Travel tip #118: Why you aren't gluten intolerant in Europe
Published about 1 month agoย โขย 5 min read
Hi Reader,
I hope your week has been going great!
In today's newsletter I wanted to discuss something I have been observing since we started running tours almost 5 yers ago: Many guests who are gluten intolerant find it easier to digest European gluten.
We offer many tours in bread-heavy European destinations like Spain, Tuscany, Greece, and even Iceland (the best sourdough ever!), and I have noticed that many of our North American guests who have gluten intolerances feel much better, or are completely fine, eating foods that are high in gluten in Europe.
I wanted to dig deeper into why that is.
PS If that is you, and you too have found that your intolerance is milder in Europe, hit reply and let me know!
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Why is European gluten easier to digest
It turns out that this is not anecdotal but could actually be explained by several factors: gluten in Europe is different from gluten in the US (and even Canada or elsewhere), and we process it and eat it differently too.
In this week's travel tip, I am not talking about celiac disease; If you are celiac, you know better than to try eating gluten anywhere, period.
I am referring to a gluten intolerance, the kind that causes cramping, diarrhoea, rashes, bloating, headaches, stomach ache and other unpleasant side effects.
I am not an expert on the topic, but I wanted to know why European gluten may cause less intolerance.
Below are a few reason that could explain this, and it's probably a combination of all of them, and maybe even a bit of placebo effect?
We are on holidays, happy and having a good time, and want to feel better, so we do.
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Different wheat
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of kinds of wheat, and different countries favor different kinds.
In general, the US grows more hard red wheat, while in Europe we eat more soft wheat which has lower gluten content.
Of course, this depends on the country, and we use a lot of durum wheat in Europe too (and that is very hard wheat), but this could explain some of the phenomenon.
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Herbicides, additives and preservatives
Besides the kind of wheat and its gluten content, the chemicals used in the wheat growing and processing seem more important in its digestibility.
In Europe, we have stricter laws when it comes to the kinds of herbicides that can be used to kill weeds.
In particular, there is a herbicide called glyphosate that is widely used in the US and the WHO considers probably carcinogenic.
We still use it in Europe, but the EU has placed restrictions on its use. The EU food safety organization is also partial to taking a proactive approach to food safety, meaning that it bans additives / preservatives / herbicides until proven safe, instead of allowing them until proven unsafe, like in the US.
Even if glyphosate is restricted in the EU, the EU imports a lot of wheat, so glyphosate makes its way into European wheat anyway.
Besides herbicides, the additives and preservatives added could also irritate our gut and make our stomachs unhappy.
In Europe, we have stricter regulation and a shorter list approved as safe for human consumption than in the US, as mentioned before.
In my opinion, what really makes a difference is that we are more likely to use organic wheat that is free from pesticides and chemicals in Europe; Buying bread from your corner bakery, that makes its products from organic wheat bought from the local farmer, means that the bread an average European person in the countryside eats is free from all that.
When on holidays, you are more like to enjoy high quality food of this kind, than supermarket bought products.
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Fresher food in smaller portions
In Europe, we are used to consuming a lot of our gluten items fresh from a bakery rather than as a processed items purchased from the supermarket, as mentioned just now.
In Spain, Italy, France, Greece, and even the northern countries of Germany and Scandinavia, bread and pastries are bought daily from the bakery.
Don't get me wrong, we still sell and buy sliced bread, pastries, pasta and a whole lot of gluten-heavy items from supermarkets, but bakeries selling freshly baked products are available at every corner and in fact, these are the only shops open on key days like Christmas because no French / Spanish / Italian person can survive without freshly baked bread.
I still remember my grandpa, who lived through the WWI and the Spanish Civil War, eat bread with everything, even dessert.
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Smaller portions
In Europe, we consume smaller portions than in the US.
Every time I visit the US, I have to pack half of my meals to take away. Lunch is usually enough for dinner.
In Europe, we eat smaller portions, and that means smaller amounts of gluten, that are easier to digest.
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Active lifestyle
For the average person in Europe, a day at the office involves walking to take public transportation, a bike ride or a brisk walk if you live in a city, instead of a car ride to work which is a more likely lifestyle in the US.
As a tourist, you are also more likely walking after every meal, be it to a sight, a museum, a park, a street, etc.
Activity aids digestion, so gluten eaten on holidays or if you have an active lifestyle, is easier to process than if you lead a sedentary lifestyle.
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So, why do you feel better eating wheat in Europe?
It's probably a combination of better wheat that is more likely organically grown and free from chemicals, traditionally prepared and unprocessed and you are leading a much healthier lifestyle overall, walking, being happy and helping your gut process what you eat more than at home.
In conclusion: Holidays and travel make everything better ๐ Come to Europe with us to find out!
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Have you experienced better digestion or fewer intolerances when traveling to Europe?
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