Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and possibly oats. In people with coeliac disease the body produces antibodies in response to gluten that attack its own tissues, damaging the wall of the intestine and reducing nutrient absorption.
Symptoms of coeliac disease
The symptoms of coeliac disease can range from mild to severe and can include:
- bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, wind, constipation
- stomach cramps
- tiredness, anaemia
- headaches
- weight loss
- hair loss, skin problems, mouth ulcers
- short stature
- depression
- infertility, recurrent miscarriages
- joint and bone pain
Some people with coeliac disease are considered to be 'silent cases' as they do have any symptoms but do have a damaged intestinal wall. Some symptoms may be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or wheat intolerance, and some can be put down to stress, or just getting older. As a consequence, it can take some time before an accurate diagnosis is made.
Diagnosing coeliac disease
Coeliac disease is usually first tested for by your local doctor by taking a blood test and screening for particular antibodies. If this test is positive, the next step is a gastroscopy and biopsy of the intestine wall. Definitive confirmation of having the disease can only be obtained by gastroscopy and biopsy.
Treatment - a gluten-free diet
The only treatment for coeliac disease is to completely exclude gluten from the diet, however, it is important to consult your doctor or dietitian before such a diet.
Click here to view a list of gluten-containing foods and gluten-free alternatives.
Tesco Free From range
Tesco have developed a ‘Free From’ range to ensure that food allergies and intolerance do not restrict people’s options for a healthy and balanced diet. All the products in this range are free from gluten, wheat or milk and there are over 150 products such as pitta bread, baguettes, pasta, cereal bars. They can be found grouped together in most stores.
Here is a list of some breads in the Tesco Free From range that are gluten free:
- 2 Multiseeded Batch Bread 400g
- 2 Sliced White Bread 400g
- 4 Pitta Breads
- 4 White Rolls 240g
- Baguette 250g
- Sliced Brown Bread 225g
The free from product list is available from Customer Services on 0800 505555 or by mail to:
Tesco Customer Service
PO Box 73
Baird Avenue
Dryburgh Industrial Estate
Dundee
DD1 9NF
This product list is reviewed every 3 months.
Identifying gluten on food labels
It is important that people with coeliac disease get into the habit of reading food labels while shopping so they can spot gluten-containing foods easily. Most gluten-containing foods will have gluten or wheat, rye and barley on their labeling, however, it is important to note that foods containing wheat flour, modified starch and wheat starch will also contain gluten.
Nutritional deficiencies
You may be at risk of nutritional deficiencies if you have be eating foods containing gluten for a long time and suffering with diarrhoea. Therefore it is important to consider the following:
- Try to eat plenty of iron-rich foods and take lots of food high in vitamin C to avoid iron-deficiency anaemia.
- Ensure you eat plenty of calcium-rich foods and get enough vitamin D to reduce your risk of osteoporosis, common in coeliac patients.
- Many people with coeliac disease have a low fibre intake due to dietary restrictions. To avoid this, try to eat plenty of pulses, nuts and gluten-free wholegrain cereals.
Finally, a few extra pointers:
- Symptoms will take a few weeks to improve after starting your gluten-free diet and it will take up to a year to repair your intestine wall.
- This is a life-long diet, which needs followed not only to alleviate symptoms but also to prevent long term consequences such as osteoporosis and other nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia.
- This disease is genetic in nature and so there is an increased risk of 1/10 in families where the disease exists, so watch out for symptoms in your relatives.
For further information contact:
Coeliac UK
Web: http://www.coeliac.co.uk/
Tel: 0870 4448804
