What is Gluten? Gluten is a protein found in all forms of wheat, rye and barley. It's most commonly found in foods, but can also hide in medicine, vitamins and make up.
Treatment of Celiac Disease & Gluten Sensitivity: The ONLY treatment for celiac disease is adhering to a life-long gluten-free diet. All forms of wheat, rye and barley must be eliminated from your diet.
What Happens if you Eat Gluten? Gluten is essentially toxic to people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Unlike an allergic reaction, someone with celiac or gluten sensitivity will not go into anaphylactic shock if they eat gluten. Instead, they may experience physical symptoms such as diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, skin rashes or headaches. Continuing to consume gluten puts one at risk for long-term damage to the small intestines. Additionally, there are no medical treatments to prevent the body from responding once gluten has been ingested.
Unsafe Foods
Here is a basic list of items containing gluten. Always read labels for these keywords, especially on packaged and prepared foods.
Barley
Barley Enzymes
Barley Extract
Barley Grass
Barley Malt
Barley Pearls
Bran
Bleached Flour
Bulgar
Bulgar Wheat
Couscous
Dextrin
Durum
Einkorn
Emmer
Farina
Fu
Graham
Hordeum Vulgare
Hydrolyzed Wheat
Rye
Kamut
Macha
Malt
Malt Vinegar
Matzo
Mir
Seitan
Spelt
Semolina
Tabbuleah
Triticale
Udon
Wheat
Wheat Berry
Wheat Bran
Wheat Bread
Wheat Germ
Wheat Oil
Wheat Protein
Wheat Starch
Wheat Flour
Safe Foods
There are hundreds of grains and other food items that are safe and gluten-free. This is a short list of some of the many gluten-free items that are safe.
Acorn
Almond Flour
Amaranth
Arborio Rice
Arrowroot
Basmati Rice
Brown Rice
Brown Rice Flour
Bean Flours
Buckwheat
Calrose
Canola
Cassava
Channa
Chestnut
Chickpea Flour
Coconut Flour
Corn
Corn Flour
Corn Meal
Corn Gluten
Cornstarch
Cottonseed
Dal
Dasheen Flour
Enriched Rice
Fava Bean
Flax Seeds
Garbanzo Beans
Glutinous Rice
Guar Gum
Hominy
Lentils
Millet
Modified Corn Starch
Modified Tapioca
Montina
Peanut Flour
Potato Flour
Potato Starch
Quinoa
Red Rice
Rice Bran
Rice Flour
Risotto
Sago
Sesame
Sorghum
Soy
Soy Beans
Tofu
Sunflower Seeds
Sweet Rice Flour
Tapioca
Tapioca Flour
Taro Flour
Teff
White Rice
Xanthan Gum
Yucca
Yeast
Delight Gluten-Free Magazine
A fun foodie magazine for people with Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance and food allergies!
What is Celiac's Disease
Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.
When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.
Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease.
Celiac disease can develop at any age after people start eating foods or medicines that contain gluten. Left untreated, celiac disease can lead to additional serious health problems.