Gluten-Free: What does that mean?

By Amy L. Habig, MPH, RD, LD
Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences
Ohio State University Extension
Adams/Brown/Highland Counties

I have recently received a few questions about gluten-free diets and Celiac Disease, and wanted to clarify a few points. Celiac disease and gluten are inter-related.

Celiac disease is a genetic disorder that affects both children and adults. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, about 1 in 133 people in the United States have Celiac Disease.

In persons with Celiac disease, an autoimmune reaction results when foods that contain gluten are ingested. The gluten causes damage to the lining of the small intestine. This damage can prevent the absorption of nutrients in the intestines.

The easiest way to think about what is happening in the small intestines is to hold out your hands and wiggle your fingers back and forth. This represents the movement of tiny hair-like projections called villi in the small intestine when there is no damage to the lining of the small intestine. To represent what happens in persons with Celiac disease when gluten is consumed, keep your fingers still. This represents the damage to the villi and the decreased absorption.

As for gluten, it is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. As mentioned above, in persons with celiac disease, eating or drinking anything containing gluten can cause an immune response that damages the lining of the intestinal tract. It also can cause pain in the abdominal area.

A diet free of gluten is the best way to manage celiac disease and help prevent symptoms of the disease.

Talk to your physician or a Registered Dietitian before starting a gluten-free diet, or if you would like more information about eating gluten-free. Always read the ingredient lists on food packages carefully to make sure the food does not contain gluten. And, great news!

Some foods like fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free. Pack a lot of fruits and vegetables into your diet to get many important nutrients! Some naturally gluten-free foods are:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Beef, poultry, and fish (not breaded or made with regular gravies)
• Nuts
• Eggs
• Milk-based items
• Potatoes, rice, corn, and beans.

Eating at restaurants, work, school, and social gatherings can be challenging if you have Celiac Disease. Call the restaurant ahead of time and read food labels before buying or eating food to be sure it does not contain gluten.

Some people who do not have Celiac disease like to consume gluten-free products because they feel these foods may be “healthier.” However, keep in mind that it is not necessarily “healthier” to consume a gluten-free diet if you do not have Celiac disease.