Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity are two different adverse responses to the protein referred to as gluten, which is found in the grains rye, barley, and wheat. These conditions have similar symptoms which are highly similar and almost identical.
Celiac disease happens when your immune system responds to ingestion of gluten by attacking the small intestine lining, leading to intestinal damage known as villous damage. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity, also referred to as gluten intolerance, is more complicated and more controversial because not all doctors agree it exists and the research done on its causes, symptoms, and effects are limited.
If you have either of these conditions, you may be concerned about whether or not you can consume hemp-based products safely.
Cross-contamination of hemp products
Hemp is very similar to cannabis except that it’s not psychoactive. As a result, it has been used for medical purposes for millennia and, in recent years, it has gained a lot of popularity.
In its pure form, hemp is gluten-free and is in no way related to the gluten grains rye, barley, and wheat. That is, however, not where the story for hemp ends. It’s an important source of magnesium, fiber, and essential fatty acids. It’s a versatile plant and a nutritional powerhouse. The problem only arises when, like other grain and products similar to grain, hemp is grown in rotation with other crops such as wheat, which contains the gluten protein.
Many farmers tend to use the same equipment for the harvesting, storage, and transportation of hemp as they do for grains containing gluten. Consequently, they end up contaminating the hemp.
That is not to say that all your hemp has necessarily been contaminated by gluten. All it means is that there is a significant likelihood of it. Some studies have found traces of the protein in hemp flour samples.
You can still enjoy hemp
The most effective way of solving the above problem is getting your hemp products from manufacturers that take additional measures to ensure that their hemp is not contaminated with gluten. This can be quite the challenge.
To be on the safe side, if you wish to remain gluten-free, use only hemp product manufacturers who specifically mention that their products are gluten-free. In fact, gluten intolerant people are advised to stick to food products that are clearly labeled as gluten-free.
This is because, in order for a product to be labeled as gluten-free, it is required to meet the legal standard of 20 parts or less per million of gluten. Furthermore, manufacturers of certified gluten-free products are supposed to take additional measures to ensure that all the raw materials they use are not cross-contaminated.
While this may not necessarily guarantee that all the products you eat will be gluten-free, it should still help. As the popularity of hemp-based products continues to soar, it is increasingly important to get your hemp-based products from trusted sources, such as https://hempcaptain.com, which have a good track record of providing high-quality products.
