It's what we find back in wheat and with that in everything made out of wheat or where wheat is added to.
Most likely nearly every food bought in a supermarket is prepared with wheat or has traces of wheat in it. Wheat is cheap and that's why it's used. Even in dog and cat food, we find it. Cheap filling for the stomach and intestines. Although most of us do not have a gluten intolerance much deal with intestines sensible to gluten. It is not strange since we stuff ourselves with it daily and consume more food than our body needs, way more, and not only food but drinks as well. What makes us gain weight and damage the organs is not due to what we eat only but what we drink can have the same result.
I have been hospitalized as a baby already for what they called at that time "stomach and intestines issues". It seems to run into the family. No matter how good and healthy we eat, what we cook ourselves, it doesn't do our body any good. Healthy food only makes us feel more miserable and after years of wrong pieces of advice, treatments, the only way left is to figure it out ourselves. What can be called healthy is not if you cannot digest it and take out the necessary vitamins and minerals. The result is an upset stomach 24/7, not able to go to the toilet for weeks no matter the medication the doctor gives, and you end up vomiting it out, and with some more bad luck it turns into cancer and you have hardly intestines left.
Is gluten intolerance a hype?
I doubt it. Neither I believe a food intolerance is. It is proved an intolerance, food allergy strikes there were the type of food is most common. Besides there are way too many chemicals added to our food and it is dumb to believe just because the government or some health department states till a certain amount their's no danger for your health you are not taking risks.
Why are all those chemicals needed? Just to be able to save our food longer? If so is that necessary in a world where people shop daily, own a fridge, even a freezer is common? In a world where people cannot even imagine a life without one and easily throw away food because it could be wasted or it's close to its expiring date?
Gluten are not only present in bread, cookies, pie, cake, pasta, toast, pancakes, breadcrumbs but in "green salads", meatloaf, meatballs, soup, muesli bars, chocolate, and even yogurt!
Cornflakes might sound gluten-free (corn is) but it's not. It is sweetened with malt and malt (it's in beer) are gluten! This means it makes it harder to buy something at a supermarket or any other food shop without checking it first.
If you need to be sure you better make your own food.
If there's no direct need to avoid all gluten, although it's healthier, you can start with deleting bread, pasta, cookies, pizza, and the old-fashioneded pancakes, donuts, etc. out of your daily diet. It will do your intestines good already within a few days time.
Just for your information: Pancakes, waffles, cookies, bread, and cake can be easily made out of different grains. Oatmeal is a good substitute just like rice-, corn- and almond meal. You can mix them as well to avoid high costs. The only thing you need to figure out is how to make it sticky.
Gluten-free products (cookies for example) can taste more dry/crumbly than the ones you are used too. To solve that egg can be used and for the honey lovers honey instead of sugar does the trick too just like syrup.
If you are only sensitive to gluten (no celiac disease) you can still add a few tablespoons flour to do the trick.
Nice article regarding gluten. Many people have this problem.