Gluten Free Diet for Celiac Disease
Keeping you healthy is our main aim here at The GI Center. As your physicians, it is our aim to provide the best guidance of diet as well as medicine. In doing so also please remember that it is not possible to mention each and every food component that is available in this world. Our instructions are designed to serve as guidance only. If you have any specific question regarding anything not fully addressed here please call your physician.
Introduction: Gluten Free Diet is recommended for patients who have Celiac disease. Gluten is a protein component of many of the common food we eat like wheat, barley, rye and oat. People who have the genetic predisposition, develops an immune response to this component of the food. As a result of this, they gradually destroy the inner lining (mucosa) of the small intestine. This inner lining is responsible for absorbing the food components that we eat. Due to immune response, it gets destroyed and cannot absorb various nutrients essential for human body. Once you stop taking the Gluten Containing diet, the initiator of the immune system to destroy the small bowel lining will be withdrawn and in due course of time, normal healthy small bowel lining will grow back restoring you to normal health.
Principles of diet: You have to avoid food made with wheat, barley, rye and oats. “Reading food labels and knowing the ingredients is a must habit for Celiac disease patients” states our GI expert Dr. Meah. Following is a list of foods to be avoided:
| Food Item | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Cereals and breads | Cream of rice, cornmeal, hominy grits, soy cereals, corns | Cereals made of wheat, rye, barley, oats, malt etc. Breads made of wheat, barley, oats or rye are not allowed |
| Breads of corn, rice, sorghum, bean, potato | ||
| Meat items | Fresh, frozen, smoked items are fine as long as no filler containing any of the gluten containing ingredients | Be aware of meat or fish mixed in broth or other fillers unless specifically labeled as Gluten Free |
| Egg | Eggs are allowed | |
| Vegetable items | Pure vegetables in fresh, frozen or dried form are fine | Battered dipped vegetables could be detrimental |
| Beverages | Soft drinks, cocoa, tea, coffee and distilled alcoholic products are okay | Beer, malted beverages |
| Pizza | Unless made with Gluten Free ingredients | |
| Sweets | Corn syrup, honey, jam, maple syrup, sugar | |
| Pastas | Macaroni, spaghetti, rice noodles, potato, beans and peas are fine | Pastas of wheat and other gluten containing food items |
| Tortillas, Tacos | Corn tortillas and tacos are fine | Wheat tacos and tortillas to be avoided |
| Milk and milk products | Mostly fine | Malted milk and for other milk items please read labels and be aware of the Gluten containing fillers or mixers |
| Desserts | Allowed as long as Gluten free, like cookies, ice cream, gelatin | Avoid cookies, ice cream pies made of Gluten containing food items |
| Prepackaged food | Only if specifically labeled as Gluten Free | If not labeled Gluten Free, please avoid |
Resource: a good web site to visit is www.celiac.com
