What is Gluten, and Why is It Risky for Some People?
What is Gluten?
Gluten is a family of proteins that are detected in grains, including wheat, rye, spelt, and barley. But from the gluten-containing grains, wheat is by far the most popular. The two foremost proteins in gluten are glutenin and gliadin. Gliadin is accountable for most of the unfavorable health effects of gluten. When we mix flour with water, the gluten proteins develop a gluey network that has a glue-like texture. This glue-like quality makes the dough stretchy and gives bread the strength to rise while baking and also contributes to a chewy, satisfying texture. The name gluten originates from this glue-like characteristic of wet dough.
