to stop these needless deaths. They really cause no harm to the human body but they are cute and cuddly as a mountain lion with rabies. So you have nothing really to fear from gluten in your food except a larger waist line, bigger man boobs, and countless hours on a treadmill to rid your body of these fat cells in your body.

Either that or it's a protein in wheat (only know from bread making) that is added or in hard red winter wheat that makes bread dough have elastic properties needed to make a nice loaf of bread.

 

[relocyo]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

I figure this is important, esp. Here... Gluten is also found in beer, being in the industry, people allergic to gluten cant drink regular beer (can u imagine the horror!!) But recently gluten free beer has been carving out its niche in the "craft" beer market (i know calling it a "craft" beer is stretching it) but is popular for those with gluten problems. And actualy is quite expensive for some of the brands we offer...

I figured that to be pertinent to a forum of mostly chest banging males (including myself)

 

[240 LTS]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

The Gluten Diet: Just a Myth? Pt. 1

From Dr Oz.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/could-gluten-free-diet-be-making-you-fat-pt-1

My wife wants me to try the gluten free diet.



.

 

[Bigprairie1]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

Gluten is another German word....for invasion, which is probably why you don't want it or it sounds like a bad thing.
BP

 

[veritas honus]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

You can also buy wheat gluten as a texturized vegetable protein (TVP). It is used as a meat substitute, like tofu. There is a product available in some health food stores called "Setan" pronounced "seetan" It's wheat gluten that looks kind of like a moist, fiberous thin cut of light brown meat. It's actually very good. I think it has a very good texture and consistancy. It has a mild and pleasant flavor that really takes on the flavors of whatever you cook it with. It goes really well in saucy asian meals.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

I knew I wanted more of it . . .

Sorry if I sound inconsiderate of other's allergies. We have a few with lactose issues here, so I get that. It just seems like everywhere I look now there are Gluten warnings or labels. Don't recall ever hearing of Gluten say 10 years ago. I guess this is Wheat based only?

You can add another weird one to the list, although you won't see as much advertising about it.

I have a casein allergy. A protein in dairy.
Generally, I'll explain that, and for clarification, say that I can't eat dairy, and whoever I'm talking to will say, "Oh, you're lactose intolerant?"

Uhh, no. I just explained that. I have a casein allergy. I'm fine with the lactose.


Casein-free and gluten-free are sometimes lumped together in the same diet (I guess they have similar molecular structures), although I don't have any problem with gluten.


My biggest symptom? Canker Sores in my mouth and throat, which usually show up 2-3 days after giving in and eating a slice of pizza, or a scoop of ice cream.

Pretty crappy allergy. Pleasure of one bowl of ice cream = 2 weeks of punishment.

 

[veritas honus]

Re: What the heck is Gluten, and why don't I want it?

You can add another weird one to the list, although you won't see as much advertising about it.

I have a casein allergy. A protein in dairy.
Generally, I'll explain that, and for clarification, say that I can't eat dairy, and whoever I'm talking to will say, "Oh, you're lactose intolerant?"

Uhh, no. I just explained that. I have a casein allergy. I'm fine with the lactose.


Casein-free and gluten-free are sometimes lumped together in the same diet (I guess they have similar molecular structures), although I don't have any problem with gluten.


My biggest symptom? Canker Sores in my mouth and throat, which usually show up 2-3 days after giving in and eating a slice of pizza, or a scoop of ice cream.

Pretty crappy allergy. Pleasure of one bowl of ice cream = 2 weeks of punishment.

Ever heard of "Rice Dream"? It's a non-dairy ice cream made from rice milk. Rice milk is very creamy and naturally sweet. It makes great ice cream. You can get it in a lot of health food stores and some supermarkets. Sounds like a rough allergy to have. Hope this helps you, cause I just 'jacked a Mod's thread to share that with you...