I want to rage...not really, but I actually was deeply amused when I first saw the ad/claim from a makeup company. It's probably from the disbelief that quickly turn into a fuming article... How should I even start?
GLUTEN...it's a "natural" protein found in cereal grains (vegan friendly?), it is what traps air bubble in bread during leavening process and it also provide textural and structural supports of food. To achieve the same consistency in cake or bread is usually the most difficult part to overcome when it comes to replacing wheat. SO, unless one has celiac disease or gluten allergy, there is really no point to buy "gluten free" products because it really has no benefit to be "gluten free" except one might pay more for the products because it is labeled "gluten free" and now the company will charge $10 extra for that label, "gluten free." Are you tired of me typing out "gluten free" yet? More to come!
In Chinese food culture, we have been using gluten (solely gluten) as food itself!! Yea, we eat it by itself!!What's wrong with Chinese people? Scary :-p Guess Chinese are not buying the gluten-free diet? Gluten is also a common "MEAT" substitute in Chinese "VEGETARIAN" cuisine. (probably because it's a protein aka taste like chicken and it also provide a good chewy texture).
I guess I should talk about what is "gluten free" really and why we even have it. There is a percentage of population who have celiac disease, which is " inflammation and damages the lining of the small intestine. " The inflammation is reaction from eating gluten, which is very special type of protein found in certain cereal grains, i.g wheat, barley and rye. Blah blah, old news. The disease is still not well-known at the moment and can't really be treated with medicine. So people with celiac disease have to avoid things like pasta, or bread that's made of wheat. Hence the food companies start rolling out with wheat substituted products for those who are allergic to gluten. Ok, old news, everyone probably knows this by now. (or do we?) Also old news, the food industry is desperately trying to put this "GLUTEN FREE" labels on to just about any possible food products because somehow general public think this term now runs the same as "healthy" ????
I've seen gummy bear with "gluten free" label sometimes, or "fat free". (which is ridiculous on its own, gummy is glued by gelatin (animal base) or carrageen, pectin, or agar (plant base). No need for fat).
Ok, off topic (or is it), but really. There is so much nonsense going on in today's food world I am not sure how it happened.
Anyway, the point being.....first time I saw this term in the cosmetic world I was browsing a beauty store/website, and realized one of their ingredient filter list is "gluten free" HUH?
I thought it was a bad prank (it was April's Fool after all). Little did I know, this "gluten free" makeup is a real thing! It's a trend, and it's getting so popular that not only do those "natural" makeup companies try to be animal friendly (aka Vegan if they don't use any animal driven ingredients) but also avoid using gluten as a ingredient.
BTW, just like there is no FDA regulation for word "natural" in food products, there really is no regulation for makeup either.... So all it means is that they can use some sort of planet driven chemicals or chemicals synthesized but found in natural plants. YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW. Well, you really don't know what companies these days put in their products and the qualities of the ingredients.
But now to market a "natural" makeup brand, one will also strive to be "vegan" and "gluten-free" as well. Not sure if I can properly express the level of rubbishness this is to me.
Here is another beauty website I cam across.
I have a colleague who really hates this term "gluten free" because she is also from Food Science and understand what these blank sales terms mean (=nothing) on a lot of products. Gluten Free means there is no gluten, YAY!! But if one hasn't found problem swallowing down toast, pizza, or pasta. High chance, celiac disease doesn't apply. We found amusement in the food markets and now the makeup markets....
So yea, don't give-in to marketing, and don't give-in to random food fad. (no goji extract, acai extract, mangoesteen extract, super berries mixes...) That's really so strange....
But I guess I should tag my article as "gluten free" because it absolutely is! this article is even "paper free." I'm saving trees so it's probably "environmental friendly," "resourceful," "vegan friendly," and I don't know...I'm running out of sales term...
I'd watch out more if you have Red 40 or Yellow 5 in your food products. Some research had shown that color dyes alter your DNA aka increase chances of mutation and then cancer! OMG, so dyes are actually carcinogen?? They probably are, and so is Oxygen... WHO IS THE REAL BAD BOY NOW? gluten, dye or oxygen?
YOLO, you better enjoy life while it lasts. Ok, feels like I'm going too far.
Until next time,
GLUTEN...it's a "natural" protein found in cereal grains (vegan friendly?), it is what traps air bubble in bread during leavening process and it also provide textural and structural supports of food. To achieve the same consistency in cake or bread is usually the most difficult part to overcome when it comes to replacing wheat. SO, unless one has celiac disease or gluten allergy, there is really no point to buy "gluten free" products because it really has no benefit to be "gluten free" except one might pay more for the products because it is labeled "gluten free" and now the company will charge $10 extra for that label, "gluten free." Are you tired of me typing out "gluten free" yet? More to come!
In Chinese food culture, we have been using gluten (solely gluten) as food itself!! Yea, we eat it by itself!!What's wrong with Chinese people? Scary :-p Guess Chinese are not buying the gluten-free diet? Gluten is also a common "MEAT" substitute in Chinese "VEGETARIAN" cuisine. (probably because it's a protein aka taste like chicken and it also provide a good chewy texture).
 |
| It tastes wonderful in congee or ramen. |
I guess I should talk about what is "gluten free" really and why we even have it. There is a percentage of population who have celiac disease, which is " inflammation and damages the lining of the small intestine. " The inflammation is reaction from eating gluten, which is very special type of protein found in certain cereal grains, i.g wheat, barley and rye. Blah blah, old news. The disease is still not well-known at the moment and can't really be treated with medicine. So people with celiac disease have to avoid things like pasta, or bread that's made of wheat. Hence the food companies start rolling out with wheat substituted products for those who are allergic to gluten. Ok, old news, everyone probably knows this by now. (or do we?) Also old news, the food industry is desperately trying to put this "GLUTEN FREE" labels on to just about any possible food products because somehow general public think this term now runs the same as "healthy" ????
I've seen gummy bear with "gluten free" label sometimes, or "fat free". (which is ridiculous on its own, gummy is glued by gelatin (animal base) or carrageen, pectin, or agar (plant base). No need for fat).
Ok, off topic (or is it), but really. There is so much nonsense going on in today's food world I am not sure how it happened.
Anyway, the point being.....first time I saw this term in the cosmetic world I was browsing a beauty store/website, and realized one of their ingredient filter list is "gluten free" HUH?
 |
| middle, top list. just can't miss it. |
I thought it was a bad prank (it was April's Fool after all). Little did I know, this "gluten free" makeup is a real thing! It's a trend, and it's getting so popular that not only do those "natural" makeup companies try to be animal friendly (aka Vegan if they don't use any animal driven ingredients) but also avoid using gluten as a ingredient.
BTW, just like there is no FDA regulation for word "natural" in food products, there really is no regulation for makeup either.... So all it means is that they can use some sort of planet driven chemicals or chemicals synthesized but found in natural plants. YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW. Well, you really don't know what companies these days put in their products and the qualities of the ingredients.
But now to market a "natural" makeup brand, one will also strive to be "vegan" and "gluten-free" as well. Not sure if I can properly express the level of rubbishness this is to me.
Here is another beauty website I cam across.
 |
| CERTIFIED GLUTEN-FREE? you can do that now? |
I have a colleague who really hates this term "gluten free" because she is also from Food Science and understand what these blank sales terms mean (=nothing) on a lot of products. Gluten Free means there is no gluten, YAY!! But if one hasn't found problem swallowing down toast, pizza, or pasta. High chance, celiac disease doesn't apply. We found amusement in the food markets and now the makeup markets....
So yea, don't give-in to marketing, and don't give-in to random food fad. (no goji extract, acai extract, mangoesteen extract, super berries mixes...) That's really so strange....
But I guess I should tag my article as "gluten free" because it absolutely is! this article is even "paper free." I'm saving trees so it's probably "environmental friendly," "resourceful," "vegan friendly," and I don't know...I'm running out of sales term...
I'd watch out more if you have Red 40 or Yellow 5 in your food products. Some research had shown that color dyes alter your DNA aka increase chances of mutation and then cancer! OMG, so dyes are actually carcinogen?? They probably are, and so is Oxygen... WHO IS THE REAL BAD BOY NOW? gluten, dye or oxygen?
YOLO, you better enjoy life while it lasts. Ok, feels like I'm going too far.
Until next time,
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