What does a gluten-free diet involve?

Foods that are made of, or have come into contact with, wheat, barley or rye are strictly off-limits for those with coeliac disease. — TNS

Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet.

They are good sources of complex carbohydrates, as well as some key vitamins and minerals.

And because whole grains are naturally high in fibre, they may help you feel full and satisfied, which can make it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.

Eating more whole-grain foods can also lower your blood pressure.

Some people though, have a medical diagnosis that means they must avoid the gluten in grains such as wheat, barley and rye.

Coeliac disease, also called coeliac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is an immune reaction to eating gluten.

While the cause of coeliac disease isn’t known, the disease is becoming more common.

If you have coeliac disease, eating gluten triggers an immune response in your small intestine.

Over time, this reaction damages your small intestine’s lining and prevents it from absorbing some nutrients.

The intestinal damage often causes diarrhoea, fatigue, weight loss, bloating and anaemia.

And it can lead to serious complications.

A gluten-free diet is essential to manage the signs and symptoms of coeliac disease and other medical conditions associated with gluten, including non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, gluten ataxia and wheat allergy.

Following a gluten-free diet requires paying careful attention to food selection, the ingredients found in foods and their nutritional content, as well as medications.

Removing wheat, barley and rye from your diet may seem daunting.

Trace amounts of gluten in your diet can be damaging, even if they don’t cause signs or symptoms.

Gluten can be hidden in both foods and non-food products, including medications, vitamin and mineral supplements, toothpaste, and mouthwash.

A dietitian can help you plan a healthy, gluten-free diet.

And you can still enjoy the health benefits of eating whole grains.

Options in a gluten-free diet include buckwheat, corn, flax, millet, quinoa and rice.

While oats are naturally gluten-free, they may be contaminated during production with wheat, barley or rye.

Oats and oat products labelled as gluten-free have not been cross-contaminated.

However, some people with coeliac disease cannot tolerate even the oats labelled as gluten-free. – By Laurel Kelly/Mayo Clinic News Network/Tribune News Service