Wondering about how to cook with celiac disease? Read on for more information on what to pay attention to, foods to avoid and more.
For celiacs, eating gluten causes an autoimmune response that damages their small intestine. This damage can lead to serious health issues, including the inability to absorb nutrients and vitamins and unexpected weight loss. Eating gluten can also cause those with celiac disease to suffer from uncomfortable digestive symptoms, headaches, fatigue and more. All of these symptoms don’t sound fun—but they can be managed, or even eliminated with the right dietary choices.
By following a strict gluten-free diet, most people with celiac disease are able to decrease and often get rid of uncomfortable symptoms. Even tiny amounts of gluten in food can be harmful, so it’s important to read ingredient labels carefully and, whenever possible, stick to products with simple, clean whole ingredients that you can recognize and pronounce!
Avoiding all foods that contain any amount of gluten can help manage celiac disease. These include grains like wheat, farro, barley, semolina and many others. These grains are present in many baked goods, pasta, snacks and more.
There are other gluten-free carb options that are safe for celiac disease, the most common being cereals like corn and rice. A gluten-free diet may also include all meat, fish, fruits, vegetables and dairy, as well as nuts, seeds and oils. Eating gluten-free doesn’t have to be limiting, but it is important to pay attention to ingredient lists. Gluten can hide in unlikely foods, like thickened sauces, seasonings, ice creams soups, lunch meats and many meat alternatives, including veggie burgers and imitation meats. Selecting whole protein sources or ones with few, simple ingredients (like our Longève Original crumbles) is the best way to ensure you’re safely getting the protein you need when eating gluten-free.