People occasionally refer to a wheat allergy as a “gluten allergy,” but true wheat allergy doesn’t necessarily involve gluten —it’s possible to be allergic to many different components of the wheat plant. Symptoms of true wheat allergy include:.
Wheat allergy is commonly conflated with having celiac disease or a gluten intolerance — and sometimes a “gluten allergy” (there’s no such thing!), but it’s completely different. (2) A wheat allergy is an adverse immunologic reaction to wheat protein, says Dr. Mukherjee.
People who’ve been diagnosed with wheat allergy need to avoid foods that contain wheat ingredients . Note that not all gluten-free foods are actually wheat-free: some contain ingredients that are originally derived from wheat but are considered to be free of the protein gluten.
This begs the query “What is an allergic reaction to wheat?”
Simply put , it is an allergic reaction to wheat. The whole wheat grain is intolerable to a person’s system. This includes even the gluten. That is why it sometimes gets jumbled in with having a gluten allergy and can lead to misdiagnosis.
Does wheat mean gluten?
Let’s clear up the main difference between wheat and gluten right away: gluten is a protein found in many grains, including wheat, while wheat is simply a grain that contains gluten . A gluten-free diet will be free from wheat and all grains and processed foods that contain gluten, but a wheat-free diet will not necessarily be free of gluten.
Gluten is found in grains, such as wheat, barley, rye, and a cross between wheat and rye called triticale . A gluten-free diet helps manage symptoms of celiac disease and other medical conditions associated with gluten.
You may be thinking “Is wheat starch gluten-free?”
In fact, in many cases foods labeled as “wheat-free” contain some gluten. It’s also possible for foods that are labeled “gluten-free” to contain wheat-based ingredients, such as wheat starch . Gluten is found in wheat , and many people think of “gluten” as coming only from wheat.
Then, are there gluten-free foods that contain wheat?
While there are many foods that contain wheat and gluten, there are gluten-free foods that contain wheat —because wheat starch may be processed to remove the gluten protein. These foods may be safe for someone with celiac disease or another type of gluten sensitivity but may be unsafe for a person that has a wheat allergy.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case. In fact, in many cases foods labeled as “wheat-free” contain some gluten. It’s also possible for foods that are labeled ” gluten-free” to contain wheat-based ingredients , such as wheat starch. Gluten is found in wheat, and many people think of “gluten” as coming only from wheat.
What is the difference between gluten and gluten allergy?
Gluten is a protein found in grains, such as wheat, barley and rye. Some people are allergic to wheat, but that is not the same as a gluten allergy. Gluten allergy is a misleading term commonly confused with wheat allergy, or sometimes celiac disease .
What is the difference between a gluten allergy and gluten allergy?
And a gluten allergy is an allergic, ranging from mild to severe, to the gluten-or Protein- in wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oats. A gluten allergy is more extensive in its reaction and can seem more restrictive .