What should coeliacs avoid

If you have coeliac disease, you can eat the following foods, which naturally do not contain gluten:. By law, food labelled as gluten-free can contain no more than 20 parts per million ppm of gluten.

For most people with coeliac disease, these trace amounts of gluten will not cause a problem. However, a small number of people are unable to tolerate even trace amounts of gluten and need to have a diet completely free from cereals. The Coeliac UK website has more information about shopping for gluten-free foods , and advice about living a gluten-free lifestyle. Oats do not contain gluten, but many people with coeliac disease avoid eating them because they can become contaminated with other cereals that contain gluten.

There's also some evidence to suggest that a very small number of people may still be sensitive to products that are gluten-free and do not contain contaminated oats. This is because oats contain a protein called avenin, which is suitable for most people with coeliac disease but may trigger symptoms in a few people.

If, after discussing this with your healthcare professional, you want to include oats in your diet, check the oats are pure and that there's no possibility of contamination with gluten. You should avoid eating oats until your gluten-free diet has taken full effect and your symptoms have been resolved. Once you're free of symptoms, gradually reintroduce oats into your diet. If you develop symptoms again, stop eating oats.

Do not introduce gluten into your baby's diet before they're 6 months old. Breast milk is naturally gluten-free as are all infant milk formulas. If you have coeliac disease, Coeliac UK recommends foods containing gluten are introduced gradually when a child is 6 months old.

This should be carefully monitored. The Coeliac UK website provides more information about feeding your baby. As well as eliminating foods that contain gluten from your diet, there are other treatments available for coeliac disease. Recent studies suggest you can eat oats as long as they are not contaminated with wheat gluten during processing.

You should check with your healthcare provider first. Substitute potato, rice, soy, amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, or bean flour for wheat flour. You can also use sorghum, chickpea or Bengal gram, arrowroot, and corn flour, as well as tapioca starch extract. These act as thickeners and leavening agents. Know terms for hidden gluten. Avoid einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamut, wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, and hydrolyzed wheat protein.

Stay away from emulsifiers, dextrin, mono- and di-glycerides, seasonings, and caramel colors because they can contain gluten. Check the labels of all foods. Here are some likely to contain gluten:.

Separate all kitchen items used for preparing gluten and gluten-free foods. These include cooking utensils, cutting boards, forks, knives, and spoons.

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Gut ;[Epub ahead of print]. Celiac disease, gluten-free diet, and oats. Nutr Rev ; 69 2 Coeliac Research Fund Position Statement. The consumption of pure oats by individual with coeliac disease. July Avaliable from: www. Consumption of pure oats by individuals with celiac disease: A position statement by the Canadian Celiac Association. Can J Gastroenterol. Coeliac UK. Oats in the gluten-free diet. Comments There are currently no comments for this article.

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You may also like Inpractice Recertification programme ». South Link Health South Island general practice support ». It can take between six months and up to five years in some cases longer for the gut damage caused by eating gluten to fully heal. Several factors are thought to be involved in the variable time taken for the gut to heal, including age and severity of gut damage at diagnosis. Following a gluten free diet is a learning process, not only for you but also for your family and friends.

Mistakes can happen, especially if you have only recently been diagnosed. If you have coeliac disease and eat gluten by mistake, you would usually start to have symptoms a few hours after eating it and the symptoms can last from a few hours to several days. It's a learning process and we can support you and help you because we understand what you are going through. Our helpline is staffed with An expert in food and nutrition. Some people find that taking medication to treat constipation, diarrhoea or headaches can ease symptoms, but check with your pharmacist or GP.

The most important thing is to get back onto your gluten free diet to try to prevent further symptoms. If your symptoms are very severe or do not improve, speak to your GP. Coeliac UK support gluten free food safety for people with coeliac disease and gluten related conditions. To find out more, click here. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.

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