It seems to be that more and more, there are people who have a wheat allergy, gluten intolerance or gluten enteropathy. Many of us cannot conceive of a lifestyle that excludes many of our favourite foods such as bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta. Yet this is what many people face daily - for the rest of their lives.We have been eating wheat for millennia as a race, but for some of us, our bodies are turning on one of our staple grains.

So what exactly in wheat is the cause of allergies?

Wheat is not just made up of carbohydrates or starch, which is what we associate it with, but it also contains protein and fiber etcetera. It is the protein in the wheat that causes the problem for those who have an allergy to wheat products. The protein, like all proteins, is made up of building blocks called amino acids. The major amino acids in wheat are called albumin, globulin, gliadin and glutelin (gluten).

It is often albumin and globulin, that are the cause of food allergies in humans. More rarely, it is gliadin and glutelin. What happens is this - when you eat, or breathe in a product which contains wheat and you are allergic to these amino acids, your immune system reacts by making immunoglobulin E antibodies. These antibodies then attack the good food protein because they think that the protein is a virus or a foreign substance in your body and this is what causes the actual symptoms.

An allergy to wheat can develop at any stage in a persons life, although it is more common in children. The allergy can develop suddenly, as the antibodies have been building up in your body over years and suddenly they reach a threshold which causes you to start showing symptoms.

Gluten allergy is often confused with Celiac disease or some other digestive disorders. People suffering from Celiac disease have to cut out wheat products, as well as rye and barley which contain the same proteins.

One of the worst reactions to a wheat allergy can be exercise-dependent anaphylaxis, in which the combination of an allergen and physical exertion triggers anaphylactic shock.

So what symptoms should you look out for?

Like many medical conditions, the symptoms could be symptomatic of many diseases and you should visit your doctor if you think you have a wheat allergy. Some of the main symptoms include:

skin reactions - eczema, itchy skin, and hives
digestive reactions - abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea and in severe cases, vomiting
respiratory tract - asthma, runny or blocked nose, post-nasal drip, cough, wheezy chest

If you do suffer from a wheat allergy, there seems to be no real cure besides cutting out of your diet, products that contain wheat, or are wheat derivatives. This is far more easily said than done, as there are many products that have wheat hidden within them in the form of wheat derived ingredients.

The following ingredients can also be derived from wheat flour and may thus contain wheat proteins, which could cause an allergic reaction: Gelatinised starch, hydrolysed vegetable protein, modified food starch, modified starch, natural flavouring, soya sauce, starch, vegetable gum or starch.

So what alternatives are there to wheat when one is on a gluten free diet?

If you are on a completely gluten free diet then you need to avoid Kamut and Spelt as well as Rye and Barley, which are closely related to wheat. Some people on a gluten free diet can tolerate oats and rye, whereas others cannot. This is dependant on which specific protein you are allergic to.

The most common substitutes are corn and rice based products. Others include, potatoes, and tapioca (derived from cassava) amaranth, arrowroot, millet, quinoa, sorghum (jowar), sweet potato, and yam.

In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat; pure buckwheat is considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, although many commercial buckwheat products are actually mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and thus not acceptable. Gram flour, derived from chickpeas, is also gluten-free (this is not the same as Graham flour made from wheat).

Some people have a wheat allergy and live for many years with stomach cramps or eczema without realising that it is what they are eating that causes these symptoms. So if you suspect that you may be wheat intolerant, go and see your doctor.