Gluten in beer - harm or benefit?

Not so long ago, society was confronted with such a concept as gluten. The loud statements of slender stars, sitting on gluten-free diets, provoked heated arguments about the benefits and harm of gluten. What is this substance that is found in many products? Is gluten in beer harmful, why is it needed? Is it worth it to be afraid of this component? We will understand more in detail.

What is gluten?

The word "gluten" itself came from the Latin "glue". In essence, it is a wheat protein of complex structure, which is often called gluten. It is a part of most cereals (wheat, barley, rye and others). Gluten in a dry form of a gray hue, does not have a pronounced smell and taste. The main sources of gluten are wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet. It is thanks to gluten, which is in flour, when mixed with liquid, it is possible to obtain an adhesive mass, to knead an elastic tight dough. Thanks to this substance, the baking turns out to be airy, light, with a pleasant crust. Wheat in its composition has 80% of gluten. If the flour contains a low percentage of gluten, kneading the dough becomes almost impossible.

Since gluten is contained in barley, it is natural that the frothy beverage contains this substance. Gluten in beer is an excellent natural preservative, which gives a unique taste and preserves the characteristic properties of the drink.

An interesting fact: gluten is not able to dissolve in water, it only reacts and glues together particles of water and flour.

The properties of this substance make it possible to enhance the taste and play the role of a preservative.

How do gluten?

Derive gluten from grain in the simplest and cheapest way. Water is added to the flour, it is kept for a certain time, for which the starch becomes a solution. Insoluble matter is gluten. It is processed and used in a variety of industries, both in food and in industrial production. Is gluten is useful? Dry matter contains hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen (plus sulfur molecules), amino acids (methionine, lysine, threonine), vitamins A, E, B, phosphorus. Hence, we can conclude that gluten in beer does not do any harm.

On labels this substance is designated as follows:

1. Modified starch.
2. Textured vegetable protein.
3. Hydrolyzed protein of plant origin.

Often gluten is also used in cosmetics. If it is indicated that vitamin E is added, it means that the composition contains gluten, which is derived from wheat. People who have contraindications to this substance, should be careful. Not everyone knows that marking on a cosmetic means "with vitamin E" implies the presence of a large amount of gluten in the composition.

In which industries is used?

Gluten is a natural preservative and flavor enhancer, therefore it is used in many industries:

• In the production of flour products;
• In sausage products;
• Dairy products, including baby food, yogurt;
• Canned food products;
• Beer production (gluten in beer);
• Some medicines.

Gluten in beer: what is harmful?

Recently, information has appeared that cereal gluten (or gluten) adversely affects the human body. A lot of research is being done around the world, and none of them has confirmed these statements. The only harm to gluten is the danger to those who experience protein intolerance. The disease exists, it is inherently genetic.

Some beer lovers began to wonder if gluten does not bring negative consequences. Gluten in beer, the harm of which has not been proven, is used as a preservative. This component does not cause any harm. There is an opinion that the myths invented about the harm of cereal gluten are more of a marketing move, thanks to which the demand for various brands of gluten-free beer has increased. People who trust advertising, billboards, posters, trying to maintain their health, more and more prefer a gluten-free drink. The price policy for such beer grows, and manufacturers remain only in a prize. In fact, the presence of gluten in beer is comparable to the presence of starch in potatoes.

Beer without gluten

If we are to consider all opinions, then it is worth mentioning those who consider gluten to be harmful.

Some convince us that the cereal gluten contained in barley and wheat is the reason for the appearance of the "beer" belly, the increase in weight. There is also a category of people who do not tolerate protein. She is completely deprived of the joy of consuming foam drinks. If the beer contains gluten, it is contraindicated to such persons. As a result of the searches, some manufacturers started to produce gluten-free beer. This dietary product has become popular with supporters of low-protein diets and gluten-free products.

Beer without gluten is produced by one of the most common technologies:

1. The first method is based on the refusal to use gluten-containing cereals, such as barley, rye, wheat. They in this case are replaced with gluten-free cereals: corn, rice, sorghum or fruit.
2. The second method allows the use of barley, but in this case the gluten is removed from the finished product.

Taste

How to determine to taste, which beer does not contain gluten? Tastes differ little, although, of course, new drinks lose in competition with ancient, traditional, proven centuries-old recipes.

In this direction, modern brewers are constantly improving, this is eloquently evidenced by the figures. If in 2007 at the beer festival in America you could taste only eight grades of gluten-free beer, then after a few years this figure increased to twenty. All foreign restaurants and hotels in their menu must contain gluten-free drinks.

Brands

In the Russian market, the first gluten-free beer was introduced by the Spanish brand Daura Damm (Daura Damm). Now the best gluten-free varieties can be classified as such brands:

• Bards (Bard) - a light taste, close to the traditional camp, at the base - sorghum.
• Greens ("Grins") - a refreshing tart drink is especially popular with vegetarians.

• Dogfish Head Tweason ale ("Dogfish") - American ale with a peculiar strawberry taste is made of sorghum.
• New Planet ("New Planet") - beer, which is the silver medalist of the American beer festival.
• Lakenfront Brewery New Grist (brewery "New Treasure") is a gluten-free drink that has the aroma of fresh green apples.
• Redbridge ("Red Bridge") - gluten-free light fragrant ale is the most popular among Americans.
• Omission ("Inaction") - this beer is made from barley and malt, but subsequently it removes gluten. This makes it possible to preserve the classical taste.

Benefits of Gluten Free

To adults, foods that contain even a large amount of cereal gluten do not harm the health. If the beer contains gluten, then there is nothing dangerous in this - as many researchers believe. Scientists have proven that gluten contains many useful substances for the body - magnesium, iron, vitamins B and D. The immune system that protects us from various viruses and bacteria is stimulated by the amino acids present in the protein. Threonine and methionine - substances present in gluten, promote normalization in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, simultaneously enrich the cells with oxygen.

Gluten - a valuable vegetable protein, which contributes to the normalization of metabolism, contains a whole range of nutritional elements. If you get rid of this protein, you will not be able to lose weight. All gluten-free products containing modified components, on the contrary, contribute to weight gain.

In beer, gluten in many ways affects the taste of the drink. In gluten-free beers, many manufacturers use taste enhancers that have a negative impact on health.

Celiac disease

A healthy person who does not have allergic reactions to foods, can safely refer to gluten. People suffering from celiac disease, before drinking a foamy drink, should definitely ask if there is gluten in the beer? The use of cereal gluten is completely contraindicated.

What is celiac disease? Refers to a number of congenital, autoimmune - complete intolerance to gluten. The small intestine is affected. This ailment is found only in 1% of the world's population. The organism of the patient does not absorb gluten and perceives it as a foreign element, a foreign substance, while the digestive system, brain cells and joints are affected, and there is a risk of cancer.

The substance "gluten" consists of glutenin and gliadin, gliadin is dangerous in this case. Sufferers of celiac disease when gluten enters the body have small intestinal lesions, then the following consequences: diarrhea, malnutrition, developmental abnormalities, oncological diseases, infertility.

Symptoms of intolerance

We figured out why in the beer gluten, and that in principle it is harmless to the body. But some manufacturers exceed the dosage and add extra gluten to flour, other products. Therefore, many people began to notice some signs of intolerance to this substance, similar to celiac disease. Gluten in beer - harm or benefit in this union? In normal dosages, gluten is safe and even useful in some way for the body, but with increased doses, signs of intolerance may occur:

1. Disturbance in the work of the digestive tract (bloating, diarrhea, indigestion).
2. Decreased immunity, working capacity.
3. Deterioration of metabolic work.

Some are unaware of the causes of these symptoms, dumping everything on the wrong diet. To exclude gluten intolerance, you need to remove from the diet for a time gluten-containing foods (pasta, bread, beer and others) and follow the reaction of the body, assess your own well-being. If you find these signs after returning to the previous food, then you have gluten intolerance. It is necessary to balance nutrition and consult a doctor, do tests for celiac disease.

Gluten-free diet: is there any sense?

Many today, succumbing to the trend of fashion, sit on gluten-free diets in the hope of rapid weight loss. All products containing gluten are completely excluded from the diet. Nutritionists sound alarm and call not to do so. Cereal people eat for many centuries, getting from them a charge of energy and a lot of useful substances.

The correct gluten-free diets actually exist, but they are not low-calorie and carry a therapeutic function, they are appointed as needed only by a specialist. With the complete elimination of gluten from the diet, you can damage your own health, create a deficit of many useful substances. In the following natural products, gluten is not contained:

• vegetables;
• fruit;
• Beans;
• Millet, rice, buckwheat, corn;
• Meat products are homemade.

The best solution is common sense. Completely in the supermarket gluten can not be bypassed. Do not put all products in the "taboo" zone. Weigh all the pros and cons. The ideal option is to prepare food yourself from the products that you yourself have grown.

conclusions

The benefits to producers of gluten are enormous. It is used in various industries - in the manufacture of canned food, bread, sauces, semi-finished products. It is also clear why gluten is added to the beer, - the product is preserved and is suitable for long periods of time, it has special taste qualities inherent in barley malt.

Bread with the addition of gluten becomes more lush, airy, with a crispy crust. In production, the use of gluten can reduce costs and time of kneading the test. Unfortunately, many plants overestimate the amount of gluten, and this can already have a negative impact on the health of consumers. Normally, gluten is not harmful, but its overdose can provoke undesirable consequences.