Gluten and Probiotics by Onica Sinclair
As many of you have probably noticed, the words “Gluten Free” and “Probiotics” are proudly printed on Performance Inspired labels. If you’re anything like me, you’re wondering, “What exactly is gluten and probiotics?” In Performance Inspired’s mission to maintain high standards and provide consumers with trustworthy, high performance, clean and natural sports nutrition, we have found to way to keep our protein, bars, and BCAA gluten free. And that’s a good thing considering as of recent, more than 30% of Americans are actively avoiding gluten.
Gluten is a compound made of glutenin and gliadin. Glutenin provides dough with elasticity and gliadin is responsible for the rising of the dough. Unfortunately, gliadin is also what is responsible for most negative health effects. And if you think that ‘gluten’ sounds a lot like the word ‘glue’, you’re right. It resembles that glue-like properties of wet dough. You hear ‘dough’ and you think ‘bread’, but gluten can be found in many more common items. It is found in wheat, rye, barley, and triticale.
When thinking about wheat and barley, think bread, pasta, baked goods, cereals, malt, food coloring, and (yikes!) beer. There is a misconception that oats contain gluten, and some very well may, but because of cross contamination, being grown next to wheat or barley. If you want oats and want to avoid gluten, select those specifically labeled as “gluten-free”. Some other foods that many don’t know are gluten-free are corn and rice.
Studies have shown that about 80% of people with Celiac Disease don’t even know they have it and around 15% have a gluten sensitivity. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes your body to attack the lining of your own gut. It is the most severe form of gluten intolerance and can also cause things like nutrient deficiency, anemia, depression, and digestion issues. People that suffer from gluten sensitivity as opposed to intolerance also have digestive issue symptoms. These include diarrhea, general stomach pain, bloating, and not to mention, tiredness.
Also, somewhere around 20% of adults in the United States suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or IBS for short. People with IBS can greatly benefit from a gluten free diet, making Performance Inspired products the way to go. Many people are now deliberately thinking about the health of their digestive system and many of those individuals have chosen the gluten free route.
Speaking of our digestive system, probiotics are a way to maintain a healthy system that functions effectively and efficiently. Probiotics are yeast and live bacteria found in your body. The word ‘bacteria’ itself has a negative connotation, but actually, we have a ton of bacteria in our body, many of which are very beneficial. Not only do probiotics help with many of the digestive issues mentioned above such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), they also help with many other parts of your body you may not think about.
Because probiotics help balance out the “good” and “bad” bacteria throughout our entire body, they don’t just help with our gut. Probiotics have been known to help prevent allergies and colds, as well as skin conditions such as eczema. They also are beneficial in maintaining urinary health and vaginal health. Blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, anxiety, and weight also have a correlation with the amount of good bacteria in our bodies.
All in all, Performance Inspired is clearly on a mission to provide consumers with the best products on the market. It gives our entire body, including your gut, health, happiness, and balance. As the saying goes, “Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
