Gluten (from Latin gluten, “glue“) is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye. Gluten gives elasticity to dough, helping it rise and keep its shape and often gives the final product a chewy texture.
A gluten-free diet excludes the protein gluten, found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. A 100% gluten-free lifestyle is considered absolutely necessary for people with gluten intolerance, also known as Celiac Disease, because they suffer an immune reaction every time they eat foods containing gluten; if they continue to consume foods containing gluten, studies have shown their chance of gastrointestinal cancer may be elevated 40 to 100 times compared to the general population (www.celiac.com).
