Gluten is a glycoprotein that is present in wheat and other cereals.
Gluten is a sticky substance that allows one thing to bond to another. The term comes from the Latin gluten ( "glue" ). It is also a glycoprotein that is found, along with starch , in the seeds of various cereals .
This protein is composed of glutenin and gliadin , representing 80% of wheat proteins. It can be obtained from wheat, oat , barley and rye flour, through a starch washing process. A dough is created with flour and water and washed with plenty of water. When it will not be used for food purposes, the process can be carried out using saline solutions.
When cooked, gluten achieves a firm consistency . Fermentation gases are retained inside the dough, allowing it to rise. Once cooking is complete, the coagulation of gluten keeps the bun from deflating. Gluten, therefore, provides the elasticity of doughs and breads.
Gluten and health
It is important to keep in mind that gluten is harmful to many people due to its relationship with different diseases . Celiacs are those who do not tolerate gluten, which forces them to follow diets free of this protein. If gluten is consumed (for example, through bread), this substance damages the mucosa of the small intestine and prevents normal digestion . Dermatitis herpetiformis and autism are other disorders that may require gluten-free diets. In the case of autistic people, gluten is believed to generate an opiate effect.
Corn , sorghum, brown rice and quinoa are some of the gluten-free cereals; That is to say, they do not contain this element in their composition.
It is important to note, however, that dietologists recommend that whole grain flours be used to make dietary foods, which lack starch but do contain the fiber necessary for a balanced diet.
It is possible to prepare gluten-free breads, puddings and many other foods.
Obtaining the substance
In recent years, gluten has become an essential element in the kitchen. It is usually used especially in vegetarian diets , in which it is used as one of the main meat substitutes.
Being a pure protein , gluten does not contain carbohydrates , which makes it ideal for the preparation of diet foods.
To obtain it, foods that contain it are used, such as wheat flour , and through a cleaning process, this substance is separated from the rest. This procedure is extremely simple so it can be done industrially or at home. In this way, we can buy a bag of gluten (which has already been separated from the rest of the flour) at any herbalist or organic store . And we can also obtain it at home, starting from wheat flour.
To do this, it is necessary to make a uniform dough of flour and water and leave it in water so that over time it loses its starch and fiber content. The remaining bun will be composed only of gluten and will be a sticky and uniform dough.
With this dough we can make meals for celiacs or even fantastic recipes to replace the meat on our table.
Gluten in the vegetarian diet
One of the great advantages that scientific discoveries allow is to help us provide ourselves with an ethical life , without harming other individuals to be happy and healthy. Eating a vegetarian diet is surely a great option to go towards that ideal ethic.
Therefore, getting tasty foods with juicy textures is the goal of every lover of good cooking . And gluten allows us to make meals of different types, without having to resort to exploiting other animals for it.