Gluten is a protein found in the endosperm of grains, especially
wheat, rye and barley. It constitutes about 80 percent of the
proteins in wheat, and is composed of the proteins gliadin and
glutenin. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of
a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden as
dextrin, maltodextrine and dextrose found in ice cream, ketchup
and many other items. Gluten provides elasticity to dough, which
gives breads and bagels their chewiness. Gluten intolerance is
most common among people of Scandinavian, Irish, English,
Scottish and Eastern European. Often it's assumed that gluten
intolerance is a food allergy, however, it's actually an
autoimmune process. Gluten intolerance affects an overwhelming
percentage of the population, and is often misdiagnosed or
under-diagnosed. One estimate says that 97 percent of all
sufferers don't know they're intolerant to gluten because most
doctors are unfamiliar with it. Symptoms of gluten intolerance
can vary per individual. The most