Celiac disease is a disease of the digestive tract that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of vital nutrients from food. People with celiac disease require a specialized diet that involves avoiding foods, medications and products that contain gluten.
Celiac Disease and Diet
When people who have celiac disease eat foods or use products containing gluten, the immune system responds by damaging or destroying tiny, fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine known as villi. Villi allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine and into the bloodstream. With damaged villi, no matter how much food a person consumes, they remain malnourished. Symptoms of celiac disease often include abdominal pain and bloating, chronic diarrhea and constipation, weight loss, vomiting and pale, foul-smelling and fatty stools, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Dietary Restrictions
The only treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet. Gluten is a name for storage proteins found in wheat, rye, oats and barley. This means avoiding all breads and bread crumbs as well as any product containing wheat flour. Drugs.com explains that wheat flour can be found in white flour, gluten flour, graham and high-protein flour as well as pastry flour. People must also avoid pretzels, crackers, cookies, rice cakes and wheat and flour tortillas. Maintaining a gluten-free diet requires searching out places that sell gluten-free products as well as learning to read labels.
Reading Labels
For years, people with a gluten allergy were forced to seek out words in ingredient lists that indicated that gluten was in the product. However, on Jan. 1, 2006, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 was passed requiring all manufacturers to clearly identify on their food labels if one of the ingredients in their product was from any of the eight major allergenic foods or food groups, including wheat. Manufacturers are now required to list on the packaging that the product contains wheat. Also, many companies have begun to offer gluten-free products for people who not only suffer from gluten intolerance or celiac disease but for health-conscious individuals who wish to avoid gluten products as well.
Acceptable Foods
People with celiac disease can still consume certain grains such as flax, corn, rice, tapioca, seeds, millet, nuts, Indian rice grass, cassava and more. MedlinePlus explains that plenty of foods are gluten-free, including meats, poultry, milk-based products, potatoes, corn, rice, beans, oats and fruits and vegetables.
Considerations
More than ever, companies are offering gluten-free alternatives to everyday foods. There are gluten-free breads, cookies and pancakes. People who look around at health food stores and most major grocery chains can often find gluten-free alternatives. People newly diagnosed with celiac disease may benefit from support groups to help identify gluten-free products.
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