Wheat Research Paper

Wheat is a type of grass that is made up of gliadin, albumin, globulin and gluten. Wheat is used widely in the industry to produce amongst many more, bread, alcohol and pasta. When one suffers from a wheat allergy, their body is reacting with the globulin and albumin component of wheat. Gluten is a storage protein found in the endosperm of many grasses including wheat, oat, rye and barley. Gluten is the collective name for the different prolamins (storage proteins) found in different grass types. This is the reason as to why one suffering from a wheat allergy alone can eat other foods that contain gluten however no wheat, for example, certain oats, rye and barley.

Why are gluten reactions different to those of wheat?

In a wheat allergy,

Wheat allergies are most common in children and are usually outgrown by the age of 3. The symptoms of a wheat allergy are immediately noticeable after the food containing wheat has been consumed. People allergic to wheat are usually able to consume barley and rye, because these are both examples of different grasses.

Anaphylaxis:

This life-threatening systemic reaction causes one to cough and wheeze, have difficulty swallowing, a rapid change in heart rate or a sudden drop in blood pressure. These symptoms are very dangerous and need to be taken special care of.

Nutritional components of wheat:

Although it varies depending on the soil type and climate, the average wheat kernel contains 70% carbohydrates, 12% water, 12% protein, 2.2% crude fibres, 2% fat and 1.8% minerals. Small amounts of vitamin A (Thiamin, Niacin and Riboflavin) are also present.

Avoiding wheat:

All food items that contain wheat should mention so on the label of the product- be sure to check the label of the product before each purchase as some ingredients may change over time. Some products such as ice cream and potato chips have been found to contain wheat as well as in many baking products, bread, sauces, soy and processed

The conditions are termed as “allergies” in shorthand for the recognized medical conditions involving the reaction of the immune system to gluten. All 4 conditions below are sometimes referred to as the umbrella term “Gluten Intolerance”. It is easy to tell from the separate symptoms alone which condition one is suffering from, however one can have further blood tests, skin tests and endoscopies in order to determine the correct condition.

Celiac disease:

Although this is not an actual allergy, Celiac Disease – a serious autoimmune disease - is the best-known form of the gluten allergy that effects the whole body. Gluten consumed by a patient who suffers from the Celiac Disease causes the immune system to attack and eat away the lining of the small intestine, this process is called villous atrophy. Symptoms are found in both the digestive system and other parts of the body too.

Non-Celiac Gluten