Against the Grain

摘要

Some folks can't stomach the gluten found in cereals. It may be hurting their head as well Longtime readers of this column know that I'm a big fan of eating whole grains as part of a healthful, balanced diet. But that's not always so easy. There are some people-most of them of European ancestry-for whom many grains are dangerous. Their body can't tolerate a protein called gluten that's found in wheat, rye and barley. For reasons that aren't clear, their immune system responds to the presence of gluten in the diet by attacking the small intestine. Gluten sensitivity can lead to severe malnutrition, and appears to increase the risk of certain cancers.