Many food manufacturers have latched on to the "gluten-free" label to market their products-a lot of which never contained gluten in the first place. Is gluten a body-destroying protein, or is "gluten free" a dubious marketing tool for millions of people that are looking for a solution to their weight problems? Is there a subpopulation of human beings that should avoid gluten and, if so, for what reason?
Wheat gluten is a scientific term that refers to a group of storage proteins found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley. Grain has always been a staple in the human diet. When milled, grain or wheat flour is mixed with water to make dough. Gluten proteins provide breads and other baked good with some of their elastic qualities and texture.
A Dutch physician, Willem Karel Dicke, is credited with making the connection between wheat gluten in the diet and the gastrointestinal disorder called celiac disease. This disease is characterized by dietary intolerance to wheat gluten and the ensuing immune response that damages the gastrointestinal tract and other body systems.
Celiac disease, or gluten enteropathy (disease of the enteric system), is categorized as a malabsorption disorder, which is a group of diseases that negatively affect the absorption of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) and/or micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Celiac disease symptoms and associated medical conditions, as well as the consequence of malabsorption disorders on the human body, will be reviewed with each case module.
Which of the following statements about digestive system processes is true?
a. Secretion is the process in which undigested and unusable materials are propelled through the alimentary canal
b. Peristalsis involves rhythmic contractions that are not only involved in propulsion, but also aid in mechanical digestion in some segments of the alimentary canal
c. Absorption is the process in which ingested food and liquids move from one digestive organ to the next
d. Ingestion occurs primarily in the stomach and involves enzymatic breakdown of nutrients.