I'm Getting Confused. What Actually Is "gluten"?

[utahlaura]

I was reacting to so many different things for a while..even some proteins and some dairy. I fasted for a week ( no kidding!) and began introducting gluten free ( positively) fresh veggies mainly. I did so well that after a time I though.."Huh, maybe it was all in my head, or I had salmonella poisoning or something. lol!

So I did the acid test! I actually ate a hamburger bun. Sure enough there it was. THE REACTION! It wasn't as bad as I had with products like soy sauce or packaged gravy or barbeque sauce back before we figured things out ( my doc and I and a IGA test) With the bun I didn't have the extreme bone/muscle/joint pain or foot pain. I still did get pretty dizzy and weak and ill feeling, but not so horrible as I have had.

I looked at the ingredience of the buns and it listed first " wheat flour-less that 2% wheat gluten" What?? I thought wheat flour was all gluten. 100% gluten! Of course I reacted to it still and wouldn't include it in my diet, of course...but what IS gluten, then? How is it made and why? Is it from a process or extraction? And what does hydogenated or hydrolized even mean? And "modified"...what's up with that?

I'm totally confused now about what gluten actually is. I thank anyone in advance who will take the time to respond and enlighten me.

[ShayFL]

I think this explains it nicely:

Open Original Shared Link

[missy'smom]

Yes, the gluten component of the wheat can be extracted and used separately as an ingredient. It is something you don't see too often in American products but it is used by itself as a primary ingredient in some asian foods(and is listed as wheat gluten or gluten). The statement on your buns is something I haven't seen. Maybe they're tring to convince us that just a little bit won't hurt. Ha ha. Seriously, for a Celiac, a little bit can cause damage and symptoms. All wheat and ingredients made from it, contains gluten. In Europe, they extracted the starch from the wheat and claim that it is free of gluten but that is a bit controversial.

[Beth in NC]

I've just stopped making my own whole wheat bread after getting diagnosed last week. I still have a container of PURE POISON in my freezer that I added to every batch of bread...VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN!!! :o

Vital to WHO? Not me anymore!!!!