BY COLLEEN KERN
Recently, a friend told me she spent nearly two weeks in Italy enjoying bread, pizza, and pasta — foods she normally avoids because of her gluten sensitivity. Yet on vacation, she felt great. None of her usual discomfort.
Many travelers report the same surprising experience. These stories raise a compelling question: What’s different? Could the explanation lie in grain quality, farming practices, or food preparation methods? Before exploring those theories, it helps to clarify the difference between gluten sensitivity and celiac disease.
GLUTEN SENSITIVITY VS. CELIAC DISEASE
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder that, when triggered by gluten, causes damage to the small intestine, leading to long-term health consequences. Even tiny amounts can trigger symptoms.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) involves similar symptoms — bloating, brain fog, and fatigue — but without the autoimmune response seen in celiac disease. The biological mechanisms remain unclear, and diagnosis is based largely on symptoms. That uncertainty adds to the curiosity about why some people feel better eating gluten abroad.
WHY TRAVELERS OFTEN FEEL BETTER EATING GLUTEN ABROAD
There appears to be no research specifically comparing how people react to U.S. versus European gluten, but several documented factors — combined with lived experience — may help explain why some travelers feel better eating wheat-based dishes abroad.
VACATION LIFESTYLE
Stress, poor sleep, rushed meals, and sedentary habits can worsen digestion. Travelers often walk more, rest more, and experience less daily stress, all of which can support better gut function.
DIFFERENCES IN GRAINS, GROWING PRACTICES, AND PROCESSING
Many chefs and bakers point to differences in grains and processing as a key explanation. Chef Gio Osso, owner of Virtù Honest Craft and Pizzeria Virtù in Scottsdale, grew up spending summers in Italy and still returns regularly.
“There is a difference when eating bread and pasta in Italy,” he said. “The ‘bloat’ is not there and you don’t feel like a brick was just placed in your stomach.”
He believes several factors contribute: Italy’s GMO restrictions, limited use of chemicals and pesticides like glyphosate, and the long fermentation process used in pizza and bread.
“These reasons are a big factor in why certain people with gluten sensitivity or even celiac can eat these dishes in Italy with slight reaction, if any,” he explained. “And when eaten here [in the U.S.], they suffer tremendously.”
GRAIN QUALITY & FARMING PRACTICES ANCIENT VS. MODERN WHEAT
Italy grows and uses more ancient and heritage grains, including farro (spelt) and Kamut, which tend to have lower gluten content and different gluten structures than modern, high-yield American wheat.
Osso explains, “In Southern Italy you are more likely to find ancient grains or heritage wheat varieties like farro… having lower gluten content and easier to digest, whereas modern wheat varieties have higher gluten content and were bred for mass production.”
In contrast, the U.S. relies largely on hard red winter wheat, bred for yield and protein content, resulting in higher gluten levels.
CHEMICAL AND PESTICIDE USE
One widely discussed theory involves glyphosate, a commonly used herbicide in U.S. conventional farming. The European Union maintains stricter regulations on glyphosate and limits pre-harvest glyphosate use, and Italy also restricts GMO crop cultivation.
There is currently no scientific consensus in either the U.S. or the EU linking glyphosate exposure to gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. However, in June 2025, glyphosate’s toxicity was confirmed in a comprehensive carcinogenicity study led by the Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center of the Ramazzini Institute, in collaboration with scientists from Europe and the U.S.
Given these differences, many consumers — and chefs like Osso — prefer ingredients grown with fewer synthetic inputs.
PROCESSING & FERMENTATION: THE MISSING LINK?
Even when the same grains are used, the preparation process matters. Traditional Italian bread and pizza doughs often undergo long fermentation — anywhere from 24–72 hours — which allows natural enzymes and yeasts to break down gluten and reduce fermentable carbohydrates known to cause digestive distress.
“The fermentation process has a lot to do with making pizza, focaccia, pastries, and some breads easily digestible,” Osso explains. “That’s the goal — especially with Napoletana-style pizza.”
In contrast, many commercial breads in the U.S. rely on rapid-rise methods, dough conditioners, or shorter fermentation windows that leave more complex gluten structures intact.
SO WHAT’S REALLY GOING ON?
Many factors — wheat variety, farming practices, fermentation, and even stress levels — may explain why some people feel better eating gluten abroad. But there doesn’t appear to be a single cause for everyone.
When crafting his own menus, Osso considers these factors when selecting the flour. “I specifically use an imported brand from Italy called Caputo,” he said. “They are the industry standard when it comes to Napoletana pizza… consistent, clean, and perfect for any application I need.”
THE BOTTOM LINE
The rise in gluten sensitivity is real, and the better experience many travelers have with gluten-based foods in Europe is equally genuine. Choosing higher- quality grains, minimally processed flours, and doughs with longer fermentation periods may offer similar benefits at home.
