Worth knowing – Marguerite's

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Gluten

Lactose

What exactly is gluten?

Until recently, “gluten” was an unknown term for much of our society. With the emergence of diseases such as Coeliac diseaseandgluten intolerance has increased awareness of gluten. Gluten-freeproducts are in demand mainly for health reasons, but also because many people want to improve their diet.

Gluten is the name for a group of proteins found in some grains. These cereals include Wheat,Barley and Rye.

When water is mixed with flour, a sticky mass is formed. This allows the pasta to rise. Gluten also gives the dough firmness and elasticity. Since wheat flours have the highest density of gluten, baking creations succeed particularly well with this flour.

Is gluten unhealthy?

Not everyone tolerates gluten. Like any protein, gluten is broken down when it enters the gastrointestinal tract. Strikingly, most people who cannot digest this protein have nutritional deficiencies. Especially iron, vitamin A, B12 and B6 are no longer absorbed properly in the intestine. Those who suffer from the intolerance react to gluten with an inflammatory response.

Worldwide, about 14% of the population is allergic or sensitive to some degree to gluten. In these people, eating foods containing gluten can lead to serious autoimmune diseases. These reactions affect the gastrointestinal tract, causing the intestinal mucosa to contract and the intestinal flora to be destroyed. The body loses the ability to absorb nutrients.

The only cure for gluten intolerance is a lifelong gluten-free diet.. If we exclude gluten completely, the intestinal mucosa gradually begins to recover.

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease is a severe form of gluten intolerance and is one of the auto-immune diseases. Through contact with gluten, the body forms antibodies that are directed against its own tissue and lead to the destruction of the intestinal villi. The results include severe diarrhoea and loss of performance. About 1% of the world’s population suffers from coeliac disease. The only remedy is a strict gluten-free diet, which must be adhered to for life.

Da es keine wirkliche medikamentöse Behandlung gibt, muss man komplett auf Gluten verzichten.

Coeliac disease symptoms include: Bloating, diarrhoea or loss of appetite.

Gluten and wheat sensitivity

Gluten sensitivity is the most common form of gluten intolerance. Almost every tenth person suffers from it. However, this disease is still the subject of much debate and the reasons for this are not entirely clear.

In contrast, the symptoms of gluten intolerance are rather non-specific. Most of the symptoms include: Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, flatulence, dizziness, headache. A diagnosis is often only possible through a gluten exclusion procedure.

Sensitivity to wheat is similar to sensitivity to gluten.

Many people who believe they have developed a gluten sensitivity actually only react to wheat. It is good to know this because otherwise we can exclude important foods from our diet that we are not actually allergic to.

Which foods contain gluten?

The main foods that contain gluten are wheat, barley and rye. Oats, for example, are a grain that does not contain gluten. However, it is often contaminated with gluten as it is processed in the same premises as wheat, barley and rye. To make sure that the oats you buy are gluten-free, the product should have a “contains no gluten” or “gluten-free” label on the packaging.

Foods that contain gluten:

Wheat and foods prepared from wheat: Bread, pasta, durum wheat, semolina, couscous, bulgur, spelt, flour, bakery products, muesli, soups, sauces
Barley and foodstuffs prepared from itmalt, beer, brewer's yeast, cereals, soups
Rye and foodstuffs prepared from it: bread, beer, cereals, flour, rye milk
Triticale - an artificial cross between wheat and rye: Bread, spaghetti, flour

Cereals that do not contain gluten:

Rice
Buckwheat
Millet
Amaranth
Corn
Teff flour
Almond flour
Coconut flour
Pea flour
Soy flour
Hemp flour

Overview

What is lactose intolerance?

Lactose intolerance is the most common intolerance worldwide. If you have ever had a feeling of heaviness, bloating, or discomfort after consuming milk or a dairy product, you most likely have lactose intolerance.

The intolerance is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme Lactase triggered in the body. The lactase serves to break down the lactose into its constituents – Glucose and galactose – à traiter et à démonter. If the lactose cannot be processed in the body, this leads to fermentation and causes muscle cramps, nausea, heartburn, diarrhea and flatulence. These symptoms occur half an hour to two hours after eating.

Milk intolerance What is it?

There are three types of milk intolerance:

congenital intolerance: the lactase enzyme is missing at birth
primary intolerance: the enzyme is no longer produced at a later stage, as its quantity gradually decreases
secondary intolerance : occurs after intestinal disease – inflammation, colitis etc.

The only treatment for lactose intolerance requires only the exclusion of milk and dairy products from the diet.

Symptoms Lactose intolerance .

Normally, the body’s small intestine begins to produce less lactase after the age of two, and as some people age, this process can become more pronounced, causing them to develop the characteristic symptoms of intolerance.

The following symptoms are observed:

Muscle cramps
Nausea
Heartburn
Diarrhoea
Flatulence

Some pathological conditions such asCoeliac disease or Crohn’s disease further reduce the amount of the enzyme lactase.

Milk allergy or lactose intolerance?

An allergy is usually associated with the production of a reaction by antibodies from the immune system.

The food intolerance on the other hand, is the inability of the body to process the product properly. This means that lactose intolerance does not necessarily mean an allergy to milk, which is normally associated with allergic reactions to its protein components.

Unlike allergies, where the body reacts with antibodies from the immune system, lactose intolerance cannot process the product properly.

Which foods contain lactose?

Lactose is found in two main food categories: traditional dairy products and as a dietary supplement in certain products:

Breast milk has the highest lactose content (about 9%), unlike raw cow’s milk where the percentages are about 4.7.

Milk fat – as lactose is a water-soluble molecule, its content in this product is kept to a minimum. This is related to the processing method.

Cheese – if the product is made correctly and the required maturing time is observed, an optimally low lactose content is achieved, which is normally around 10% at the beginning of the process and falls below 2-3% at the end. The lactose content is also observed in products whose labels indicate the following: Whey, dry matter, modified milk components.

As a food supplement, it can be found in a variety of processed meats, sausages, pâté, margarine, cereals, pre-cooked meals, protein supplements (powders and bars). Without a doubt, the best alternative is to consume plant-based dairy products such as oat, soy, rice and almond milk.

Am I affected myself?

Do I suffer from lactose intolerance?

The most commonly used method for determining lactose intolerance is to consume fresh milk on an empty stomach. If there is no gastrointestinal reaction in the next 30 minutes to two hours, it is almost certain that you do not suffer from lactose intolerance.

However, various medical tests can certainly determine this more precisely.

Lactose free food

These are all plant products – fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts. There is no lactose in meat and eggs, fish and seafood, honey. These are unprocessed, fresh natural products. Special care should be taken with processed foods. Milk, dairy products and lactose are not only added to chocolate, but also to products in the confectionery and bakery industries. They are also in products you wouldn’t have thought of – sausages, soups, sauces, condiments, chips. Therefore, read the labels carefully and do not buy them if the label says that they contain milk in any form.

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