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All about gluten intolerance and coeliac disease

DEFINITIONS

In 2014, a new guideline on coeliac disease, wheat allergy and wheat sensitivity was published by the scientific medical societies together with the German Coeliac Disease Society. Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of these three clinical pictures can be derived from this.

A "symptoms diary" kept by the affected person is helpful for an exact diagnosis. This involves writing down exactly what was eaten when and when which symptoms occurred for a specified period of time.

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Celiac disease is classified as something between an allergy (antibodies are detectable) and an autoimmune disease (the body's own tissue is attacked in the immunological reaction).

The immune system reacts to the gluten protein gluten. Inflammatory changes occur in the mucous membrane of the small intestine and the villi of the small intestine regress. As a result, the various nutrients that need to be processed in the intestine cannot be absorbed well into the body. This results in a wide variety of deficiency symptoms.

In addition to the medical history and antibody tests, a histological examination may be necessary.

Gluten-containing foods are avoided during treatment.

The symptoms described by those affected can be similar to those of coeliac disease, with diarrhoea and bloating.

However, the symptoms diary shows that the reaction is exclusively to wheat and that small amounts of wheat are tolerated. The symptoms are dose-dependent, which is a clear difference to wheat allergy.

Proteins are also held responsible for this. Known as ATIs for short, it is the amylase trypsin inhibitors that lead to intolerance. These are natural defence substances of the plant. "Modern" wheat varieties contain 2-3 times as many ATIs as "old" varieties.

Wheat allergy is an immunological reaction to wheat proteins, but not to the protein gluten!

A symptoms diary provides important information here. Cereals such as spelt, emmer and rye are tolerated, but wheat is not.

PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE

We offer innovative, tasty and high-quality organic gluten-free products to all those who pay particular attention to their diet.

Our products are 100% organic and produced in a gluten-free production facility. We can therefore guarantee absolute safety with regard to contamination. This is confirmed by IFS certification.

Nutritional-physiological benefits and all nutrient contents can be demonstrated thanks to ideal combinations of raw materials.

We are committed to sensitive eating and offer a range of vegan, vegetarian and palm oil-free products. We also aim to avoid allergens.

Allergens

If possible, allergens should be avoided in the development of new products. An overview of our products with allergen labelling is available for download.

Today , soya is found in many foods and comes in various forms. As flakes, flour, lecithin, oil, even as isolated protein. However, the widespread use of soya is also causing an increase in allergies. The accompanying symptoms can be manifold: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, intestinal complaints, respiratory reactions.

Lactose intolerance, also known as milk sugar intolerance, occurs when the carbohydrate in milk - lactose, colloquially known as milk sugar - is not tolerated. Those affected lack the enzyme lactase, which is responsible for the digestion of lactose. The consequences are flatulence, cramps and diarrhoea.

Lactose intolerance is not a "real" allergy and is therefore characterised by a dose dependency. It is therefore possible that milk is not tolerated, but other products made from milk (cheese, yoghurt, quark, butter) do not cause intolerance. This can vary greatly from person to person.

Nuts are seeds and come from different botanical plant families. The term nut includes nuts, nuts and oilseeds. The following nuts are allergenic and should be considered more closely: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, pecan nuts, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts (Queensland nuts).

In Germany, allergies are mainly caused by hazelnuts and peanuts, even though the latter is a legume in botanical terms.
Nut allergies also frequently occur due to cross-allergies - e.g. with early flowering pollen.

The symptoms range from skin tingling, itching and burning to gastrointestinal complaints, asthma attacks or neurodermatitis flare-ups. In very severe cases, an allergic shock can occur.

Egg allergies, along with cow's milk allergies, mainly occur in infancy and can reappear after one to two years. Hen's egg allergies are rare in adulthood.

Allergies should always be treated by a doctor, preferably in co-operation with a nutritionist.

Firstly: There is no general "egg white allergy". A specific allergy name should be given. As protein is a collective term for a large group of nutrients, proteins as non-allergy-causing foods are not a problem for the person affected. A distinction is made, for example, between chicken protein allergy and cow's milk protein allergy.

The antibodies formed by the immune system in the event of an allergy only react specifically to one type of protein.

A yeast allergy occurs very rarely, but yeast is contained in many products that can also trigger an allergy. Yeast is contained in bread, bread rolls and beer, but yeast can also be found in wine and vinegar. This is because yeast bacteria are used to ferment these products.

These are also the main cause of a yeast allergy. Once the immune system has been sensitised by the allergen, it recognises it as a foreign body and antibodies are formed. The resulting symptoms range from swelling and stomach problems to skin disorders.

Those affected often also react to the histamine contained in baker's and brewer's yeast. This is not a bad thing by nature, but it can cause problems if it is no longer broken down in the body. In this case, products such as salami or flour should also be enjoyed with caution.