Grain Guidelines for Celiacs

In people with celiac disease, eating gluten causes the body's immune system to attack and damage the small intestine. Presently, the only treatment for celiac disease is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. That means no wheat, barley, rye -- and for the most part, no oats, either, because oats are usually (but not always) cross-contaminated with gluten from these other grains. All derivatives of these grains must also be avoided.

It's very difficult to avoid gluten, because manufacturers are presently not required to specify it in their lists of ingredients. Below is a table that lists grains that are safe, and grain products to avoid. If you wish, you can print this table of grain guidelines and take it to the supermarket with you.

In all cases, the bottom line is: If you don't know exactly what an ingredient is and what it's derived from, don't take a chance on it.

_Sources:

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign.

Horvath K, Cureton P, and The Children’s Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation Celiac Campaign Scientific Advisory Board. Gluten-Free Diet Guide for Families.North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN), Flourtown, PA.

Lowell JP. Against the Grain. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1995.

Hagman B. The Gluten-Free Gourmet: Living Well Without Wheat. Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1990.