Gluten Versus Fructans in Wheat

There is some confusion about the difference between the gluten and fructans in wheat, and the effect each has on the digestive system. Watch my video to learn about the difference and which is the important one to watch out for.

The Transcript

Today, I want to talk to you about the difference between gluten and fructans in wheat, barley, and rye.

There is a lot of confusion between gluten-free and wheat-free. If you go wheat-free, that means that you are partially gluten-free. The gluten is the protein part of wheat, barley, and rye. But recently, there’s been a lot of research and talk about the fact that there is another part to the wheat, barley, and rye – the carbohydrate part or the fructans – and that this in fact is what has been causing the problem all along.

This was actually discovered way back in 1997, but the actual research studies have only been done recently, more recently at least – 2006, 2008. The studies were done on the low FODMAP diet, which is low carbohydrates. And that’s when they discovered that in fact it was the fructans in wheat, barley, and rye that were causing a lot of digestive issues, and not the gluten, unless of course you are celiac. And that is a well-recognized disease.

The fructans are the carbohydrates, gluten is the protein, and it’s very possible that your digestive issues are caused by the fructans. At the end of the day, the result is exactly the same. If you eliminate wheat, barley and rye, you will feel better. But do consider the possibility that the other high FODMAP foods are also a problem, which are the other carbohydrate – the high levels in vegetables, beans, grains and fruit and so on. Check those out if you find that your digestive issues continue after eliminating wheat, the barley and the rye. I hope that has clarified the difference between the gluten and the fructans in wheat, barley and rye.