The gluten-free diet

The gluten-free diet is the treatment for coeliac disease.

Taking gluten out of the diet allows the damage caused to the gut lining to heal, and symptoms of coeliac disease to resolve.

What is 'gluten'?

'Gluten' is an umbrella term which refers to a type of protein which is found in certain cereals. Eating gluten in coeliac disease causes the lining of the gut to become damaged.    
 
What is the gluten-free diet?

The gluten-free diet involves removing toxic cereals from the diet.

Gluten-containing cereals which should be avoided are:

• Wheat (including spelt, couscous, semolina, bulgar wheat, Kamut)
• Rye
• Barley
• Hybridised strains (cross-breeds) of these cereals e.g. triticale. 

The most obvious sources of gluten in the diet are breads, pastas, cereals, flours, pizza bases, cakes and biscuits. Gluten-containing cereals can also be used as an ingredient in soups, sauces, ready meals and processed foods such as sausages.

To help you identify which cereals contain gluten and those that don't, download our A-Z list of grains. 

What can I eat when I have coeliac disease?

There are many foods you can continue to eat safely, and there are a number of tools available to you to help you choose! 
 
The gluten-free diet consists of 3 main food groups:

• foods that are naturally gluten-free such as all types of rice, potatoes, polenta, quinoa, millet, corn (maize), plain meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, most yoghurts, fruit, vegetables, pulses (peas, beans and lentils)
• gluten-free substitute products such as specially manufactured breads, pastas, flour mixes.
  
  These are available via prescriptions from your doctor (click here to read more about this), in 'free-from' ranges in supermarkets, in health food shops, by mail order or via the internet.
  
• processed foods such as soups or baked beans that do not have gluten-containing cereals as an ingredient.  You can now tell from an ingredients' list if a gluten-containing cereal has been used - click here to read more!

What about oats?

There has been a lot of discussion about oats in the gluten-free diet, although oats are now thought to be safe to eat for most adults and children with coeliac disease.

However, there are a view key points you need to consider if you want to include oats in your gluten-free diet. Click here to read more!

How long does it take to feel better on a gluten-free diet?

After diagnosis, the amount of time it takes for someone to feel better on a gluten-free diet varies considerably.

Many people feel a vast improvement within a few days and certainly overt symptoms like nausea, diarrhoea and bloating should clear up within a few weeks.

However, some symptoms may take longer to improve, or you may find one symptom gets better before another. The length of time the gut damage takes to heal varies between people, and can take between six months and up to two years in some cases.