What is Gluten?

Craig Hunt 2019

In the 6th century, Chinese noodle makers aptly named gluten “mien chin” which translates to “the muscle of flour”.  And in the 11th century, Buddhist monasteries developed gluten-based recipes for making imitation venison and jerky. But gluten stretches far beyond ancient and modern vegetarian cuisine; it’s the reason wheat flour breads have a unique texture, chewiness and elasticity.  Elasticity develops when a gluten-containing flour is mixed with water.  The proteins form an elastic dough that can expand to trap gas bubbles created by yeast or healthful sourdough microbes.  The various sizes of the formed bubbles within the dough add delectable texture to breads, pastas, noodles, pastries, and crackers to name a few. 

Besides wheat, gluten is contained in grains such as rye and barley, as well as ancient grains like Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt. The proteins in gluten can be easily digested by most people, however, about 1 percent of the population have an autoimmune condition called Celiac disease, and need to avoid all sources of gluten – from food to cosmetics.  

Gluten has been part of the human food chain for thousands of years and is now being used in many vegetarian meat alternatives. It’s the “muscle of flour” and the cornerstone of baked goods and bread from the Far East to the west coast.