1. Celiac Disease Slideshow
2. Gluten-Free Diet Slideshow Pictures
3. Take the Celiac Disease Quiz

Author:

Betty Kovacs, MS, RD

Betty Kovacs, MS, RD

Betty is a Registered Dietitian who earned her B.S. degree in Food and Nutrition from Marymount College of Fordham University and her M.S. degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. She is the Co-Director and Director of nutrition for the New York Obesity Research Center Weight Loss Program.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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In this Article

• How does digestion work?
• What is celiac disease?
• What are the symptoms of celiac disease?
• What are the dietary restrictions for celiac disease?
• Foods containing gluten
• Are there any dietary deficiencies associated with celiac disease?
• What foods are safe to consume with celiac disease?
• Gluten-free foods
• What are resources for a gluten-free diet?
• Celiac Disease (Celiac Sprue) FAQs
• Find a local Gastroenterologist in your town
• Celiac Disease: Gluten Free Diet Index

There has been much advancement to assist with complying with a gluten-free diet. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALPCA) requires manufacturers to provide more information about the ingredients used to make their food products, by specifying the presence of allergens on the product label, including wheat. Wheat-free does not mean gluten-free so you will still need to read the rest of the ingredients.

It's a good idea to get into the habit of keeping a food record. You can use the record to make sure that you are reaching your required nutrients and avoiding gluten containing foods.

These are the foods that are SAFE to consume:

• Amaranth
  
  
• Arrowroot
  
  
• Buckwheat
  
  
• Cassava
  
  
• Corn
  
  
• Flax
  
  
• Garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  
  
• Indian rice grass
  
  
• Job's tears
  
  
• Legumes
  
  
• Millet
  
  
• Nut flours
  
  
• Potatoes
  
  
• Quinoa
  
  
• Rice
  
  
• Sago
  
  
• Seeds
  
  
• Soy
  
  
• Sorghum
  
  
• Tapioca
  
  
• Teff
  
  
• Wild rice
  
  
• Yucca

The other foods that you are able to eat are:

Meats

• Plan meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, and eggs
  
  
• Dry peas and beans, nuts, peanut butter, and soybeans
  
  
• Tofu

Fruit

• Fruit
  
  
• Fruit juice

Vegetables

• Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables

Dairy

• Milk
  
  
• Plain yogurt
  
  
• Cottage cheese
  
  
• Cheese

Beverages

• Pure instant or ground coffee
  
  
• Tea
  
  
• Carbonated beverages
  
  
• Alcohol - wine, vodka, gin, rum

Fats

• Butter
  
  
• Margarine
  
  
• Vegetable oils
  
  
• Lard
  
  
• Shortening

Miscellaneous

• Sugar
  
  
• Honey
  
  
• Jelly
  
  
• Jam
  
  
• Olives
  
  
• Black pepper

There is a way to convert recipes that contain gluten into gluten-free recipes. You will need to experiment with the ingredient substitution, length of time, and temperature used for baking. Here are some substitutions that you can make in your recipes:

For 1 tablespoon of wheat flour, substitute one of these:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons potato starch
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons arrowroot starch
  
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rice flour
  
  
• 2 teaspoons quick-cooking tapioca

For 1 cup of wheat flour, substitute one of these:

• 3/4 cup plain cornmeal, coarse
  
  
• 1 cup plain cornmeal, fine
  
  
• 5/8 cup potato flour
  
  
• 3/4 cup rice flour

A panel convened by the National Institutes of Health assessed all of the available scientific evidence on celiac disease and identified six elements essential to treating celiac disease once it is diagnosed:

C: Consultation with a skilled registered dietitian

E: Education about the disease

L: Lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet

I: Identification and treatment of nutritional deficiencies

A: Access to an advocacy group

C: Continuous long-term follow-up.

You are going to need time, patience, persistence, and support with making these changes. These changes will affect you and everyone in your life, but it will get easier as you all get used to it. You are not alone in this so reach out to those who know what you are going through. The important thing to remember is that your body needs this diet to function correctly.