Celiac disease is a gastrointestinal condition that affects how your body absorbs nutrients from the foods you eat. The condition stems from an inability for the body to tolerate gluten, a food protein. Common signs of celiac disease include chronic diarrhea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain, weight loss and foul-smelling stool, the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports. No cure exists for the condition, but it can be controlled by eating a diet free of gluten.
Wheat
Wheat is one of several common grain products that contain gluten, which people with celiac disease cannot digest. In addition to wheat, people also need to avoid foods containing wheat products such as durum, spelt, semolina, emmer, graham, kamut, faro and einkorn, the Celiac Disease Foundation advises. Any of these ingredients indicates the presence of gluten in a food product and must be strictly avoided.
Barley
While not as common as wheat in foods, barley also contains gluten and needs to be avoided by people with celiac disease. Foods containing barley include some cereals, breads and other grain products.
Rye
Rye also contains gluten and is not safe for people with celiac disease to eat without triggering symptoms. Avoid the grain triticale, which is a cross of wheat and rye, the Celiac Disease Foundation reports. Bread most commonly contains rye, but you can also find it in other grain products. Carefully inspect food labels to avoid foods containing gluten.
Hidden Sources
Common grain-based foods such as breads, cereals, pasta and crackers serve as the most well-known examples of foods containing gluten, but several less obvious foods may also trigger symptoms because they contain the protein. Some of the less-obvious gluten-containing foods include potato chips and other types of chips, candy, brown rice syrup, rice mixes, marinated meats, sauces such as marinades, matzo, imitation fish, imitation bacon, bouillon cubes, hot dogs, lunch meat and communion wafers. Carefully reading labels is the best way to avoid eating gluten. The Celiac Disease Foundation recommends passing on a food if you cannot be sure it is gluten-free. Today, many foods that typically contain grains are specially made to be gluten free to help open up more options for people with celiac disease.
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