What is the treatment?

The only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong gluten-free diet. A gluten-free diet means avoiding all foods that contain wheat (including spelt, triticale, and kamut), rye, and barley.

Despite these restrictions, people with celiac disease can eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods, including bread and pasta. For example, instead of wheat flour, people can use potato, rice, soy, or bean flour. Or, they can buy gluten-free bread, pasta, and other products from specialty food companies.

The gluten-free diet is a lifetime requirement for people with celiac disease. Eating any gluten, no matter how small an amount, can damage the intestine. This is true for anyone with the disease, including people who do not have noticeable symptoms.

Following a gluten-free diet may seem daunting at first, but, with a little creativity, anyone can make delicious gluten-free meals! NFCA's monthly newsletter features decadent gluten-free recipes that anyone can make in a home kitchen.

For example, plain meat, fish, rice, fruits, and vegetables do not contain gluten, so people with celiac disease can eat as much of these foods as they like.

Brown Rice Flour	Guar Gum	Potato Starch	Buckwheat
Quinoa	Amaranth	Almond Flour	Teff
Corn Flour	Tapioca Starch	Soy Flour	Xanthum Gum
Corn Starch	Potato Flour	Sweet Rice Flour	Lentil

Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Survival Guide
For more information or help with managing the gluten-free diet, download a free copy of NFCA's Gluten-Free Survival Guide.

The guide provides information for maintaining a gluten-free diet and lists nationwide resources to help you find the most delicious gluten-free food!

For more personal advice, consider visiting a dietitian. Dietitians can help people learn about their new diet. Also, support groups are particularly helpful for newly diagnosed people and their families as they learn to adjust to a new way of life.

 

Last Updated July 15, 2007