Gluten Research Paper

Gluten: Hype or Harmful
Gluten is something on a lot of people’s minds and lips (figuratively speaking). It seems we can barely peruse the Internet these days without stumbling on a report about the dangers of this substance or hearing that the number of people with a gluten allergy or sensitivity is on the rise. A walk down the snack and baking aisles reveals numerous gluten-free products, and even big chain restaurants and pizza shops are offering gluten-free options.
So what’s going on? Why is it 10 years ago we didn’t hear a peep about gluten and now it seems to be public enemy number one? And just what the heck is gluten anyway?
A Simple Wheat Protein or Something Far More Sinister?
At face value, gluten is simply a protein found in wheat, …show more content…
And until about 10 years ago, no one really talked about gluten sensitivity or claimed to have it. In fact, no one really gave gluten much thought except for the one percent of the population diagnosed with celiac disease. So what changed?
One thing that changed was a new awareness of possible gluten intolerances led by cardiologist Dr. William Davis who wrote the book “Wheat Belly.” In his book, Davis blames gluten for everything from arthritis and asthma to multiple sclerosis and schizophrenia.
David Perlmutter, a neurologist and the author of another of the gluten-free book, “Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar—Your Brain’s Silent Killers,” adds to the anti-gluten sentiment by writing that gluten, “represents one of the greatest and most under-recognized health threats to humanity.’’
That’s a pretty bold statement. But is it true? Is all of this talk about gluten just hype, or is it really harmful to our health?
Why is Wheat Gluten Sensitivity on the …show more content…
Have we changed, or has the wheat changed?
Many have suggested neither have changed, and that the only thing new to the equation is a heightened awareness. Being gluten sensitive, some would say, is “in” and trendy. But is this true? Have we become a society of gluten hypochondriacs?
Perhaps the answer lies in the blood samples taken 50 years ago from Air Force recruits. A study using frozen blood samples taken from these recruits has shown that wheat gluten intolerance is actually four times more common today than it was in the 1950’s.
So if it’s not hype, and it’s not us, then what has happened to the wheat? Genetic modification has

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