Gluten Sensitivity: When to Be Cautious, When to Relax
What gluten is—and why it mattersGluten is a family of structural proteins found primarily in wheat, barley, rye, and their hybrids. It gives dough its elasticity and helps baked goods rise and keep shape. For most people gluten is harmless; for a minority it triggers immune, allergic, or gastrointestinal responses that cause real health problems. Knowing when to avoid gluten and when not to comes down to diagnosis, symptoms, and long-term nutritional trade-offs.When avoiding gluten clearly makes senseCeliac disease: an autoimmune disorder in which ingestion of gluten damages the small intestine. Prevalence is about 1% worldwide. Untreated celiac disease can…
