Coeliac Disease Diet

Coeliac disease is charcterised by an allergy to the protein gluten that is found in the grains wheat, barley, rye and oats.

This reaction leads to a flattening of the absorptive area (villi) of the small intestine. Some symptoms of Coeliac Disease are headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and weight loss. In children, development can be halted.

The doctor can make a definitive diagnosis of Coeliac Disease after a biopsy of the small intestine has been performed.

COELIAC DISEASE DIET

Initially lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products will probably need avoiding as damage to the villi of the small intestine results in a lack of lactase being produced. Lactase is the enzyme necessary for lactose digestion. As the small intestine villi repair on a gluten-free diet, the levels of lactase will start increasing and lactose containing foods can be added back to the diet.

If Coeliac Disease is diagnosed then gluten must be avoided for life. This poses some problems as gluten is found in many foods including packaged and canned foods as well as condiments and medication. The main difficulty is that products can contain ingredients that are derived from gluten containing grains without stating this on the label. For example ‘malt’ may appear on a label as a sweetener without any indication that it is derived from barley and therefore contains gluten. Recently the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) have developed new food labelling guidelines that will make it easier to identify products containing gluten.

If a product is labelled gluten-free it is safe for Coeliacs. Healthfoodexpress carries a range of gluten-free products.

Lactose-free products may also be appropriate for those diagnosed with Coleliac Disease.

NUTRITIONAL ADVICE

Please note this list is not exhaustive. Become ingredient aware and learn to read labels closely before buying. If in doubt leave it out. For more information contact The Coeliac Society of Australia at their website: www.coeliac.org.au to obtain an informative ingredients booklet.

SUPPLEMENTS

Slippery Elm powder: Take 2 teaspoons in a little water or malt-free soy milk, twice a day between meals to soothe digestive tract inflammation and reduce diarrhoea.