Celiac disease is a disease of the digestive system that prevents nutrient absorption from food and results in damage to the small intestine. Celiac disease is treated with a gluten-free diet, also called a celiac diet. Gluten refers to proteins found in cereal grains and the products made from those grains. You can successfully follow a celiac diet by learning what foods to exclude.
Wheat, Barley and Rye
Your celiac or gluten-free diet should exclude wheat flour or any food made from wheat. This includes wheat starch, wheat germ, wheat bran, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein, faro, enkorn, kamut and spelt. Exclude from your diet the various types of flour that contain wheat: bromated, graham, farina, semolina, plain, enriched, phosphated, self-rising and white. You should also avoid barley, rye and triticale, which is a mixture of wheat and rye.
Processed Foods
Avoid processed foods that might have ingredients that you should avoid on a celiac diet. Ingredients on the avoid list include bouillon cubes, brown rice soup, matzo, rice mixes, soups, soup bases, self-basting turkey and vegetables in sauce. Your celiac diet should exclude candy, potato chips, seasoned tortilla chips, French fries and communion wafers. You should also avoid processed meats like cold cuts and hot dogs, and products like imitation seafood, bacon and fish.
Bread and Cereal Products
You can keep gluten out of your diet by checking the ingredients on bread and cereal products to make sure they are gluten-free. Some products slip through the check because they represent small parts of recipes or meals. Your celiac diet should exclude breading, croutons, coating mixes, stuffing and dressings. Avoid pastas and energy bars unless they are gluten-free.
Thickeners and Fillers
Exclude sauces and gravies from your diet because they are often made with wheat flour products. Your diet should also exclude soy sauce, marinades and any product that uses thickeners. Many foods use prohibited ingredients as binders and fillers. Ingredient lists may include unidentified starches or malt. Check also to see if the list includes the words "binders," "fillers," "excipients" or "extenders."
Non-distilled Alcoholic Beverages
While distilled products such as wine do not contain gluten, your celiac diet should exclude beverages that are not distilled. Beers, lagers, ales and malt vinegar are not gluten-free and thus are avoided on a celiac diet.
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