Celiac disease, the banned foods
Celiac disease is a permanent inflammatory bowel disease that develops when foods containing gluten are consumed. These foods, prohibited therefore when suffering from celiac disease, are those made with wheat, barley and rye.
What celiac disease depends on
Gluten can be found in baked goods (pasta, pizza, crackers, breadsticks, cookies) but also in cakes, breakfast cereals, breaded products (such as meat and fish).
Gluten, then, is often used by the food industry as an additive to make sauces, ready meals but also ice cream and some types of yogurt.
So it can be easily found in a great many canned or packaged foods.
It is also present in beer.
For those with celiac disease all of these foods are prohibited (unless the label states that they are "gluten free" i.e., gluten-free).
Consumption of these gluten-containing foods causes an immune reaction in the person with celiac disease that, over time, produces inflammation that damages the walls of the small intestine and villi, thus preventing the absorption of foods and nutrients.
So, since there is no treatment or cure for those with celiac disease, the only way forward is to follow a gluten-free diet, so as to see the ailments caused by the disease disappear and especially to avoid serious complications.
Prefer then naturally gluten-free foods:
- protein (meat, fish, eggs, legumes)
- FRESH VEGETABLES
- fruit
- vegetables and potatoes
Among the cereals that those with celiac disease can consume is the rice but also theoats: for the latter, however, it is important to make sure that it has not been contaminated with wheat and therefore does not contain any traces of gluten.
In any case, when you are sure you have celiac disease, the advice is to consult a medical specialist or dietician who will suggest the gluten-free diet to follow.