Can Help Reduce Chronic Inflammation In Those With Celiac Disease
Inflammation is a natural process that helps the body treat and heal infection.
Sometimes inflammation can get out of hand and last weeks, months, or even years. This is known as chronic inflammation and may lead to various health problems in the long run .
A gluten-free diet can help reduce chronic inflammation in those with celiac disease.
In fact, a gluten-free diet can reduce markers of inflammation, like antibody levels, and may also help treat gut damage caused by gluten-related inflammation in those with celiac disease .
People with NCGS may also have low levels of inflammation, but its not completely clear if a gluten-free diet can reduce their inflammation .
Alternative Names For Gluten
Sometimes, gluten-containing ingredients are listed under their scientific names, which are in Latin. The following terms represent the most commonly used Latin terms for wheat, barley, and rye. If you see any of these, the product contains gluten:
- Triticum vulgare
- Pasta: Made from wheat unless otherwise indicated
- Seitan: Made from wheat gluten and commonly used in vegetarian meals
- Wheat or barley grass: Will be cross-contaminated
- Wheat germ oil or extract: Will be cross-contaminated
What To Eat & What To Avoid On A Gluten
What to avoid:
- Wheat products such as bread, pasta, couscous and cereals
- Rye products such as crackers and rye bread
- Potatoes, yams or sweet potatoes
- Fruit and vegetables
- Grains such as quinoa, rice and corn
- Legumes and legume products, such as tofu
- Flour alternatives such as rice and potato flour
- Seeds and nuts in their natural, unprocessed form
- Fresh meat, poultry and fish
Recommended Reading: Gluten Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits
A Final Word About A Gluten Free Diet
A gluten free diet can present a challenge in regards to whole grain intake since it eliminates some of the most common sources of whole grain, including wheat, rye and barley. Fortunately, it can also provide an opportunity to eat a more whole food diet as is evidenced by the list above. While there are many refined gluten-free grain replacements such as cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch and white rice flour, the variety of nutritious gluten free whole grains is plentiful. So, rather than having the gluten free diet be a challenge, look at is as an opportunity to increase both variety and nutrient content through the incorporation of the above mentioned gluten free foods, including whole grains.
Id like to leave you with two gluten free recipes to try that will help incorporate the whole grains listed above.
Can Celiacs Eat Instant Potatoes
No, celiacs cannot eat instant potatoes. This is because instant potatoes typically contain gluten, which is a protein that people with celiac disease cannot consume. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley, and products made from these grains.
Instant potatoes are often made with wheat flour and other wheat-based ingredients, thus making them off-limits for people with celiac disease. Furthermore, some instant potatoes may also contain other hidden gluten, such as maltodextrin, dextrin and modified food starches.
Though some companies may offer gluten-free versions of instant potatoes, its best to double-check with the company or look for a certified gluten-free label before purchasing, to be safe.
Don’t Miss: Gluten Free Vegan Sourdough Bread
First What Are The Symptoms Of Celiac Disease
The malabsorption of nutrients and the immune-related inflammation associated with celiac disease ultimately leads to chronic symptoms and potential complications, per the NIDDK, which include:
- Delayed puberty of reproductive issues
- Mood or behavioral changes
- Underlying complications, like iron-deficiency anemia
If you are regularly experiencing these symptoms, its always a good idea to schedule an appointment with a primary care doctor if you can. They can do tests to determine if celiac disease could be the culprit.
What To Avoid When Shopping For Fruits And Vegetables:
- Hydrolyzed wheat protein
- Modified food starch: If the label doesn’t specify what type of starch is used, check with the manufacturer, as it may be wheat.
- Malt: Including malt syrup, malt vinegar, malt extract, malt flavoring
- Gluten stabilizer
- Maltodextrin: This is OK when made from corn, potato or rice starch. If it’s made from wheat, it will be labeled: you may have a reaction, though many claim the gluten is destroyed in processing.
Recommended Reading: Gluten Free Bakery Salt Lake City
May Help Relieve Digestive Symptoms
Most people try a gluten-free diet to help treat digestive problems. This includes many symptoms, such as:
Research shows that following a gluten-free diet can help ease digestive symptoms for people with celiac disease and NCGS .
According to one study of 856 people with celiac disease, those who didnt follow a gluten-free diet experienced significantly more diarrhea, indigestion, and stomach pain compared to those on a gluten-free diet .
Why Do People Go On A Gluten
Gluten can be found in many foods, so nixing it completely can be a big commitment, but there are medical conditions that require strict gluten avoidance. Again, someone with celiac disease will have to completely eliminate gluten from their diet. That’s because consuming even small amounts of gluten can trigger serious symptoms, including abdominal pain and bloating. But celiac disease isn’t the only condition that warrants a gluten-free diet. Some practitioners recommend that people with other autoimmune conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, psoriasis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis, avoid gluten.
There’s also non-celiac gluten sensitivity. For people with this condition, consuming gluten causes bothersome side effects due to an inflammatory response. Symptoms may include flu-like feelings, bloating and other gastrointestinal problems, mental fogginess, and fatigue. The remedy is to avoid gluten.
Another condition, dermatitis herpetiformis , is a skin rash that results from eating gluten. While people with celiac disease may also have DH, you can have DH without being diagnosed with celiac disease.
You May Like: Buckwheat Soba Noodles Gluten Free
Sauces Spices And Condiments That Are Usually Safe:
- Mustard: Some specialty or flavored mustards may contain gluten, so always check the ingredients.
- Mayonnaise: Typically not made with gluten, but check the ingredients to be sure.
- Dry spices: Most single-ingredient herbs and spices do not contain gluten, though because of cross-contamination concerns it’s best to look for specifically labeled gluten-free spices or check with the manufacturer.
How Will I Need To Change My Diet If I Have Celiac Disease
If you have celiac disease, you will need to remove foods and drinks that contain gluten from your diet. Following a gluten-free diet can relieve celiac disease symptoms and heal damage to the small intestine. People with celiac disease need to follow a gluten-free diet for life to prevent symptoms and intestinal damage from coming back. Your doctor or a registered dietitian can guide you on what to eat and drink to maintain a balanced diet.
If you or your child has been diagnosed with celiac disease, you may find support groups helpful as you learn about and adjust to a gluten-free lifestyle. Your doctor or a registered dietitian may be able to recommend support groups and other reliable sources of information.
Don’t Miss: Best Exercise Machine For Glutes
These Medical Conditions Require A Gluten
- Celiac disease This is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten triggers immune system activity that damages the lining of the small intestine. Over time, this damage prevents the absorption of nutrients from food.
- Gluten sensitivity This causes some of the same signs and symptoms associated with celiac disease, including abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, foggy brain, rash or headache, even though there is no damage to the tissues of the small intestine. Studies show that the immune system plays a role, but the process isn’t well-understood.
- Gluten ataxia This is an autoimmune disorder in which gluten affects certain nerve tissues, and causes problems with muscle control and voluntary muscle movement.
- Wheat allergy Like other food allergies, wheat allergy is the result of the immune system mistaking gluten or some other protein found in wheat as a disease-causing agent, similar to a virus or bacteria. The immune system creates an antibody to the protein, prompting an immune system response that may result in congestion, breathing difficulties and other symptoms.
Your health care team or a dietitian can help you make appropriate dietary choices to maintain a well-balanced diet with the diagnosis of any of these conditions.
Where Do I Start
This was my biggest question and the one that caused me the most angst. Once I got started though, it became easier and almost second nature to cook within the parameters of these new food omissions. So, for starters, lets focus on gluten first. Over the next few months, I plan to post more on food allergies and intolerances, specifically gluten and dairy, so please stay tuned.
Read Also: Is Tomato Paste Gluten Free
Do Sugar Cones Have Gluten If They Are Gluten
No. If sugar cones are made with only gluten-free ingredients, then they will not contain any gluten.
However, if the cones contain gluten-containing ingredients, then they will typically contain at least some amount of gluten.
Therefore, it is important to check the ingredients label on any brand of sugar cone that you purchase.
If the cones contain gluten-containing ingredients, then they are not gluten-free, and it is best to avoid them.
However, if the cones do not contain any gluten or any ingredients that are derived from gluten-containing ingredients, then they are considered to be gluten-free.
In this case, it is safe for those who suffer from celiac disease to eat them.
Recommended Reading: Rice Flour Pasta Recipe
Favorite Blogs For Gluten
Created by food writer and former pastry chef Daniela Dewar, Baking Backwards is a vegetarian baking blog devoted to recipes for sweet and savory gluten-free treats. Chocolate chip quinoa cookies, , and minty hot fudge cream cakes are just some of the mouth-watering recipes youll find that are all safe to eat on a gluten-free diet.
You May Like: Round Table Pizza Gluten Free
What Does Gratin Literally Mean
Gratin literally means crust in French. It is used to describe a range of different dishes that typically involve layering ingredients in a shallow dish, covering with a combination of cream, cheese, and/or breadcrumbs, and then baking till golden and bubbly.
Gratin can be made with both savory and sweet ingredients, with the most popular savory dishes being potatoes and vegetables, and the most popular sweet dish being apples. Gratin is a versatile and delicious way to transform simple ingredients into a mouthwatering meal.
How To Avoid Nutritional Deficiencies On A Gluten
One of the most important things to understand about celiac disease is that, in many cases, by the time someone has been diagnosed, they are likely already experiencing nutrient deficiencies. Someone with celiac disease has likely been mal-absorbing for a while, says Smith, and its common for those who are newly diagnosed to be deficient in nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, iron, and zinc.
Going on a gluten-free diet also comes with its own risk for nutritional deficiencies, especially if youre not sure how to include nutrient-rich foods into your new eating pattern. For example, Dr. Jossen explains that many of the gluten-free carbohydrate substituteslike white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starchare not fortified with the same vitamins and minerals as their gluten-containing whole grain counterparts.
Thats why Raber says gluten-free whole grains are arguably one of the most important food groups to keep in any gluten-free diet. That includes things like brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, and quinoa, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Raber also likes to recommend including dairy for those important bone health nutrients, like vitamin D and calcium. And for people who prefer non-dairy options , many non-dairy forms of milk are fortified to contain vitamin D and calcium, she says.
Read Also: Bard’s Gluten Free Beer
Possible Hazards With Going Gluten
Many gluten-free products are highly refined, unhealthy junk foods marketed as health food. Millions of people are eating gluten-free breads and other products because they think theyre doing their health a favor. But unless they are, in fact, gluten-intolerant or gluten-sensitive, they may do the exact opposite.
Excluding gluten from your diet can increase the risk that your diet may be deficient in certain nutrients found in gluten-containing whole grains. For example, wheat is a major source of protein for billions of people. For plant-based eaters who dont do well with legumes, it can be challenging to get enough protein without eating some gluten.
People who adopt a gluten-free diet often base their diet heavily on rice, which may contain high levels of arsenic. Or they include fish, which may have high levels of toxic heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, and lead. In a 2018 study in 11,353 people , researchers found that the blood levels of those on a gluten-free diet had more mercury, lead, and cadmium in their blood than people who did not avoid gluten.
Do Potatoes Obrien Have Gluten
No, potatoes OBrien do not have gluten. Potatoes OBrien is a simple dish made with chopped potatoes, onion, peppers and sometimes other vegetables. Depending on where it is purchased and how it is prepared, it may also contain butter, oil and other seasonings, but it does not contain any gluten.
Potato OBrien is naturally gluten-free, so it can be safely enjoyed by those who have to follow a gluten-free diet, though it is important to check the labels to make sure there are no other ingredients that contain gluten.
Read Also: Where To Buy Corn Gluten Meal
Editorial Sources And Fact
- Gluten-Free Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 11, 2021.
- Kim H, Patel KG, Orosz E, et al. Time Trends in the Prevalence of Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet in the U.S. Population. JAMA Internal Medicine. November 2016.
- Niland B, Cash B. Health Benefits and Adverse Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet in Non-Celiac Disease Patients. Gastroenterology & Hepatology. February 2018.
Foods That May Contain Gluten
These foods must be verified by reading the label or checking with the manufacturer/kitchen staff.
- Energy bars/granola bars some bars may contain wheat as an ingredient, and most use oats that are not gluten-free
- French fries be careful of batter containing wheat flour or cross-contact from fryers
- Potato chips some potato chip seasonings may contain malt vinegar or wheat starch
- Processed lunch meats
- Candy and candy bars
- Soup pay special attention to cream-based soups, which have flour as a thickener. Many soups also contain barley
- Multi-grain or artisan tortilla chips or tortillas that are not entirely corn-based may contain a wheat-based ingredient
- Salad dressings and marinades may contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, flour
- Starch or dextrin if found on a meat or poultry product could be from any grain, including wheat
- Brown rice syrup may be made with barley enzymes
- Meat substitutes made with seitan such as vegetarian burgers, vegetarian sausage, imitation bacon, imitation seafood
- Self-basting poultry
- Pre-seasoned meats
- Cheesecake filling some recipes include wheat flour
- Eggs served at restaurants some restaurants put pancake batter in their scrambled eggs and omelets, but on their own, eggs are naturally gluten-free
Recommended Reading: Do Honey Nut Cheerios Have Gluten
How Does Fda Define Gluten
In addition to limiting the unavoidable presence of gluten to less than 20 ppm, FDA allows manufacturers to label a food gluten-free if the food does not contain any of the following:
- an ingredient that is any type of wheat, rye, barley, or crossbreeds of these grains,
- an ingredient derived from these grains and that has not been processed to remove gluten, or
- an ingredient derived from these grains that has been processed to remove gluten, if it results in the food containing 20 or more parts per million gluten
Foods that are inherently gluten-free, for example bottled spring water, fruits and vegetables, and eggs can also be labeled gluten-free provided any gluten that came in contact with the food is less than 20 ppm.
A food label that bears the claim gluten-free, as well as the claims free of gluten, without gluten, and no gluten, but fails to meet the FDA requirements for use of these terms is considered misbranded and subject to regulatory action by FDA.
There are no valid tests to detect gluten in foods that are hydrolyzed and fermented, like cheese and yogurt. So if they display a gluten-free claim, manufacturers must keep certain records to show that the foods meet “gluten-free” standards.
If you have any doubts about a products ingredients and whether or not the product is gluten-free, the FDA recommends that you should contact the manufacturer or check its website for more information.
People With Celiac Disease
A gluten-free diet is necessary for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune response to gluten that causes the body to attack the small intestine, causing belly pain, nausea, bloating or diarrhea. People with celiac disease cant tolerate gluten in any form, and need to follow a gluten-free diet for the rest of their lives. If you have celiac and accidentally eat gluten, youll probably experience the same symptoms you did before you went gluten-free.
Recommended Reading: Best Gluten Free Pizza Austin
Whole Wheat Provides A Number Of Important Nutrients
Many gluten-containing whole grains, including wheat, have a lot of fiber. Researchers have found that the bran in whole wheat, in particular, contains a critical prebiotic fiber that boosts bifidobacteria content within the gut, helping to relieve many gastrointestinal issues.
And there are other valuable nutrients in wheat, too. Even whole wheat spaghetti, which is not exactly at the pinnacle of healthy eating, is a rich of B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, as well as unsaturated fatty acids.
If youre going to eat flour products and you value your health, then its wise to make sure theyre 100% whole grain. To determine this, read legally mandated ingredient lists, not just front-of-package claims, as these arent always substantiated. Some bread is touted as multi-grain, which just means it contains more than one type of grain. It doesnt mean that any of it is whole.
If you see any reference to wheat flour, and you dont see whole grain or whole wheat on the actual ingredient list, then you can assume the product contains white flour.
