Tamannaah Bhatia opens up about her skin and gut health journey: ‘For the longest time, I didn’t know I was gluten and dairy intolerant’

What is gluten?

A family of proteins commonly found in grains like wheat, barley, rye, and spelt is known as gluten. Of these, it is wheat that is most consumed and hence, one would typically avoid it in a gluten-free diet. We are talking about no roti or bread, here.

“When you mix flour with water, it is the gluten proteins you thank for making the dough elastic. It also helps bread rise when baked. It is not without reason that gluten is called so, it gets its name from the glue-like texture it offers with wet dough,” she explains.

The two primary proteins in gluten are gliadin and glutenin, of which the former causes the most harm to the body if a person is sensitive to it. Otherwise, it remains relatively safe and healthy for consumption.

How can you tell you are gluten sensitive?(Source: Freepik)

It is primarily found in the following items:

● Bread
● Pasta
● Breaded meat and seafood
● Cakes and cookies
● Beer

Why are some people gluten intolerant?

Vaishali Marathe, chief dietician, Medicover Hospitals said, “The inside of the small intestine is lined with ‘villi’ that aids the absorption of nutrients from food with the help of a chime, which also helps breakdown food components in the stomach,” she said. However, when villi are unable to absorb nutrients like protein present in wheat, barley, and rye, it leads to gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity.”

“A damaged gut lining leads to several other complications that include obvious digestive problems, diarrhoea, headache, constipation, lethargy, depression, and skin rashes, among other health issues,” said Marathe, adding that there are also those who might not be affected by celiac disease and still be gluten intolerant. Such a condition is known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Symptoms

While digestive issues are the most common symptoms associated with gluten intolerance, there are several others ranging from skin rashes to mood disturbances. Here’s a look at some of them:

● Digestive problems like abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, heartburn. These could further lead to malnutritional effects like weight loss, lethargy, etc.
● Skin issues like redness, rashes, bumps, itching, etc.
● Depression, migraines, and lack of concentration
● Frequent mood swings
● Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatment

She suggested replacing gluten with other easy-to-digest healthier options like millet. “Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.”

There are seven kinds of millets, namely pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), amaranth (ranjhira), buckwheat millet (kuttu), barnyard millet, foxtail millet, and kodo millet.

“These foods are easier to digest and rarely cause intolerance when well cooked. Also, maybe because they are less expensive or easier to grow, these seeds haven’t been genetically modified much and retain their original characteristics so far,” she added.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.