Protein part of grains such as wheat, barley, rye, etc. is called the Gluten.

Some people suffer from injuries to the lining of the small intestine if it comes in contact with gluten. This is called celiac disease. It is also known as gluten sensitive enteropathy or non-tropical sprue. It can result in weight loss, gas, diarrhea; it may cause bloating or abdominal cramps. The affected person may suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The lining of the small intestine can heal if gluten is totally eliminated from the diet of these patients.

In severe cases of celiac disease if not treated in time the intestinal villi are damaged and complications such as malabsorption of fat, magnesium, calcium, iron, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, and vitamin B12 may occur. In such a case, the patient may require supplemental vitamins and minerals for several months (or years) until intestinal villi regenerate.

Some people suffer from a skin disorder called dermatitis herpetiform due to gluten intolerance.

Can You Remove Gluten From Food?

It is not easy to eliminate gluten from a person's diet since virtually all food products use grains in their preparation. Since we cannot tell what is in by the name of an ingredient, we may easily consume gluten without being aware of it. It is difficult to prescribe Gluten Free Diet.

Gluten Free Diet

By staying on strict gluten free diet the condition of a celiac disease patient can improve dramatically. The patient's diet should be periodically reviewed with a dietician because it is necessary to maintain gluten-free diet throughout life. Gluten-free cereals tend to be lower in B vitamins and fiber. Care must be taken to ensure adequate intakes of these nutrients. It makes Gluten Free Dieting very difficult.

The person responsible for a CD (celiac disease ) patient's diet must understand gluten-free diet well. The CD patient's diet must not contains the following grains: rye, wheat, and barley in any form. The following items can be eaten: corn, rice, soybeans, potato, tapioca. Gluten is present in Malt vinegar but not in Distilled white vinegar.

Many food ingredients use grain in their processing. Gluten presence is suspect if the food labels include following terms:

• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP), excepting when made from corn or soy
• Vegetable Protein unless made from soy or corn

You may use the following:

• Flour or Cereal products made from corn flour, pure rice flour, soy flour or potato flour
• Soy Sauce or Soy Sauce Solids which are known not to contain wheat
• Carob bean gum, cellulose gum, locust bean gum, gum arabic,
• Malt or Malt Flavoring derived from corn
• Modified Starch or Modified Food Starch made from corn, potato, arrowroot, or maize

A food product whose label contains following words may contain gluten:

• flavoring
• emulsifier
• stabilizer
• starch
• hydrolyzed plant protein