People often go wheat free because they are allergic to wheat. The allergy can be very severe and result in anaphylaxis if they consume it, even in small quantities. Unlike people with coeliac disease and non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, those that are allergic to wheat experience a fast onset of symptoms. These can occur anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after consumption.

People that have a milder allergy can tolerate barley, rye or oats.

Modern wheat, Triticum aestivum, has been hybridized to create a high-yielding wheat plants with much higher amounts of starch and gluten. It also contains proteins that never before existed in nature. Triticum is grown two feet shorter to improve resistance to drought and increase the speed at which they reach maturity, the consequence being gluten has increased from 4% to 17%. It contains amylopectin A, a soluble polysaccharide and highly branched polymer of glucose. Amylopectin A is more efficiently converted to blood sugar than just about any other carbohydrate, including white sugar. This creates a spike in blood sugar that after about two hours, plunges, leaving you with brain feels fog and the feeling of hunger. Eliminating wheat from the diet may therefore be good more than just those that are allergic. PCOS suffers are one group that may have much to gain from going cold turkey on wheat.

What wheat free products can you expect to find in store?

Long gone are the days of stale, cardboard alternatives. Through a bit of kitchen wizardry, our free-from producers supply us with food that everyone can relish. As well as naturally wheat-free grains like quinoa, rice, millet and corn, we stock speciality oat cakes, breads and readymade meals. Brands with WF products include Biona, Essential, Eat Real, Crimbles, Nairns and Clearspring. Gluten free does not always mean wheat free, so always check the label.