Living with celiac disease can feel like a tough road to travel, but when you understand the path and choose the right tools, vibrant health becomes possible.
This autoimmune condition isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s linked to over 200 symptoms. These symptoms can appear in the digestive system or ripple out into other parts of the body, causing abdominal pain, fatigue, weight loss, and even delayed development in some cases. (1)
But here’s the empowering truth: with the right approach, you can navigate this challenge and thrive.
So, where does celiac disease come from, and why does it affect some people but not others? While science hasn’t pinpointed a single cause, genetics certainly play a role. For some, infant feeding practices may also influence the development of this condition, as well as feeding children a high-gluten diet. (2)
Symptoms can emerge at any stage of life—some experience them as children, others as adults. And here’s the twist: some people with celiac disease show no symptoms at all. Whether visible or not, though, the condition brings long-term risks if left unmanaged. (3)
Now, let’s talk solutions.
Healing begins on your plate. A gluten-free diet is the foundation for turning things around. Gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, is the main culprit, and avoiding it is a game-changer. By removing gluten from your life, you give your body space to repair. In some situations, additional treatments like steroids may come into play, but there are also natural, holistic approaches that can support your journey back to balance.
While celiac disease doesn’t yet have a cure, a vibrant, gluten-free lifestyle can restore your energy, lighten your spirit, and help you reclaim your health. Let’s start with what to put on your plate.
Here are some of the healthiest gluten-free foods: (4)
1. Fruits and Vegetables - Raw Food Diet
Fruits and vegetables not only are an important part of any healthy diet, they are naturally gluten-free. They provide valuable essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Furthermore, eating them will help raise immune function.
2. Healthy Fats
Try avocado, virgin coconut, grape seed, virgin olive, flaxseed, avocado, hemp and pumpkin oils. Coconut cream is very healing, and the saturated fats offer the best ingredient for healthy cell membranes. (5)
3. Nuts and Seeds
These are also good sources of healthy fats. Furthermore, they’re high in fiber, omega-3 fats and minerals. Try almonds, walnuts, flaxseeds, hemp, chia seeds, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds.
4. Legumes, Beans and Gluten-Free Whole Grains
These include all beans, wild or brown rice, gluten-free oats, buckwheat, quinoa, teff, and amaranth. Generally speaking, it’s best to properly prepare beans and grains by soaking, sprouting, and fermenting them. Sprouting them helps improve nutrient intake. Additionally, it reduces the presence of antinutrients that can cause digestive issues. Sprouting also makes proteins more digestible. Fermenting also supports the beneficial bacteria in your gut. (6, 7)
5. Gluten-Free Flours
These include baking flours. You’ll want to check out brown rice flour, potato or corn meal, or quinoa flour. You might also like almond flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour, tapioca flour/starch, cassava and other gluten-free blends. In particular, make sure the product you purchase is certified as gluten-free. It should state so on the label.
6. Gluten-Free Alcohol
If you want to consume alcohol, go for something that does not have gluten in it. Most, but not all, wines and some hard liquors are good options. (8)
7. Other Gluten-Free Condiments, Spices and Herbs
This includes real sea salt, cocoa, and apple cider vinegar. It also includes fresh herbs and spices, however, make sure they are labeled as gluten-free. You can also try raw honey and organic stevia. (9)
Foods to Avoid If You Have Celiac Disease Include:
1. All Products Containing Wheat, Barley, Rye
Read labels carefully! Look for any type of wheat, couscous, spelt, semolina, rye, barley and even oats.
2. Processed Carbohydrate Foods
These are often made with refined wheat flour. For example, be wary of cookies, cakes, cereals, pie crusts, and so on. However, even those that aren’t mostly wheat-based can have gluten. This is due to cross-contamination during manufacturing. (10)
See a more detailed list below of what processed foods to avoid.
3. Most Baking Flours
Wheat-based baking flours and products include a wealth of gluten. They all contain bran, bromated flour, durum flour, enriched flour, farina, phosphate flour, plain flour, self-rising flour and white flour. Remember to read labels carefully.
4. Beer and Malt Alcohol
These contain barley or wheat. If you have celiac disease, you should most assuredly avoid them.
5. In Some Cases, Even Gluten-Free Grains
You really want to be wary of items that claim to be gluten-free. Due to cross-contamination during manufacturing, gluten-free grains can sometimes still contain trace amounts of gluten. Be careful as “wheat-free” does not mean the same thing as “gluten-free.” You see, while wheat contains gluten, not all gluten comes from wheat. And try to avoid processed products that are labeled “gluten-free.” This is because they’re very low in nutrients and usually high in artificial ingredients to make up for lost flavor and texture. (11)
6. Bottled Condiments and Sauces
Again, you must read labels with great care. Some products can contain small traces of gluten. Watch out for soy sauce, salad dressings or marinades, malts, syrups, dextrin and starch. (12)
7. Processed Fats
This means hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, and trans fats. Also avoid refined vegetable oils, such as corn, soybean, and canola. These products raise inflammation. (13)
8. Added Sugars
Not only do they add empty calories to your diet, they can worsen inflammation and deplete the body of nutrients. (14)
Here is a more detailed list of what processed foods to avoid: (15)
- Artificial coffee creamer
- Malt (in the form of malt extract, malt syrup, malt flavoring and malt vinegar. They are indicative of barley.)
- Pasta sauces
- Soy sauce
- Bouillion cubes or prepared gravy
- Frozen french fries
- Salad dressing
- Brown rice syrup
- Seitan and other meat alternatives
- Frozen veggie burgers
- Candy
- Imitation seafood
- Prepared meats or cold cuts (like hot dogs)
- Chewing gum
- Certain ground spices
- Potato or grain chips
- Kamut
- Certain veined cheeses
- Ketchup and tomato sauces
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Vegetable cooking spray
- Prepared fish sticks
- Matzo
- Flavored instant coffee
- Prepared rice mixes
- Flavored teas
