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Gluten (GLOO-ten): Noun. A substance sometimes seeming to be in nearly every food on this planet. When found to be present in one's favorite food, it can elicit sudden tears of frustration; when found to be absent from one's favorite food, it can elicit sudden tears of joy.
Okay, I admit it; I made that definition up. Actually, there are two additional and completely different definitions of gluten. One is simple, commonly accepted, and most frequently used-but technically incorrect. The other is a complex but technically correct definition. I'll give you both.
The simple, widely accepted (but technically incorrect) definition of gluten:
Gluten is a protein molecule found in wheat, rye, and barley.
The technically correct (but rarely used) definition of gluten:
Technically speaking, gluten is the general name for "prolamins" (also referred to as "prolamines"), a protein fraction found in a variety of grains. The prolamins that cause damage to people with celiac disease include gliadin (found in wheat), secalin (found in rye), and hordein (found in barley).
People often refer to gliadin as the offending part of gluten, and it is-for wheat. But secalin and hordein also cause an immunological response in celiacs. Other grains have prolamins, too (corn's prolamin is called zein, and rice's prolamin is orzenin), but their prolamins are not toxic to celiacs.
To be even more specific, only a part of the gliadin, secalin, and hordein proteins are harmful. For more information on this, see Wheat-Free, Worry-Free: The Art of Happy, Healthy, Gluten-Free Living.
Notes about Oats:
For years, there has been controversy over whether or not oats contain gluten, but we now know that the peptide they contain (avenin) does not affect people who are gluten intolerant. There is, however, some concern about contamination of oats, so most people on a gluten-free diet choose to play it safe and avoid them altogether.
In addition to the question about oats, there are ongoing controversies about other grains, and whether or not they harm people who are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. Some people may have reactions to these grains, but they are probably due to characteristics of the grains that are not related to gluten content (or lack thereof).
Wheat-Free, Worry-Free discusses controversial ingredients in great detail.
Regardless of whether or not a food contains gluten, always remember the golden rule: If it makes you sick, don't eat it.
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What Is Gluten?
