Staying gluten-free is one of the trending diets in recent times. However, a lot more people are still unaware of many important facts about gluten, the effect of ingesting gluten-containing foods, and of course, the benefits of a gluten-free diet. In a bid to enlighten you, and to help you maintain better health, a team of health experts from MedAlertHelp have put together the below infographic containing all the facts you should know about gluten.

What is gluten anyway? Basically, gluten is a compound of proteins. These proteins are called prolamins and glutelins, and they are commonly found in foods like wheat, barley, oat, and foods that are their derivatives such as bread, pasta, cereals, and so on. Obviously, it is not easy to avoid these foods, and even if you do, there are some other foods which still contain gluten.

People have different sensitivities to gluten, although those who are not sensitive to gluten might still be affected by it. But for those who indeed have some form of gluten allergy, the immune system will launch an attack against the gluten proteins the moment it enters the digestive tract after ingestion. The most severe form of gluten sensitivity is called “celiac disease.” In this disease, the immune system also attacks the intestine wall and damages it.

People with celiac disease might experience symptoms such as fatigue, stomach ache, diarrhoea, joint pain, constipation, muscle pains, or even skin problems. Unfortunately, it can be hard to recognise gluten sensitivity in some cases. If you do have adverse reactions to gluten, but no celiac disease, your condition can be referred to as “non-celiac gluten sensitivity.”

If you have experienced a reaction after ingesting gluten-rich foods, there are a lot of things you should know. For instance, how do you know if you are sensitive to gluten? Should you steer clear from it? Which food alternatives can you eat? How’s it like to lead a life free of gluten? To learn more about gluten, take a look at the following infographic.