By: Patricia Lapena, Registered Holistic Nutritionist
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease where the surface of the small intestine that absorbs nutrients from food is damaged by a substance called gluten. This results in an inability for the body to absorb nutrients: protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, which are necessary for good health.
The long-term effects of consuming gluten for those with celiac disease are a compromised immune system, increased risk of colon and other cancers, anemia, low energy, and other health complications due to lack of immune function and/or nutrient absorption.
Gluten sensitivity is a term that is applied interchangeably with intolerance. In one sense, any individual who has celiac disease is actually gluten “sensitive”. However, the term ‘sensitive’ should be used to describe patients who can experience a variety of symptoms when they eat gluten and feel better on a gluten-free diet but do not have celiac disease.
Gluten-free diets have been shown to be beneficial to those suffering from thyroid disease, cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, anemia, autism, and irritable bowel syndrome. Eliminating gluten from the diet can also be of great benefit to those wishing to lose weight.
By eliminating gluten from your diet, it is also possible to increase your energy levels, lower bad cholesterol levels and even assist the body`s digestive process.
Watch your ingredients because there is lots of hidden gluten in everyday products that you buy.
Here are some Gluten – free products found at your local Grocery stores:
Thrifty Foods
Choices Markets
Planet Organic
Grains:
Brown Rice
Quinoa
Millet
Buckwheat
Amaranth
Oats (label must read ‘gluten free’)
Bread:
Glutino Frozen Flax Seed Bread
Food For Life Brown Rice Bread
Udi’s Millet-Chia Bread
Udi’s Whole Grain Bread Loaf
Orgran Multi Grain Crisp Bread Quinoa
Pizza crusts:
Quejos 10″ Thin Chs Pizza Crust
Quejos Dairy Free Pizza Crust
Power Bars:
MacroBar (available for purchase at our clinic)
Francine’s Finest Protein Bars (available for purchase at our clinic)
Francine’s Finest Super Bars (available for purchase at our clinic)
Salba-REAL Food Bar Blueberry
Salba-REAL Food Bar Original
Kind Fruit & Nut w Yogurt Bar
Kind Sesame/Peanut w Chocolate
Cereal:
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats
Nature’s Path Org Maple Sunrise Cereal
Nature’s Path Org Vanilla Sunrise Cereal
NP-Eco Mesa Sunrise
NP-Whole O’s
Crackers:
Mary’s Organic Blk Pep Crackers
Mary’s Organic Herb Crackers
Sakata-Rice Cracker Sesame
Sakata-Rice Cracker Roasted Tomato & Balsamic
Orgran Multigrain Crispibread with quinoa
Soups:
Imagine-Organic Creamy Tomato Basil
Imagine-Vegetable Broth
Pacific-Org Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Pacific-Spicy Black Bean Soup
